Rio Azul Lodge Mozambique
1|1 reviews
MB
Michael B
1 reviews | Active since Member
06 Jan 2025, 10:02
Absolute Disgrace - Stay Away!
Absolute horrific experience and never to be recommended.
Lodge is run like a family private lodge with John's Family taking preference at all times over guests. Returning guests and buddies of Mark (GM) and John ***ner) also gets preferential treatment in the form of boat cruises, island visits.
Absolutely no consistency in the manner how guests are treated. Some guest's kids are provided snacks during the day yet ours not and never offered.
Some other guests kids get offered a tube ride behind the boat, when asking Mark about this, he states he does not charge a fee, as long as the owner is not on site. Where is the integrity?
Lodge advertises a small estuary boat for each unit and all-inclusive other than premium international spirts. Total lies and **** advertising!
After discovering that there are not enough of these estuary boats, we booked the use of these boats with a clear agreement with the General Manager Mark made the night before. With fishing rods, cooler box all prepared the night before and with my son excited and up and ready at 5:00am, 1st disappointment strikes us, as no boat was available, as the owner's son & other family member decided to take our boat, with the fishing rods and cooler also nowhere to be found.
John's niece then tries rectifying the matter with all sorts of lies and stories - trying to convince us that they will get another boat ready not realizing that I have already personally spoken to the boathouse staff - with all of them not recommending the use of another motor, stating its unsafe for use. (What cheek to try and send me and my family out to sea on an unsafe motor).
Following the above, Mark the GM makes a very poor, lazy yet arrogant gesture & statement to myself ordering me out of the pool to offer his apology - stating to me "Come and see me in my office" as if I am a scholar summoned to the principal's office.
John the owner later then acknowledges that they dont have enough motors in good safe working condition - blaming the arrival of parts being delayed by most recent protest actions.
Did they not know the lodge will be having higher occupancy over December? John the owner offers a trip to one of the islands at no costs as a gesture to make up for their mess, with another staff member (Stuart - the skipper) having also offered to take us out for a fishing experience.
Following up on this the next day - Mark the GM states to me the trip to the Island will have to be paid for. How if John the owner has committed to such?
Second set back
Dinner (simple crayfish BBQ) meant for 19h00, is served only at 21h00, with crayfish on the BBQ for over an hour.
Mark the GM providing the excuse that a new braai was used for the first time. (Only to be repeated again 5 nights later for a second time - with kids left hungry and some of the other guests left to return to the rooms). Mark then tries to send food to rooms.
Owner John however had a problem with my son opting for something off the menu which was kindly offered by his staff every day with the waiters initiating this conversation with us daily.
Owner John however arrogantly requests from me to only address our requests to the management of the lodge - but when and where as they are never present!? Mark the GM sits on the bench outside of his office all day. Menu is very limited with fish and chicken served most of the time following a buffet style serving (and for good reason as the fish being caught by guests are then offered at night for dinner - nice way to save on the expenses).
Third set back Throughout our first few days, the lodge experienced electricity issues with electricity tripping - this when no aircons are provided in the units so cheap flea market standing fans which is all you have becomes essential for use in the heat.
Standing fans extension cords are joint with insulation tape, some working, others mounted on the wall of units are not even working.
Our privacy was rudely interrupted by John the owner as he simply bashes into our unit as part of their search for the electrical fault. No decency whatsoever.
Staff of lodge carries the GM as he is hardly to be seen or present and carries himself with a very poor attitude, same for John the owner. The GM never really came to check up on us throughout our stay. Offers his returning guests sunset cruises, booze cruises etc. Had to hear from other guests staying at the same time, that they were taken out by boat to one of the islands on their arrival. Asking Mark the GM about this, various promises were made - "but just wait until John the owner is gone". Such trip was never delivered as this was only offered while Johns family was on the lodge.
Family of the owner lies around all over the lodge and in particular on the couches with slip slops, clothing items etc lying everywhere on and around dirty lounge sets carrying revolting smell of sweat! Probably never cleaned in years. Single TV at the main lodge is then also used for John's family netflix movies - with no attention given to what age group is in and around the lounge.
Lodge does not have WIFI,or working WIFI! Not one day could we have connection with Mark the owner making remarks to returning guests that its probably someone streaming adult content. Two small pocket routers available but worth nothing.
On one of the other days, having again booked one of the estuary boats (as a roster was now introduced :-) another gentleman Charles, introduces as Mark the GM's help, bluntly turns to the boathouse staff and orders the worker (Andries) to not offer me and my family one of these boats again! Listening to the manner in which Mark the GM then addresses his staff, a very evident discriminating & racial tone is present. I feel terribly sorry for the staff at this lodge.
Mario (barman), Jeremai & Carlos (waiters) excellent, same for the head chef (James) and other staff of the lodge.
Deciding that we are to leave the lodge (4 days earlier than original booking), and making contact with John the owner, he at first bluntly refuses to consider compensation for our financial loss, arrogantly telling me that I can forget it. On second occasion, he then is prepared to offer credit, very aggresively yelling at me "Be my guest!"
A day later on the advice from Mark (GM) to consider leaving Mozambique due to political protest unrest actions intensifying; Mark and I discuss the flight times and come to an agreement that a transfer can be arranged for us to depart, with the commitment offered that a pickup/transfer will be available for us at 10h00 on the morning of 24th December.
Having packed and sitting ready awaiting our transfer at 9h40am, such transfer never materialized and such service was never rendered at 11h00. With one of the lodge vehicle present and which can be used to get us to the airport, I asked the question to Mark the GM, can this vehicle not take us as clearly the transfer is not happening, Marks answer to me was that the vehicle exhaust is lose and it has a mechanical problem.
Thus the above resulting in myself canceling the plan to fly out of Mozambique for the set day, as there was no way we would make the flight in time, so we as family agreed to stay one further night, but guess what - No more housekeeping for our room was offered.
Having made the next agreement with Mark (GM) to depart the next morning (Christmas Day) getting into the vehicle at 6h00am to depart, here comes the big surprize and absolute worst.
Mark the GM has a instruction from the owner that our bill needs to be settled in full.
What bill I ask myself?? We then have credit??
Turns out we have to pay for all our beverages / drinks consumed during our stay - , the transfer of the previous day which never materialized, as well as for the fuel used for our boat trips - "OTHERWISE THE CAR WONT START!" in the words of Mark. The credit will only cover a next stays accomodation. We DONT WANT TO EVER VISIT AGAIN!
Despite having only consumed local drinks and soft drinks, with two special ****tails ordered one of the days.
Despite the transfer never delivered the day before and this service never delivered?
Despite the unpleasant atmosphere tolerated?
So what has now happened with the all-inclusive? When Mario the barman has categorically confirmed this to us on several occasions.
This was us being held totally ransom by John the owner after he himself decided to get his family out of the area - by means of Helicopter off course.
Having made contact with him to adress this, he chooses to block me on whatsapp saying he will deal with me in the new year, to date, writing this review I have not heard a single word from him.
Last bit; on the way to the airport, driving with Bruno (a great guy and driver) I ask the question, whats wrong with the other vehicle standing at the lodge, can it not drive - Bruno answers "there is nothing wrong with it, it can reach the airport easily, just the problem of Mr. Mark"
Being stopped on the road by locals protesting, Bruno did a great job to get us to the airport, asking Bruno about paying of the bribes, and whether the monies he has used is provided by the lodge, Bruno answers, no its his personal money. Suggesting that he claims the monies back from the lodge management or owner, Bruno answers" Eish, thats another story"
Very little integrity present from the owner and management, clearly totally overrated and never to be recommended.
Still waiting on the breakdown of our bill which I requested - will probably never see this! But we had to settle it as we could not risk staying in the country or at the lodge feeling unsafe, uncertain and unwelcomed. So much more to add, just never fall for this places advertising!
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Replies (56)Rio Azul Lodge Mozambique's replyOfficial
10 Jan 2025, 15:42 RESPONSE BY THE OWNER TO MICHAEL VANBLERK REVIEW OF RIO AZUL LODGE MOZAMBIQUE
In 10 years, we have had 2 bad reviews at Rio Azul – the review from Michael Vanblerk is the second one.
Please visit Rio Azul on TripAdvisor to see for yourself.
Michael agreed to accept a twin chalet for himself and his wife with a single bed added for his 7 year old son.
The 10 night stay was discounted by 24% from our standard rate (after 6 months of negotiations and countless emails and pictures to verify the facilities and accommodation). Drinks were not included. (see an extract from the offer to him below)
This Rate Excludes:
Drinks
Boat hire for deep sea fishing
Snorkelling at sea
Other water activities eg. wake-boarding, tubing and skiing
All petrol for estuary boats and deep-sea fishing boats
On arrival, after having a verbal fight with his wife for most of the transfer to the lodge (we were told by the guests travelling with him) he decided that he wanted a double bed as opposed to two separate three-quarter beds – we obliged him and converted the chalet for him. We later moved him to another double chalet which was more to his liking.
He had booked the cheapest option available to him, had negotiated the price down by offering a long stay and was obviously not happy from the start with his choice. He had requested pricing on a villa and was advised that the price was more than double the rate of a chalet but that there were none available. We have a minimum charge based on four adults at a premium of 15% on the chalet rate. On arrival he immediately again asked if a villa was available and when Mark advised him they were not, he walked straight to the closest villa (with the guests present) and said ‘is this one available’.
The motor-boat incident
Nobody can predict all eventualities and unfortunately the motor on the boat which he had booked for the morning trip failed to start although it had just returned from a service.
I apologised to him and offered him a complimentary trip to BD Island.
Subsequent to that he made numerous trips up the estuary on the motor-boats without further incidents.
We send our fishing guide along with him to assist him and his 7 year old son on fishing trips.
I was advised that that morning he had created an upheaval in the main area by shouting loudly that he wanted all the guests to know that the lodge was my family lodge and not a guest lodge. When my manager, Mark, requested him to join him in the privacy of his office to discuss his issues, he refused and was scathing and rude, saying to him that he would not be treated like a schoolboy being sent to the principle’s office and asking Mark if he wanted him to “bow down to him like Allah’.
He then decided that the food that was being served to him and his son was not to his liking. He proceeded to go straight into the kitchen and to instruct our main chef to make them a chicken burger with cheese and pineapple instead of the beef burger that was on the lunch menu. His reasoning was that he had already had a burger previously and ‘do you expect me to eat burgers every day’.
That same night he decided that he wanted a beef burger instead of the meal that was on the menu.
I had personally had a discussion with him to inform him that guests should not approach the staff on menu issues or enter the kitchen, but should approach management for special requests. We have accommodated numerous guests over the years on food preferences and cater for children, vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans, halal etc.
He was rude and scathing to me when I requested him to respect the other guests and general lodge protocol and asked me if I wanted him to leave the lodge. I replied that he was welcome at the lodge but that if he wished to leave, we had no objection to this. I advised him that if he left there would be no refunds.
He ignored our request to approach management with meal variations and continued to order what he felt like eating directly from the waiters.
He attempted to strike up a friendship with another of our guests who had children, but they shunned him when it became clear to them that he was a troublemaker who was trying to garner their support to discredit the management and service levels at the lodge.
Owners family lodge
We have run the lodge to our personal standards since inception with great success and we count all our guests as part of the Rio Azul Family. We have a high rate of returning guests which is proof of our excellent service levels. This is the first time we have been accused of preferring ourselves to our guests which we strongly deny. Some of the other guests were returning guests and others were there for the first time. Everybody other than Michael had a great time at the lodge and made new friends, but they all avoided him after his public rude outburst and ongoing obstructive behaviour.
He clearly felt ostracised as nobody else wanted to be around him.
We have a code of ‘strictly casual’ and guests routinely come to meals in swimming costumes without shirts on, put their feet up and lie on the couches. Our lodge is cleaned daily to a high standard.
Michael is not a perfectionist, he is a toxic individual displaying narcissistic behaviour to mask his own inadequacies.
He then advised us that he wished to leave the lodge three days early at the last minute at 8.30am in the morning and insisted that we should provide a transfer vehicle. He was advised that it may not arrive in time to get him to the airport in time to which he stated that if they were late, they would stay at the Donna Ana hotel in Vilanculos for the night. We assisted by advising the Airlink staff of their late arrival and requested them to hold open the check-in for him. When Michael realised that he may be late he decided that they would stay at the lodge for another night as it was Christmas eve and we were having a beach braai. We advised him that he would be required to pay for the cost of the wasted transfer (transfers are contracted out).
The following morning, he refused to pay his bill and was advised by Mark, our manager (on my specific instruction), that he would not receive any credit for early departure and that he would not be allowed to leave the lodge until his bill was settled. He paid his bill under protest and departed but not before sending me a rude and insulting Whatsapp message. I responded to him with the final words that his toxic attitude and rude behaviour was an embarrassment to his fellow guests as well as his own wife and child. I cannot recall her saying anything during her entire stay at the lodge (other than a good morning). I was later told by Mark that after the family had enjoyed a fishing trip, having caught good fish for the first time in their lives, that she was enthusiastically relating her experience only to be told publicly by Michael to be quiet as he was speaking (‘EK PRAAT NOU’)
I see no point in responding to each and every one of his baseless allegations except to state that we deny his allegations of racist behaviour in the strongest terms possible.
I will end by stating that there are people like Michael Vanblerk in the world that will never be satisfied with what they receive. They continue asking for a bigger discount or an upgrade or free drinks to prove they are one up on everybody else. They react rudely and disrespectfully and in disbelief when their behaviour is called out. Luckily, they are a rare breed and should be avoided in life if at all possible.
In 10 years, we have had 2 bad reviews at Rio Azul – the review from Michael Vanblerk is the second one.
Please visit Rio Azul on TripAdvisor to see for yourself.
Michael agreed to accept a twin chalet for himself and his wife with a single bed added for his 7 year old son.
The 10 night stay was discounted by 24% from our standard rate (after 6 months of negotiations and countless emails and pictures to verify the facilities and accommodation). Drinks were not included. (see an extract from the offer to him below)
This Rate Excludes:
Drinks
Boat hire for deep sea fishing
Snorkelling at sea
Other water activities eg. wake-boarding, tubing and skiing
All petrol for estuary boats and deep-sea fishing boats
On arrival, after having a verbal fight with his wife for most of the transfer to the lodge (we were told by the guests travelling with him) he decided that he wanted a double bed as opposed to two separate three-quarter beds – we obliged him and converted the chalet for him. We later moved him to another double chalet which was more to his liking.
He had booked the cheapest option available to him, had negotiated the price down by offering a long stay and was obviously not happy from the start with his choice. He had requested pricing on a villa and was advised that the price was more than double the rate of a chalet but that there were none available. We have a minimum charge based on four adults at a premium of 15% on the chalet rate. On arrival he immediately again asked if a villa was available and when Mark advised him they were not, he walked straight to the closest villa (with the guests present) and said ‘is this one available’.
The motor-boat incident
Nobody can predict all eventualities and unfortunately the motor on the boat which he had booked for the morning trip failed to start although it had just returned from a service.
I apologised to him and offered him a complimentary trip to BD Island.
Subsequent to that he made numerous trips up the estuary on the motor-boats without further incidents.
We send our fishing guide along with him to assist him and his 7 year old son on fishing trips.
I was advised that that morning he had created an upheaval in the main area by shouting loudly that he wanted all the guests to know that the lodge was my family lodge and not a guest lodge. When my manager, Mark, requested him to join him in the privacy of his office to discuss his issues, he refused and was scathing and rude, saying to him that he would not be treated like a schoolboy being sent to the principle’s office and asking Mark if he wanted him to “bow down to him like Allah’.
He then decided that the food that was being served to him and his son was not to his liking. He proceeded to go straight into the kitchen and to instruct our main chef to make them a chicken burger with cheese and pineapple instead of the beef burger that was on the lunch menu. His reasoning was that he had already had a burger previously and ‘do you expect me to eat burgers every day’.
That same night he decided that he wanted a beef burger instead of the meal that was on the menu.
I had personally had a discussion with him to inform him that guests should not approach the staff on menu issues or enter the kitchen, but should approach management for special requests. We have accommodated numerous guests over the years on food preferences and cater for children, vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans, halal etc.
He was rude and scathing to me when I requested him to respect the other guests and general lodge protocol and asked me if I wanted him to leave the lodge. I replied that he was welcome at the lodge but that if he wished to leave, we had no objection to this. I advised him that if he left there would be no refunds.
He ignored our request to approach management with meal variations and continued to order what he felt like eating directly from the waiters.
He attempted to strike up a friendship with another of our guests who had children, but they shunned him when it became clear to them that he was a troublemaker who was trying to garner their support to discredit the management and service levels at the lodge.
Owners family lodge
We have run the lodge to our personal standards since inception with great success and we count all our guests as part of the Rio Azul Family. We have a high rate of returning guests which is proof of our excellent service levels. This is the first time we have been accused of preferring ourselves to our guests which we strongly deny. Some of the other guests were returning guests and others were there for the first time. Everybody other than Michael had a great time at the lodge and made new friends, but they all avoided him after his public rude outburst and ongoing obstructive behaviour.
He clearly felt ostracised as nobody else wanted to be around him.
We have a code of ‘strictly casual’ and guests routinely come to meals in swimming costumes without shirts on, put their feet up and lie on the couches. Our lodge is cleaned daily to a high standard.
Michael is not a perfectionist, he is a toxic individual displaying narcissistic behaviour to mask his own inadequacies.
He then advised us that he wished to leave the lodge three days early at the last minute at 8.30am in the morning and insisted that we should provide a transfer vehicle. He was advised that it may not arrive in time to get him to the airport in time to which he stated that if they were late, they would stay at the Donna Ana hotel in Vilanculos for the night. We assisted by advising the Airlink staff of their late arrival and requested them to hold open the check-in for him. When Michael realised that he may be late he decided that they would stay at the lodge for another night as it was Christmas eve and we were having a beach braai. We advised him that he would be required to pay for the cost of the wasted transfer (transfers are contracted out).
The following morning, he refused to pay his bill and was advised by Mark, our manager (on my specific instruction), that he would not receive any credit for early departure and that he would not be allowed to leave the lodge until his bill was settled. He paid his bill under protest and departed but not before sending me a rude and insulting Whatsapp message. I responded to him with the final words that his toxic attitude and rude behaviour was an embarrassment to his fellow guests as well as his own wife and child. I cannot recall her saying anything during her entire stay at the lodge (other than a good morning). I was later told by Mark that after the family had enjoyed a fishing trip, having caught good fish for the first time in their lives, that she was enthusiastically relating her experience only to be told publicly by Michael to be quiet as he was speaking (‘EK PRAAT NOU’)
I see no point in responding to each and every one of his baseless allegations except to state that we deny his allegations of racist behaviour in the strongest terms possible.
I will end by stating that there are people like Michael Vanblerk in the world that will never be satisfied with what they receive. They continue asking for a bigger discount or an upgrade or free drinks to prove they are one up on everybody else. They react rudely and disrespectfully and in disbelief when their behaviour is called out. Luckily, they are a rare breed and should be avoided in life if at all possible.
Best regards,
Rio Azul Lodge Mozambique's reply10 Jan 2025, 15:42
Official
RESPONSE BY THE OWNER TO MICHAEL VANBLERK REVIEW OF RIO AZUL LODGE MOZAMBIQUE
In 10 years, we have had 2 bad reviews at Rio Azul – the review from Michael Vanblerk is the second one.
Please visit Rio Azul on TripAdvisor to see for yourself.
Michael agreed to accept a twin chalet for himself and his wife with a single bed added for his 7 year old son.
The 10 night stay was discounted by 24% from our standard rate (after 6 months of negotiations and countless emails and pictures to verify the facilities and accommodation). Drinks were not included. (see an extract from the offer to him below)
This Rate Excludes:
Drinks
Boat hire for deep sea fishing
Snorkelling at sea
Other water activities eg. wake-boarding, tubing and skiing
All petrol for estuary boats and deep-sea fishing boats
On arrival, after having a verbal fight with his wife for most of the transfer to the lodge (we were told by the guests travelling with him) he decided that he wanted a double bed as opposed to two separate three-quarter beds – we obliged him and converted the chalet for him. We later moved him to another double chalet which was more to his liking.
He had booked the cheapest option available to him, had negotiated the price down by offering a long stay and was obviously not happy from the start with his choice. He had requested pricing on a villa and was advised that the price was more than double the rate of a chalet but that there were none available. We have a minimum charge based on four adults at a premium of 15% on the chalet rate. On arrival he immediately again asked if a villa was available and when Mark advised him they were not, he walked straight to the closest villa (with the guests present) and said ‘is this one available’.
The motor-boat incident
Nobody can predict all eventualities and unfortunately the motor on the boat which he had booked for the morning trip failed to start although it had just returned from a service.
I apologised to him and offered him a complimentary trip to BD Island.
Subsequent to that he made numerous trips up the estuary on the motor-boats without further incidents.
We send our fishing guide along with him to assist him and his 7 year old son on fishing trips.
I was advised that that morning he had created an upheaval in the main area by shouting loudly that he wanted all the guests to know that the lodge was my family lodge and not a guest lodge. When my manager, Mark, requested him to join him in the privacy of his office to discuss his issues, he refused and was scathing and rude, saying to him that he would not be treated like a schoolboy being sent to the principle’s office and asking Mark if he wanted him to “bow down to him like Allah’.
He then decided that the food that was being served to him and his son was not to his liking. He proceeded to go straight into the kitchen and to instruct our main chef to make them a chicken burger with cheese and pineapple instead of the beef burger that was on the lunch menu. His reasoning was that he had already had a burger previously and ‘do you expect me to eat burgers every day’.
That same night he decided that he wanted a beef burger instead of the meal that was on the menu.
I had personally had a discussion with him to inform him that guests should not approach the staff on menu issues or enter the kitchen, but should approach management for special requests. We have accommodated numerous guests over the years on food preferences and cater for children, vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans, halal etc.
He was rude and scathing to me when I requested him to respect the other guests and general lodge protocol and asked me if I wanted him to leave the lodge. I replied that he was welcome at the lodge but that if he wished to leave, we had no objection to this. I advised him that if he left there would be no refunds.
He ignored our request to approach management with meal variations and continued to order what he felt like eating directly from the waiters.
He attempted to strike up a friendship with another of our guests who had children, but they shunned him when it became clear to them that he was a troublemaker who was trying to garner their support to discredit the management and service levels at the lodge.
Owners family lodge
We have run the lodge to our personal standards since inception with great success and we count all our guests as part of the Rio Azul Family. We have a high rate of returning guests which is proof of our excellent service levels. This is the first time we have been accused of preferring ourselves to our guests which we strongly deny. Some of the other guests were returning guests and others were there for the first time. Everybody other than Michael had a great time at the lodge and made new friends, but they all avoided him after his public rude outburst and ongoing obstructive behaviour.
He clearly felt ostracised as nobody else wanted to be around him.
We have a code of ‘strictly casual’ and guests routinely come to meals in swimming costumes without shirts on, put their feet up and lie on the couches. Our lodge is cleaned daily to a high standard.
Michael is not a perfectionist, he is a toxic individual displaying narcissistic behaviour to mask his own inadequacies.
He then advised us that he wished to leave the lodge three days early at the last minute at 8.30am in the morning and insisted that we should provide a transfer vehicle. He was advised that it may not arrive in time to get him to the airport in time to which he stated that if they were late, they would stay at the Donna Ana hotel in Vilanculos for the night. We assisted by advising the Airlink staff of their late arrival and requested them to hold open the check-in for him. When Michael realised that he may be late he decided that they would stay at the lodge for another night as it was Christmas eve and we were having a beach braai. We advised him that he would be required to pay for the cost of the wasted transfer (transfers are contracted out).
The following morning, he refused to pay his bill and was advised by Mark, our manager (on my specific instruction), that he would not receive any credit for early departure and that he would not be allowed to leave the lodge until his bill was settled. He paid his bill under protest and departed but not before sending me a rude and insulting Whatsapp message. I responded to him with the final words that his toxic attitude and rude behaviour was an embarrassment to his fellow guests as well as his own wife and child. I cannot recall her saying anything during her entire stay at the lodge (other than a good morning). I was later told by Mark that after the family had enjoyed a fishing trip, having caught good fish for the first time in their lives, that she was enthusiastically relating her experience only to be told publicly by Michael to be quiet as he was speaking (‘EK PRAAT NOU’)
I see no point in responding to each and every one of his baseless allegations except to state that we deny his allegations of racist behaviour in the strongest terms possible.
I will end by stating that there are people like Michael Vanblerk in the world that will never be satisfied with what they receive. They continue asking for a bigger discount or an upgrade or free drinks to prove they are one up on everybody else. They react rudely and disrespectfully and in disbelief when their behaviour is called out. Luckily, they are a rare breed and should be avoided in life if at all possible.
In 10 years, we have had 2 bad reviews at Rio Azul – the review from Michael Vanblerk is the second one.
Please visit Rio Azul on TripAdvisor to see for yourself.
Michael agreed to accept a twin chalet for himself and his wife with a single bed added for his 7 year old son.
The 10 night stay was discounted by 24% from our standard rate (after 6 months of negotiations and countless emails and pictures to verify the facilities and accommodation). Drinks were not included. (see an extract from the offer to him below)
This Rate Excludes:
Drinks
Boat hire for deep sea fishing
Snorkelling at sea
Other water activities eg. wake-boarding, tubing and skiing
All petrol for estuary boats and deep-sea fishing boats
On arrival, after having a verbal fight with his wife for most of the transfer to the lodge (we were told by the guests travelling with him) he decided that he wanted a double bed as opposed to two separate three-quarter beds – we obliged him and converted the chalet for him. We later moved him to another double chalet which was more to his liking.
He had booked the cheapest option available to him, had negotiated the price down by offering a long stay and was obviously not happy from the start with his choice. He had requested pricing on a villa and was advised that the price was more than double the rate of a chalet but that there were none available. We have a minimum charge based on four adults at a premium of 15% on the chalet rate. On arrival he immediately again asked if a villa was available and when Mark advised him they were not, he walked straight to the closest villa (with the guests present) and said ‘is this one available’.
The motor-boat incident
Nobody can predict all eventualities and unfortunately the motor on the boat which he had booked for the morning trip failed to start although it had just returned from a service.
I apologised to him and offered him a complimentary trip to BD Island.
Subsequent to that he made numerous trips up the estuary on the motor-boats without further incidents.
We send our fishing guide along with him to assist him and his 7 year old son on fishing trips.
I was advised that that morning he had created an upheaval in the main area by shouting loudly that he wanted all the guests to know that the lodge was my family lodge and not a guest lodge. When my manager, Mark, requested him to join him in the privacy of his office to discuss his issues, he refused and was scathing and rude, saying to him that he would not be treated like a schoolboy being sent to the principle’s office and asking Mark if he wanted him to “bow down to him like Allah’.
He then decided that the food that was being served to him and his son was not to his liking. He proceeded to go straight into the kitchen and to instruct our main chef to make them a chicken burger with cheese and pineapple instead of the beef burger that was on the lunch menu. His reasoning was that he had already had a burger previously and ‘do you expect me to eat burgers every day’.
That same night he decided that he wanted a beef burger instead of the meal that was on the menu.
I had personally had a discussion with him to inform him that guests should not approach the staff on menu issues or enter the kitchen, but should approach management for special requests. We have accommodated numerous guests over the years on food preferences and cater for children, vegetarians, pescatarians, vegans, halal etc.
He was rude and scathing to me when I requested him to respect the other guests and general lodge protocol and asked me if I wanted him to leave the lodge. I replied that he was welcome at the lodge but that if he wished to leave, we had no objection to this. I advised him that if he left there would be no refunds.
He ignored our request to approach management with meal variations and continued to order what he felt like eating directly from the waiters.
He attempted to strike up a friendship with another of our guests who had children, but they shunned him when it became clear to them that he was a troublemaker who was trying to garner their support to discredit the management and service levels at the lodge.
Owners family lodge
We have run the lodge to our personal standards since inception with great success and we count all our guests as part of the Rio Azul Family. We have a high rate of returning guests which is proof of our excellent service levels. This is the first time we have been accused of preferring ourselves to our guests which we strongly deny. Some of the other guests were returning guests and others were there for the first time. Everybody other than Michael had a great time at the lodge and made new friends, but they all avoided him after his public rude outburst and ongoing obstructive behaviour.
He clearly felt ostracised as nobody else wanted to be around him.
We have a code of ‘strictly casual’ and guests routinely come to meals in swimming costumes without shirts on, put their feet up and lie on the couches. Our lodge is cleaned daily to a high standard.
Michael is not a perfectionist, he is a toxic individual displaying narcissistic behaviour to mask his own inadequacies.
He then advised us that he wished to leave the lodge three days early at the last minute at 8.30am in the morning and insisted that we should provide a transfer vehicle. He was advised that it may not arrive in time to get him to the airport in time to which he stated that if they were late, they would stay at the Donna Ana hotel in Vilanculos for the night. We assisted by advising the Airlink staff of their late arrival and requested them to hold open the check-in for him. When Michael realised that he may be late he decided that they would stay at the lodge for another night as it was Christmas eve and we were having a beach braai. We advised him that he would be required to pay for the cost of the wasted transfer (transfers are contracted out).
The following morning, he refused to pay his bill and was advised by Mark, our manager (on my specific instruction), that he would not receive any credit for early departure and that he would not be allowed to leave the lodge until his bill was settled. He paid his bill under protest and departed but not before sending me a rude and insulting Whatsapp message. I responded to him with the final words that his toxic attitude and rude behaviour was an embarrassment to his fellow guests as well as his own wife and child. I cannot recall her saying anything during her entire stay at the lodge (other than a good morning). I was later told by Mark that after the family had enjoyed a fishing trip, having caught good fish for the first time in their lives, that she was enthusiastically relating her experience only to be told publicly by Michael to be quiet as he was speaking (‘EK PRAAT NOU’)
I see no point in responding to each and every one of his baseless allegations except to state that we deny his allegations of racist behaviour in the strongest terms possible.
I will end by stating that there are people like Michael Vanblerk in the world that will never be satisfied with what they receive. They continue asking for a bigger discount or an upgrade or free drinks to prove they are one up on everybody else. They react rudely and disrespectfully and in disbelief when their behaviour is called out. Luckily, they are a rare breed and should be avoided in life if at all possible.
Best regards,