TG
Tamlyn G
Active since Nov 2015
5
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Reviews
5 reviews25 months ago
Never Again!
We booked a trip to Zanzibar through Africa Stay for our family of 6 adults and 2 children to celebrate my mothers BIG 60th birthday. After weeks of searching for the perfect resort we come across the 5 star Pearl Beach Resort and Spa. The videos and photos online looked amazing, beautiful beaches and pools, the most amazing spread of mouthwatering foods, fancy ****tails.... this was it, our dream holiday. When consulting with Africa Stay we specifically mentioned that we wanted a resort with a good swimming beach preferably with a 5 star or minimum 4 star rating. Our travel agents (who's website states “we know our destinations – we visit all the hotels we sell regularly and offer best possible advise”) happily made the booking without any hesitation. When checking in for our flight the night before we found that the travel agent had not pre-booked our seats and the only remaining seats were rows apart from one another. Surely booking through a travel agent their offered "expertise" would include offering basic things like pre-booking seats or simply advising that this was an option when they place the booking but it was not even offered. Great start to the holiday, sitting alone amongst strangers on a plane to a family holiday. Ever heard the quote “enjoy the journey as much as the destination”... From the time we arrived at our destination late that evening we were disappointed! After being greeted at our bus by the security guard, we carried our own luggage, in the rain to the reception or lack thereof... An old desk in a corner of the dining area with a laptop. Not welcoming by any means….. The surrounding furniture was falling apart at the seams, holes in the floor boards, were “disguised" by placing tables over. The balustrades were falling apart and unsafe, the infinity pool was half empty and grey! Other than the view which could not been seen in the dark, the overall feel was depressing, grimy, basic, and seriously lacking maintenance – definitely NOT 5 STAR. The gaurd presented us with our keys and check in papers to sign. We noticed the paperwork was not for the “3 x Double Deluxe Oceanview” units which we had booked and paid for. When we queried it, he (clearly having no knowledge of anything other than what he had been instructed to do ie: have us sign and show us to our rooms) phoned someone else to assist. When he eventually arrived, looking as if he had been dragged out of bed, the gentleman explained that it was too late to do anything about it now and advised that we should just sleep the night in the rooms that were available and he would sort everything out in the morning. If we arrived expecting a 3 Star resort, we would probably only have been slightly disappointed, but having booked, paid and expecting a 5 Star resort for such a special occasion, we were devastated. When looking for accommodation in Zanzibar we were not even considering anything below 4 Star, we wanted a luxurious, special holiday to celebrate my mother's 60th birthday (as well as my daughter's 8th Birthday) and Pearl Beach was definitely none of those things! Words like average and mediocre come to mind. When we arrived at the rooms things were not looking up. A bar fridge standing randomly in the corner of the room with a kettle on top. Mosquito net missing on one bed and the others old and grimy looking, full of holes, some stitched closed and others open. Being in a Malaria area with two small children this was unacceptable. The sheets didn't fit and were full of stains. Mattresses were torn. Massive cracks in floor tiles. Insufficient cupboard space for a family room. Aircons not working, air-con, roofs leaking, terrible water pressure and the list goes on... again all seriously lacking maintenance of any kind. The next morning we made our way to the dining area to try get some answers. The breakfast left much to be desired. A buffet would imply that there was variety which there was none……no cheese for the omelettes, no sausage, bacon, cold meats or cheeses of any sort. When we asked for butter they brought a tiny blob on a plate to the table, I asked for more as we were a table of 8 people, and it never arrived.... Under no circumstances were we happy to spend our holiday at Pearl Beach! After some back and forth between ourselves, Africa Stay and the Pearl Beach Resort manager, we were told that they had secured accommodation at their "sister resort" 10 minutes down the road. Karafuu - a 4 star resort. We spent the rest of the day barely eating or drinking anything as we were not sure when transport would arrive to take us to Karafuu. Eventually, late afternoon, we received confirmation that we would only be moving the following morning. We tried to make the best of what was left of my granddaughter's birthday and asked the manager if they could maybe do something special for her at dinner. What came next was a pleasant surprise, a beautiful, freshly baked birthday cake and lovely birthday wishes in the form of a song, sung by a large number of staff. Aahhh sigh, redeemed in the eyes of my 8 year old granddaughter at least. This and the fact that the staff were friendly and tried to accommodate us where they could (within their means of course) was the only positive experiences that came out of the whole stressful ordeal at Pearl Beach. We spent that night in our same rooms, so much for we will sort it out in the morning... all the while still living out of our suitcases. We essentially lost a full day of our holiday! The resort that we were moved to, Karafuu, was a definite upgrade and believably a 4 Star as advertised, unlike their "sister resort" Pearl Beach which is advertised as a 5 star. Still however, a 4 Star, not the 5 Star which we were sold. But it doesnt end there... We had booked and paid for an extra night to ensure late check-out on our last day knowing that our flight back home only departed at 9pm that evening. Karafuu however were not able to honour the extra night due to other guests arriving that day. Another day lost - instead of spending our last day in the pool, we basically had breakfast and sat in the reception the remainder of the day as our bags had to be packed and left in the baggage store after checkout. And ... the cherry on the cake.... My parents had booked to stay on an extra week. When we were moved to Karafuu not only did no one bother to make sure that their 2nd week was also accommodated for at the new resort but they also happily cancelled the weeks original reservation at Pearl Beach. With no notice they were left with no accommodation and no flights available to get back home. Panic.... Finally after a day of phone calls and caos a room was found at Azao Hotel, a 3 Star and another downgrade. Africa Stay even had the cheek to throw in an additional charge for mu parents stay at Azao even though they had already booked and paid for the second week at the "5 Star" Pearl Beach in the original booking. When booking we said we wanted a nice swimming beach as we planned to spend most of our time there. The beach at Pearl was trawled with litter and was mostly rock, with not a lounger in sight (nothing like pictures online). Traveller's rely on a booking agents advice and website, both of which misled our family in making this booking. The beach of the two resorts that followed (Karafuu and Azao) were also a huge disappointment. Three resorts later and still no decent swiming beach, the reason we came to Zanzibar in the first place. Really, I have a swimming pool at home.... VERY DISSAPOINTED!!!!!!! It is unfortunate that a county that clearly relies on the money from their tourism industry to have been let down so badly due to Africa Stay’s false advertising of 5* Pearl Beach resort. The photos of Azao Hotel on your website ALSO do not show the hotel as it is – it was also a very disappointing stay! Sad to say we will never trust your recommendations again! A ton of money to go on a once in a life time holiday to celebrate a once in a life time milestone - 60th birthday, only to be seriously disappointed and let down! An experience we never ever want to re live and do not wish on any other traveller!
0 replies
26 months ago
AMAZING
AMAZING!! Amazing variety, amazing quality, amazing service, amazing taste, amazing packaging, amazing turnaround time, value for money, amazing, just AMAZING!! Oh and did I mention amazing!! Well done Delugo!!
0 replies
26 months ago
Theft
I placed my order on the 28th of January 2024. When my order arrived one item was missing. I called and emailed customer care several times and was told that the matter had been escalated and re-escalated and escalated again but still no answers. I asked to speak to a manager three times and each time I was told that they were not available and would call me back before the end of that day.... I am still waiting... It has been over a month since I placed the order and I have still received no feedback. What happened to customer service??? This is pathetic! Even worse, it is theft. If they are not able to fulfill my order they should just refund me?? Never mind the fact that I have now wasted my airtime, my time and my energy and have gotten nowhere ....
0 replies
127 months ago
Useless
2 months ago I ordered a number of items online, one of which never got delivered. After a number of phone calls to Edcon/Boardmans with a number of employees including a manager (Ilse) and 2 months passing I still have not received the item or a refund or have ever received even an email or a phone call in response.
75 replies
127 months ago
Useless
2 months ago I ordered a number of items online, one of which never got delivered. After a number of phone calls to Edcon/Boardmans with a number of employees including a manager (Ilse) and 2 months passing I still have not received the item or a refund or have ever received even an email or a phone call in response.
75 replies
Review Distribution
5 Star
1 (20%)
4 Star
0 (0%)
3 Star
0 (0%)
2 Star
2 (40%)
1 Star
2 (40%)