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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mrs C from Leyburn

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

3

Countries visited

4

Lodges stayed in

21

Excursions taken

3

My Oct 2022 trip

Tanzania and 2 other countries between 24 Oct 2022 and 24 Nov 2022

Trip rating: Good
"We had a great trip but the 3/4 months leading up to it were stressful and we had diffiulties getting final details sorted needing to chase for updates. We appreciate that this is in part due to recovering from the difficulties caused to the travel industry by covid. I am not sure that the situation was helped by the fact that you are not keen to do flight inclusive holidays.

Tanzania was again a great experience, Be Ho Be Ho being the highlight but it was good to see the contrast between southern and northern Tanzania. Southern Tanzania being remote africa, northern being busy, plenty of townships and easy game viewing.

Seychelles, pleased we went but a one off experience, it lacks a distinct culture and just seems to be a series of holiday resorts but the highlight was Denis Island."

Arranged By Lyndsey Marris


Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay

"Oyster Bay review"

3 nights Arrived 25 Oct 2022
"This is our second time at Oyster Bay and it is a special place. We were the only guests apart from our last night so it felt like our private villa.

Nothing is too much trouble, the staff are very caring and attentive, good food with you deciding what you would like.

Highly recommend starting trip with a couple of days here to get over the travelling."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Beho Beho

Beho Beho

"Beho Beho review"

5 nights Arrived 28 Oct 2022
"Our second trip to Be Ho Be Ho and we hope to be able to return as soon as our commitments permit. The location, accommodation, food, staff and guides are all excellent.

This is from our perspective what a safari is all about, guides who are as enthusiastic as you at finding and seeing animals and birds with a very high level of knowledge so that you are constantly learning. Once back in camp you can unwind and relax and then over lunch and dinner have wide ranging conversations with a lot of laughter and fun.

The waterhole at the lodge had this time round due to the time of year a constant viewing of animals including one day and evening the Be Ho Be Ho lion pride, a memorable experience."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Arusha Coffee Lodge

Arusha Coffee Lodge

"Arusha Coffee Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 2 Nov 2022
"we arrived late and left the next morning so difficult to make much comment."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Plantation Lodge

Plantation Lodge

"Plantation Lodge review"

5 nights Arrived 3 Nov 2022
"We thoroughly enjoyed our 5 nights at the lodge, we were looked after by Catherine who would bring breakfast and lunch to our suite, sort out anything we needed and served dinner at night in the restaurant.

we could choose what we wanted to eat rather than needing to be dictated to by menus.

Lovely and spacious suite with a dining area as well as sitting room and 2 terraces so that you could catch to sun during the day.

The grounds are lovely and a good contrast to a safari lodge.

Very peaceful and relaxing place."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Lake Manyara Safari

Lake Manyara Safari

"Lake Manyara Safari review"

4 Nov 2022 • All-day excursion

Very sadly this Park has been severely affected by nearby road building and no longer matches the description in guide books or your information. The lake is now badly silted up, so no flamingos and has led to flooding which has damaged the shoreline too. The park is over run by baboons so all the bird life has disappeared.

Martin was keen to tell us before we headed to the Park that it would not be as we expected and wildlife viewings would be difficult. he also asked us to pass these comments on to persuade tour operators to amend their comments about the Park.

We had a good couple of hours in the Park and saw more than we had expected due to Martin's comments, he was surprised too but a couple of hours is all you need. it is not a full day experience.
Average
Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

Safari in Ngorongoro Crater

"Safari in Ngorongoro Crater review"

6 Nov 2022 • All-day excursion

It is only a short trip from Plantation Lodge to the crater, we left early and got back for a late lunch.

it is a unique experience, astonishing to grasp the size and to imagine the impact when it exploded.

Game viewing as we expected is a very different experience from selous where you can spend a whole day and see no other safari truck and you need to search out the animals. In the crater, it is more like a wildlife park/zoo but a good experience none the less.



Excellent
Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport

Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport

"Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport review"

1 night Arrived 8 Nov 2022
"average airport hotel"
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Food
Average
Rooms
Good
Image alt

Hilton Northolme Resort & Spa

"Hilton Northolme Resort & Spa review"

4 nights Arrived 9 Nov 2022
"Our Villa was great, spacious, well fitted out and with a lovely view.

Hotel food was poor and dreadfully expensive. We did learn that this is a problem in the Seychelles which imports circa 80% of its food so even street food is apparently expensive and not good.

Staff are the hotel very friendly and helpful, not local though, again something that we discovered was the norm in all the hotels.

The hotel does have a very good spa"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Poor
Image alt

Constance Lemuria Resort

"Constance Lemuria Resort review"

4 nights Arrived 13 Nov 2022
"A large beach resort with plenty of facilities including the only 18 hole golf course on the island.
Food again uninspiring despite eating in their 2 al a carte restaurants and expensive.

Staff very friendly and helpful but again not local.

Our suite was spacious and well appointed, first suite though in a dreadful location beside the beach side cafe/bar but we were moved after the first night to a much better located room"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Poor
Denis Island Lodge

Denis Island Lodge

"Denis Island Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 17 Nov 2022
"Denis island was the highlight of our Seychelles trip despite a poor start. We left our hotel on Praslin at 8.25 for a 9.40 flight to Mahe expecting to be on a 11.30 flight to Denis Island. These arrangements were confirmed the night before by the local Mason's agent but waiting at Praslin airport we were told that our flight to Denis would not be until 1400. So we had a long wait in the domestic terminal at Mahe.

On Denis, they told us that the charter plane they use was in for routine maintenance so they were using a smaller plane hence the delay. Bearing in mind that Masons own Denis, i think they should have done better either moving us to a later flight from Praslin or at least providing us with somewhere more comfortable to wait with drinks.

Denis island itself is amazing and full credit to Masons for the way they are running the island, we were particularly impressed by the farm which is a serious operation and demonstrates what the Seychelles could be doing instead of being so reliant on food imports.

Denis is about 80% self reliant for food and you could taste the difference.

Our villa was incredibly spacious both inside and out.

Staff were great although yet again not local.

A definite recommend for a more authentic Seychelles experience."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Image alt

Lescale Resort & Marina

"Lescale Resort & Marina review"

4 nights Arrived 20 Nov 2022
"This hotel has only been open 12 months and has its own marina. if you want a beach hotel this is not for you but in all other respects it is great.

We had one floor of the Presidential villa, large bedroom, enormous lounge/dining room, kitchenette and again an enormous deck with a large private pool.

The suite comes with a butler, the duties were split between two great members of staff who could not have been more helpful, efficient and friendly.

Only a 5 min drive to the airport too which meant we could spend more time there before heading for our return flight."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good

My Jul 2017 trip

Namibia between 6 Jul 2017 and 27 Jul 2017

Trip rating: Excellent
"We loved the people, landscapes and animal viewing, every Namibian we met were absolutely lovely, it is a wonderful country, although we wish it wasn't quite so cold at night!"

Olive Exclusive

Olive Exclusive

"Olive Exclusive review"

1 night Arrived 7 Jul 2017
"Great first stop, lovely big room, good food."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Fish River Lodge

Fish River Lodge

"Fish River Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 8 Jul 2017
"Superb location, friendly staff, very good guide (Cornelius). Spoilt by the lack of heating."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Facilities
Average
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

"Sossusvlei Desert Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 11 Jul 2017
"Be warned that if you are asked to share a safari truck on the trip to the dunes, ensure that you all want to do the same activities. It can be a very long wait if others have climbed the dune and you haven't."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Strand Hotel

Strand Hotel

"Strand Hotel review"

2 nights Arrived 14 Jul 2017
"Great Spar."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Coast and Sandwich Harbour

Coast and Sandwich Harbour

"Berger was excellent."

15 Jul 2017 • All-day excursion

Berger was an excellent guide and a lovely man too. Great picnic, and some fun driving in the dunes, not a lot of birds, but that's nature for you.
Excellent
Mowani Mountain Camp

Mowani Mountain Camp

"Mowani Mountain Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 16 Jul 2017
"The mountain view suite was superb, it was comfortable, had great views and very private. It was like having our own private thatched villa."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Desert Rhino Camp

Desert Rhino Camp

"Desert Rhino Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 19 Jul 2017
"Loved everybody who worked there, the Food and Beverage Manger, the girls who looked after us, and especially Liberty our guide, a lovely lad of 27 who really knew his stuff."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Average
Food
Good
Facilities
Average
Okaukuejo Camp

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Camp review"

1 night Arrived 22 Jul 2017
"Position of the chalet was outstanding, and the chalet itself surprisingly good, although maybe could have been maintained better, some taps didn't work and a number of bulbs were out."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Average
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Little Ongava

Little Ongava

"Little Ongava review"

2 nights Arrived 23 Jul 2017
"Fabulous room. Wild life on the reserve is superb and we got up close and personal with white rhinos, but the game viewing can be spoilt by the number of other safari trucks."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Excellent
Okonjima Bush Camp

Okonjima Bush Camp

"Okonjima Bush Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 25 Jul 2017
"We were in room 9, which is the mini suite, and quite different to the other rooms. We loved it and an excellent choice for a winters stay, as it had a fire place.
I've travelled in many safari trucks, and these had the least amount of room and were probably the most uncomfortable yet."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good
Facilities
Good

selous game reserve

Tanzania between 31 Jan 2015 and 7 Feb 2015

Trip rating: Excellent
"wonderful safari trip and would highly recommend the game reserve and beho beho."

Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay

"Oyster Bay review"

1 night Arrived 1 Feb 2015
"beautiful accommodation and so welcoming. All the staff worked hard to make you feel at home, great food.

only regret we did not book 2 nights before heading off on safari!"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Beho Beho

Beho Beho

"Beho Beho review"

5 nights Arrived 2 Feb 2015
"This is a wonderful place and we are already thinking about when we can go back. we saw a lot more game than we had anticipated and loved the constant change of scenery and landscape which made the safari much more interesting. we had a great day out of the lake with a surprise bush breakfast to make it perfect.

Accommodation is beautiful, great food, great friendly guides and staff, could not have been more welcoming."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Oyster Bay

Oyster Bay

"Oyster Bay review"

1 night Arrived 7 Feb 2015
"see earlier comments [Ed: see below]"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent

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