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Traveller reviews

Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs W from Chipstead

Review Distribution

Excellent
Good
Average
Poor
Terrible

Total number of trips

3

Countries visited

4

Lodges stayed in

19

Excursions taken

0

My October 2014 trip

Tanzania and 1 other country between 5 Oct 2014 and 18 Oct 2014

Trip rating: Excellent
"Full marks again to Expert Africa, with whom we've travelled many times. We wanted to visit a less travelled part of Africa and the Selous fulfilled all our hopes. Our four accommodation locations were all satisfyingly different. What more can one say?

Sorry Angela is no longer with EA to receive our thanks for her wise and helpful advice."

Lake Manze Adventure Camp

Lake Manze Adventure Camp

"Lake Manze Adventure Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 6 Oct 2014
"Lively camp, good atmosphere, pleasant helpful staff. Game drives good; particularly liked exclusive use of 4WD and driver PLUS guide (same individuals throughout), which increases chance of sightings. Only adverse comment relates to food, which was pretty dire we thought.

I'm pretty tough on gradings and believe Excellent should be awarded only in really exceptional circumstances. So, for me, Good is a pretty high rating."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Poor
Facilities
Good
Sand Rivers Camp

Sand Rivers Camp

"Sand Rivers Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 9 Oct 2014
"An interesting contrast with Lake Manze. The cost of staying at Sands River means that one is looking for very high standards throughout, so here gradings of Excellent might be expected.

Bearing this in mind, the food, we thought was far from exciting. Main courses were basically stews of fish or meat, the desserts often microscopic portions of, eg, flan. Moreover, for the main course, everything was dumped on the plate, where, at Lake Manze, at least the vegetables were served separately.

Again, excursions (although excellent in themselves) did not in one respect compare well with the much cheaper Lake Manze (see above). Here the guide was also the driver and we had to share the 4WD/boat with another couple, which reduces flexibility."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Activities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Average
Facilities
Excellent
Emerson Spice

Emerson Spice

"Emerson Spice review"

3 nights Arrived 12 Oct 2014
"This is just our sort of hotel: excellent position, small, quirky and all the staff were a delight.

We chose it, in part, because of its terrace restaurant, where we thought we would be able to relax after tramping the town. In the event, we had an even better solution: our large and colourful room had long balconies on TWO sides.

In the tiny rooftop restaurant, there is a single daily sitting for dinner and the fixed menu (which changes daily) is a 5 course taster at US$30. Good value."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

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

Unguja Lodge

"Unguja Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 15 Oct 2014
"Lovely place built on a low coral cliff on the edge of the sea. Deserted sandy beach of the purest white. Thatched cottages scattered around the luxuriant tropical grounds. Swimming pool. Water based activities, which we did not use.

All in all, thoroughly recommended."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Excellent
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Good

Cape Visit

South Africa between 5 Sep 2010 and 26 Sep 2010

Trip rating: Good
"Overall, we enjoyed it. However, the main reason for our visit - earlier in the year than we would otherwise have chosen - was our long-standing desire to view the vivid 'carpets' of spring flowers for which Namaqualand is so famous. This year there were none - according to local experts, the worst year for a decade. So this was a disappointment and meant that we drove a huge distance - to Springbok and back - for very little purpose. Of course, no-one can be blamed for that.

Our second disappointment was Constantia Uitsig and I have tried to explain why in my comments above. I'd be interested to know what your other clients think about this place."

Arranged By Tracy Lederer


Vineyard Hotel

Vineyard Hotel

"Vineyard Hotel and Spa review"

1 night Arrived 6 Sep 2010
"We've stayed at the Vineyard before in 1994 and 1995. It's been over-expanded in our view (the pool-side area must be a nightmare in high season), but that doesn't matter at this time of the year when the hotel is desperate for customers. We were upgraded from a Courtyard room to a suite.

The Vineyard's breakfast buffet is one of the best we've ever encountered and it's presently offering an excellent Winter dinner menu of 5 courses for R165. Extremely helpful staff."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Ndedema Lodge

Ndedema Lodge

"Ndedema Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 7 Sep 2010
"It's a bit difficult to evaluate this place without knowing how much we paid for our room, which was dark, badly lit and furnished with heavy dreary furniture (certainly not antiques as I recall the brochure suggests).

There is a garden of sorts, but not one you'd want to spend much time in.

However, the owners went out of their way to suggest to suggest things we might do in the locality and created a warm and cheerful atmosphere."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Good
Facilities
Poor
Rooms
Poor
Food
Good
Annie's Cottage

Annie's Cottage

"Annie's Cottage review"

3 nights Arrived 10 Sep 2010
"The best thing about this place is its charming garden. We were rather put off by a long list of House Rules posted in the bedroom!

In fact, we checked out after 2 (out of 3 booked) nights, but that was primarily because there is little to do in Springbok in the absence this year of the usual Namaqualand floral display. And the restaurant options are dire."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Farmhouse Hotel

Farmhouse Hotel

"Farmhouse Hotel review"

3 nights Arrived 13 Sep 2010
"This is a nice hotel. However, when we arrived, we were greeted with the news that a significant water leak had occurred in the room we were to occupy, rendering it uninhabitable, and that the hotel was full.

The hotel wanted to send us to a "luxury" B & B, which we later looked at and which was unacceptable.

In the end, after some fraught discussions, a suitable room was found for us and all was well."
Average
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Average
Ocean Eleven

Ocean Eleven

"Ocean Eleven review"

3 nights Arrived 16 Sep 2010
"No further comments."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

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

Constantia Uitsig, South Africa (this camp has since closed)

"Constantia Uitsig review"

6 nights Arrived 19 Sep 2010
"Very disappointing and outrageously expensive for what was on offer. We had a pleasant room, but the loose covers on the armchairs were badly worn and the TV was dreadful - poor reception and very few channels, no Sky.

The only common facilities, apart from the restaurants, was a lounge in a stand-alone building, which they had the gall to close to resident guests on 3 out of the 6 nights we were there in order to accommodate dining parties from outside. We dined in only once, in the Constantia Uitsig restaurant, in a totally featureless room serving indifferent food.

Breakfast was served in part of the Colombe restaurant (alleged to be the finest eatery in the Cape). This again was without any character and was often cold because the sliding doors at either end were frequently left open. We were told by the staff that they themselves had lodged many complaints with the management about this, but that they had been ignored.

Poor breakfast selection. Compare all this with the Vineyard, which is actually cheaper, and one wonders why Expert Africa continues to send clients to Constantia Uitsig."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location
Good
Service
Average
Facilities
Poor
Rooms
Good
Food
Average

My Oct 2008 trip

Namibia between 8 Oct 2008 and 31 Oct 2008

Trip rating: Excellent
"Excellent, apart from Sossus Dune Lodge. The distance between the airport and Erongo was a bit much, we thought, after an overnight flight, but Tracy tells me that there is nowhere suitable to stay in between."

Arranged By Tracy Lederer


Erongo Wilderness Lodge

Erongo Wilderness Lodge

"Erongo Wilderness Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 9 Oct 2008
"In its brochure, EWL states that it is situated 2.5 hours' drive from Windhoek! Impossible, in my view."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Good
Activities
Average
Rooms
Good
Food
Good
Facilities
Good
Halali Camp

Halali Camp

"Halali Restcamp review"

2 nights Arrived 11 Oct 2008
"We were impressed with the accommodation refurbishment carried out since our last visit in 2001.

The buffets were very good too.

Of course, the rates have gone up quite steeply in the meantime and we objected to paying the admission charge for each day that
we stayed in the park."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

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

Okaukuejo Camp

"Okaukuejo Restcamp review"

2 nights Arrived 13 Oct 2008
"Same comments as for Halali, except that, notwithstanding otherwise good buffets, desserts were virtually non-existent. Odd!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Food
Good
Rooms
Good
Etendeka Mountain Camp

Etendeka Mountain Camp

"Etendeka Mountain Camp review"

3 nights Arrived 15 Oct 2008
"Well, Etendeka is Etendeka and it's an experience we wouldn't have missed. Our second visit too.

However, we do feel that the "no frills" philosophy is taken to excess, particularly given the exorbitant cost. Surely, they could rustle up some eggs for breakfast!"
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Average
Activities
Good
Rooms
Average
Food
Average
Doro Nawas

Doro Nawas

"Doro Nawas review"

2 nights Arrived 18 Oct 2008
"The manager during our stay was a charming, keen and intelligent girl, but her lack of grip on the staff was evident."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Good
Service
Average
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Poor
Image alt

Eberwein Hotel, Namibia (this camp has since closed)

"Eberwein Hotel review"

3 nights Arrived 20 Oct 2008
"As Tracy knows, we really wanted to stay at the Stiltz, but that was full. In the event, that was fortunate. We had a look at the Stiltz and were not impressed, either with its location or its accommodation.

The Eberwein, on the other hand, although somewhat lacking in character, was good in every other way. One of the best managed hotels we have ever stayed in. And it has an underground car park."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Excellent
Service
Excellent
Rooms
Good
Food
Excellent
Sossus Dune Lodge

Sossus Dune Lodge

"Sossus Dune Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 23 Oct 2008
"What a disappointment! Although the lodge may technically within the boundaries of the park, in fact it's 5 kms from the entrance and thus is further from Sossusvlei than Sossusvlei Lodge.

The chalets stand below a high basalt cliff and, since they face west, get unbearably hot. There are no ceiling fans. Moreover, unlike the chalets at Doro Nawas with their wide sliding doors, the bedrooms at SDL have no less than nine narrow tilting windows (see photo in brochure) and the only access to the rear shadeless deck is via the central back door. Whoever designed this accommodation should be shot!

The food too was unimpressive. The only choice at dinner was between two different meats and this was brought to the table already plated with the vegetables. And for this they have the gall to charge N$1775.5 per person per day HB.

Quite frankly, we think Expert Africa should abandon this place."
Poor
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location
Average
Service
Average
Facilities
Poor
Rooms
Poor
Food
Poor
Zebra River Lodge

Zebra River Lodge

"Zebra River Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 25 Oct 2008
"This is a charming relaxing place at which we have stayed twice before, but it's Marianne's personality that dominates it.

If she and Rob move on it will be interesting to see what happens there."
Excellent
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location
Good
Service
Excellent
Facilities
Good
Rooms
Excellent
Food
Excellent
Eningu Clayhouse

Eningu Clayhouse

"Eningu Clayhouse review"

2 nights Arrived 28 Oct 2008
"As no doubt you know, the present owner has moved out and the lodge is up for sale. Meanwhile, a manager is running the place efficiently.

We've stayed there twice before (during the tenure of Stephanie and Volker) and could see little significant change. We like it. The food was good, but our two dinners both had heavy first and second courses (eg beef carpaccio, followed by eland goulash!), which seemed odd given the wide choice of really excellent salads at lunch time."
Good
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location
Excellent
Service
Good
Rooms
Good
Food
Good

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