Travel reviews by The Firefinches from Kent
Review Distribution
Total number of trips
1
Countries visited
1
Lodges stayed in
4
Excursions taken
0
Zambia safari
Zambia between 21 Mar 2008 and 1 Apr 2008
"We had a wonderful time. The weather was perfect, everything worked in a spledid fashion and the experience was magnificent.
Suggestions for improvement:
Not really - we were impressed.
We met a couple who had been with you before, which is why they were travelling with your company again. That must be the best recommendation: repeat business from satisfied customers. I am sure when we can afford it we will be contacting Expert Africa again.
Thanks Anna for all your help, and sorry we did not have time to have a longer chat in the bar at Kapani."
Suggestions for improvement:
Not really - we were impressed.
We met a couple who had been with you before, which is why they were travelling with your company again. That must be the best recommendation: repeat business from satisfied customers. I am sure when we can afford it we will be contacting Expert Africa again.
Thanks Anna for all your help, and sorry we did not have time to have a longer chat in the bar at Kapani."
Kapani Lodge
"Kapani Lodge review"
4 nights
Arrived
22 Mar 2008
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Mchenja Bushcamp
"Mchenja Bushcamp review"
3 nights
Arrived
26 Mar 2008
"Mchenja was just perfect - everything that we had been told about it was so accurate. The location, size, staff, tents, food and above all the chance to go walking with people who cared about the ecosystem. It was just brilliant.
We could easily have stayed here for longer if it were not for the tedious necessity of having to to go back to UK and earn some money to be able to do it again some time really soon."
We could easily have stayed here for longer if it were not for the tedious necessity of having to to go back to UK and earn some money to be able to do it again some time really soon."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Kapani Lodge
"Kapani Lodge review"
2 nights
Arrived
29 Mar 2008
"As before - the room overlloking the lagoon made it a bit special"
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Activities
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Taj Pamodzi Hotel
"Taj Pamodzi Hotel review"
1 night
Arrived
31 Mar 2008
"The hotel itself was comfortable, but the staff on the front desk and in the cashier's office were totally incompetent, not bothering to communicate with each other (or listening to their guests) and then trying to charge us for the room which had already been paid for.
Staff training will need to be given to ensure that the sort of welcome and stay that people would expect at this class of hotel is available all the time. We did not get breakfast because we had to leave at 5:30 to get to the airport for the flight to UK. There was only one transfer time and one vehicle. We cannot believe that the hotel only had one mini-bus to transport people to and from the airport.
The hotel restaurant was very poorly lit, but the the food was fine and the staff pleasant and tried to be helpful, unlike their colleagues on the reception desk. Overall the stay was something one could put up with for one night, but if we had not had such a good holiday prior to this overnight, we would have been even more annoyed.
One of the morning reception staff rudely insisted that we had to pay and that they did not have (could not find is the truth of the matter) the voucher we had given them on arrival, and which they attached to the paperwork. We just ignored her and her rudeness!"
Staff training will need to be given to ensure that the sort of welcome and stay that people would expect at this class of hotel is available all the time. We did not get breakfast because we had to leave at 5:30 to get to the airport for the flight to UK. There was only one transfer time and one vehicle. We cannot believe that the hotel only had one mini-bus to transport people to and from the airport.
The hotel restaurant was very poorly lit, but the the food was fine and the staff pleasant and tried to be helpful, unlike their colleagues on the reception desk. Overall the stay was something one could put up with for one night, but if we had not had such a good holiday prior to this overnight, we would have been even more annoyed.
One of the morning reception staff rudely insisted that we had to pay and that they did not have (could not find is the truth of the matter) the voucher we had given them on arrival, and which they attached to the paperwork. We just ignored her and her rudeness!"
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average
Location
Average
Service
Terrible
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Feedback response
We are very sorry indeed that these clients received such disappointing service while at the Taj Pamodzi, and immediately contacted the hotel about their issues.
The hotel’s general manager, Anand, replied to us – apologising profusely. He assured us that they are taking these comments very seriously, and noted that they had already taken up the issue of poor lighting in the restaurant with their chief engineer – and had steps planned to “make sure that their cashiers, front desk staff and room reservations ensure that each booking is updated and checked thoroughly, with no billing confusion at check-out time.”
He also noted that although their breakfast buffet starts at 07.00 (which is too late if travellers are heading to the airport for an early BA flight to London), an earlier breakfast can be ordered through room service – and this is certainly something that our travellers should note for the future.
We remain very sorry that these guests didn’t have a good experience here. However, we are encouraged to see that the hotel’s management has taken on board these comments – and hope that it’ll help make a better experience for subsequent visitors.
Despite these issues, we don’t believe that there is another hotel in Lusaka which offers a service that is as convenient, and consistently better, than the Taj Pamodzi.
The hotel’s general manager, Anand, replied to us – apologising profusely. He assured us that they are taking these comments very seriously, and noted that they had already taken up the issue of poor lighting in the restaurant with their chief engineer – and had steps planned to “make sure that their cashiers, front desk staff and room reservations ensure that each booking is updated and checked thoroughly, with no billing confusion at check-out time.”
He also noted that although their breakfast buffet starts at 07.00 (which is too late if travellers are heading to the airport for an early BA flight to London), an earlier breakfast can be ordered through room service – and this is certainly something that our travellers should note for the future.
We remain very sorry that these guests didn’t have a good experience here. However, we are encouraged to see that the hotel’s management has taken on board these comments – and hope that it’ll help make a better experience for subsequent visitors.
Despite these issues, we don’t believe that there is another hotel in Lusaka which offers a service that is as convenient, and consistently better, than the Taj Pamodzi.
When we came back to Kapani after going into the bush for a few days we had a pleasant surprise - a room upgrade looking over the lagoon, and just perfect"