Varanda is a hotel located right on the beach with stunning views of the Archipelago Bazaruto. We offer double, twin and triple rooms all en-suite, with air con, mosquito nets and hot water 24 hrs.
Bairro Desse, Casa 338, Vilanculos 1304 Mozambique
Varanda by Makica
33 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
While traveling with a friend, I stayed at Varanda for 4 nights to unwind after Tofo. It was spectacular. The rooms are extremely comfortable and very cutely decorated. We took full advantage of the spacious bathroom and air con provided. The balcony was picturesque, and we spent many afternoons on it enjoying the ocean views. Raul and Toni were fantastic hosts and left nothing to be desired. Toni helped us arrange a snorkeling outing, and he was a very knowledgable tour guide as to where to go. The restaurant was very tasty, and its proximity to the ocean was fantastic. Overall, I cannot say enough positive things about this accommodation.
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Date of stay: July 2015Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The first surprise was that there are no official taxis at Vilanculos airport. I have to ask someone to find the "taxi" that is nothing more than a private car that does taxi service. Resoved the problem the trip to the Varanda Hotel was short and and when we arrive we were welcome by the owner Antonio. Very cheerful and talkative welcomed us very well, showed us the room (# 4), which has an expetacular view to the sea and left us delighted. The room is simple, with air conditioning, no TV and a small bathroom with a good shower. Antonio told us about the city, where to eat, what to visit, how to rent a boat to visit the islands. In short, gave all the tips on how to spend pleasant 4 days in Vilanculos. On the first three nights we had the visit of some mosquitoes. We use insecticide and also the net that have above the bed. Works!! The breakfast was made the way we chose since we were the only hotel guests in those days. We ordered fried egg, bread and fruit. We ate in the bar area, which is facing the sea. Great local for breakfast. The location of the hotel is reasonable. It is possible to reach the central part of Vilanculos by the "road" or also by walking thru the beach. Very practical and pleasant. On the first day we found a tuk tuk that took us to dinner. The driver was very friendly and we adopted him as our official driver. All we had to do was call him and he would pick up us and take us wherever we wanted.The tuk tuk prices were half the prices of "taxis". The distances are not big and in 10 or 15 minutes you can reach practically anywhere in the village. Our stay of four nights at the Varanda Hotel was very pleasant and Tony was an excellent host.
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Date of stay: March 2017
Value
Rooms
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Every room have a nice view!!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What a stunning view, and thats it for me , with that view you can forgive a lot and if you want beachfront view this is the best location. And forgiveness was needed a bit. Arriving after a long drive to be told the restaurant was closed and they weren’t sure where we would get something to eat was disappointing. But this lack of information was usual. Wifi, nope, no idea where you can get that. Well Baobab, turn right down the beach 400 metres, does nice cheap meals for any visitor and have wifi for 2 euros a day. Turn right out of the rear entrance and about 400 metres is Kuvuka Cafe. Good food and free wifi. Back to Varanda. Breakfast was included and quite nice. Bowl of fruit, juice, scrambled eggs with toast and jam and coffee and tea. Similarly dinner quality and quantity was good and Raul was an attentive and pleasant waiter. The room doesn’t have tv or as mentioned wifi not that we missed the former. Clean but with a hard bed and no toiletries supplied, soap or shampoo which is unusual for a hotel. For both the room itself and the hotel in general the decor is looking in need of a bit of care but no real issues. The beach is stunning. Immediately outside the hotel the dhows unload their catches at the end of the day to large groups of waiting women with their buckets and bowls to take their purchases. Very picturesque. The beach seemed totally safe in the day, no one bothered us trying to sell stuff save for the occasional fish or boat trip but took a polite no as an answer. Nice long walks when the tide was out particularly to the right. The town was a bit disappointing, no local involvement with tourists. No real restaurant or tourist shop. I’d have loved locals grilling their catches on the beach with a few plastic chairs to sit on. But I guess we might have been the only ones who would eat there as most people seemed to want to stay at their hotel, eat in their hotel and do any trips with their hotel. Bit sad for the local economy.
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Date of stay: October 2014
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were not sure were the property was, but as we arrived we could tell it was there. Since it's a small property there is no reception, I had to go up to the bar to find someone to help me checking in. Afterwards the check in was ok, with the strange warning that there was something wrong with the water :( that I didn't get at once. By the 1st day, the water issue was solved, and we went for breakfast.. In the whole stay, there wasn't 1 hot egg or toast, even after reporting to the Owner. During the stay we had to postpone showers, because of the lack of water. The whole nights, except the first we couldn't use the air conditioner, either was from power supply or it was broken, never got the chance to know! I know issues with water and power happen all over Mozambique and to be honest I would tolerate them if I chose to be at a backpackers lodge, but I didn't so... Upgrades on the water tanks (and water pumps) should already been made on the low season and also power auxiliaries should also been put in place! I've thought to choose a lot better than I didn't all my suggestions were taken has offensive instead of helpful for future. On the 1st January all the staff was sent on holiday even the guarda, another management issue I shouldn't address... Anyway, the property is well located and the rooms are clean ans spacious, the balcony to the sea is good (though it brings all sand inside the room :)), Guida makes the effort to make us comfortable, Castro needs to improve it's speed and agility, the rest of the organization must evolve to a client oriented state (which by now clearly isn't). Don't expect wi-fi, TV or mini bar because there's none. One thing for sure, not seeing me around again! (Tony don't bother to answer since every bad review it's not your fault.. it's the customer that has higher standards than the ones you want - and stress want - to offer)
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Date of stay: December 2016
Value
Rooms
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:All rooms are the same.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We travelled through many countries in southern africa and we must say that our stay at varanda in vilanculos we loved the most. we came for dinner but varanda is more than just a restaurant! It offers only a few, but very beautiful and individual double rooms, each was designed differently and has its own personality. You can tell that someone must have put a lot of love into creating this place! Varanda is located directly at the beach, so you got a stunning view, every morning you can watch the scenario of the fishmarket right from your rooms sandy private varanda. All the meals were delicious especially the Calamari meals and the included breakfast is propably the best you can get in vilanculos! Varanda is just a lovely place to stay, you can feel the heart and the soul of this place! We highly recommend everyone who is around to pass by and let the african vibe get you:)
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Date of stay: June 2013
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:All of them are lovely, we decided for the red room though.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Must say We had a great time this Desember 2016 at Varanda ... I see one of the people complain about Varanda we was there with you the same time and we also had the water problem but that is happening all over Mozambique a specially over Christmas and New Year ...that problem was from the local municipality and with a lac of personal at the municipality over December month.. With the few hours of no water how can the place be spotted as bad no go for that.... we did go for a swim in the sea and use ouside shower to clean up afrer and we was ready for the day.. It Holiday for heaven sake... This place was heaven beatiful view rooms are very tidy ... Food was good , breakfast was great , love your prawn curry, and your hospitallityTony Manna was from the best... you make sure that every person entering your Condo are feeling welcome and enjoy their stay.... So for the people who are grumpy of a lac of water for a few hours and a power failure for a hour or so ... and bad food ... dont know how to appreciate a holiday ...they make them self believe they are unhappy ..shame on you.... VARANDA IS A GREAT PLACE TO STAY... WILL GO THERE ANY TIME AGAIN IN FUTURE..
SONJA AND DANIEL
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Date of stay: December 2016
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We book our vacations for our family of 4 people (2 adults and 2 kids of 7 and 4 years old) and the owner informed the price for 7 nights, including breakfast, that we accepted and payed in advance like indicated.
This place was a restaurant that was transformed in rooms, and it is very small (only 4 rooms). The room has a good size and it have a balcony that have a great view to the beach. The beds are made of cement and it is not very comfortable. The bathroom is small and is old dated.
When we arrived we were received for a very nice lady that helped us getting things out of the car and in spite on being a little late (around 3.30 pm) she offered to prepare lunch.
Unfortunately this place wasn't´t what we expected:
- We have some issues with breakfast, supposedly we payed a "simple breakfast" that include a scrambled egg, 2 slices of bread, coffee and a cup of juice. When we asked about other things, we were told that we were getting what we paid, and if we wanted something more we should pay more 400 mts pp / day. When I said that we were told that the breakfast was included, the owner told me that I should have asked what it included, and that we have had a different price and because of that he determined that breakfast. I was very upset because we weren't´t told what kind of breakfast we would have and that we could have a little more for more money. Besides that the owner told me that it was arranged with my husband, and that wasn't´t true. With 400 mts we had a wonderful breakfast with cake, toasts, yogurt, fruit, tea, coffee, pancakes, ... at Casa Rex! About the price we paid the double that normally is paid, and we knew that other guests paid much less that us. The price on booking sites was also less and we accepted this price because we were travelling with kids and they already pay for extra bed.
- We have always to tell what time we want breakfast next day, so it can be prepared, but it just was informed when we asked about it, at the 3rd day, because we have been waiting for our breakfast for about 1 hour. Breakfasts always takes very long to come, the waiter don't know what is doing, he forgot essential things like sugar and butter, and we were just waiting for a long time. Even in the days that we told the hour of the breakfast it always tooked a lot of time.
- Food wasn't good! The scrambled eggs were with a lot of water and the toasts were wet and didn't even seemed like toasts. When we complaint to the waiter he just didn't´t know what to do and kept quiet. When I asked about manager he said that he was steel sleeping... The food also came cold!
- Huge problems with electricity and water. When we arrived there wasn't´t water in the rooms and we couldn't´t took a bath after a trip of 8 hours! Those problems happen again during other days and in the new years eve, we had to leave for dinner without bath because there wasn't no water! Imagine that after a hot day and after you being in the beach all day! Problems with electricity were a few too and the lodge don´t have a generator, just for owners house...
- Air conditioning just worked on the 1st day! Other days we couldn't sleep because of the hot. We complaint about that but during our stay it wasn't fixed!
- At 1st January the lodge don't have staff! We were asked on the day before about the time we would like to eat because people were going to get down late. Once we have had problems with this issue we preferred to have breakfast in other hotel, Casa Rex, where we paid for a good breakfast, and we were well received. When we arrived at the lodge there wasn't anyone so we had to leave the car to open and close the gate.
Once we were staying for a week we reported some issues to the owner that was very arrogant and inflexible. He said that about breakfast that was our fault because we didn't´t told the hours that we want to have it. About bad food he said that we were having what we paid, and didn't´t liked that I told that it wasn't good. I said that we have to wait about a hour for the food and that waiter was more interested to put pillows in chairs that organising breakfast, and he said that we can't speak about management issues!
I don't care and don't want to teach no one how to run his business, but I hope that suggestions / complaints be well received. I felt that I was robbed because I paid much more that other guests and was the only one with different breakfast. Unfortunately management forgets that guests talks with each other...
For me it was the worst lodge I even been!! I don't recommend it to anyone! It just worths for the view but you can have it in other places.
In Vilanculos you can find fantastic lodges and at an affordable price: Casa Jules, casa Rex, and of course resorts like Bahia Mar, Archipelago and villas do indico, that are not much more expensive and the service and attention to clients are unique. Restaurants are also very good and food is fantastic.
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Date of stay: December 2016
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tony M, Owner at Varanda by Makica
Responded 4 Jan 2017
Vilankulo esteve sem água e com cortes de energia durante toda a quadra festiva. A qualidade da electricidade não permitia que os AC funcionassem em condições . A Varanda possui um poço artesiano e com os problemas de energia que estávamos a ter, até a nossa bombagem sofreu tendo inclusive queimado uma bomba mas mesmo assim tentamos a todo o custo que não faltasse água. Na noite de fim de ano foi realmente dramático pois estivemos a trabalhar todo o dia tentando bombar água a tempo dos hóspedes poderem se preparar para a festa e conseguimos cerca das 20h00o. Os únicos que não tomaram banho foram esta família que face ao seu desespero ainda colocamos uma bacia enorme com água para ser usada em último recurso e que pelos vistos não usaram. Não é verdade o que eles dizem em relação aos preços, eles reservaram directamente connosco enquanto os outros hospedes reservaram atraves do safarinow , booking.com e AirB&B o que faz com que os preços variem face as comissões cobradas. Esta família pagou um preço abaixo da tarifa que cobramos nesta altura pois abrimos uma excepção de aceitar quatro pessoas num quarto duplo com cama extra para criança onde dormiram 2 crianças sem que isso custasse mais. Para a tarifa que pagaram tinham direito a um pequeno almoço simples. Quanto a andarem a perguntar aos outros hóspedes o que pagaram pela estadia define bem a sua postura. Não temos o restaurante aberto ao público e como tal perguntamos aos hóspedes a hora a que pretendem tomar o pequeno almoço pretendendo com isso dar um serviço mais personalizado. Antes, durante e depois da estadia desta família tivemos e ainda temos hóspedes. Todos tomaram e tomam o pequeno almoço e outras refeições, para além de desfrutarem do nosso bar e até agora não recebemos nenhuma reclamação antes pelo contrário. Nenhum destes hóspedes reclamou do serviço e todos eles souberam entender os problemas relacionados com a água e a electricidade, afinal foi um problema geral em Vilankulo. Não pretendo me alongar mais, mas devo dizer para terminar que estes senhores não reclamaram do pequeno almoço no primeiro dia porque por engano foi lhes servido o pequeno almoço completo e no segundo dia já com o pequeno almoço simples a senhora não só não comeu como disse para o empregado: " Isto é comida para porcos ! " Não conseguimos agradar a todos os clientes, mas vamos tomar em consideração as suas críticas e tentar melhorar no que falhou este fim de ano Tony
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Varanda has excellent hospitality at a spectacular setting, and is a great place to use as a base for exploration of surrounding islands, reefs, and beaches. When I told the owner Tony Manna I was interested in going to places where debris washes ashore from the open ocean, in the hope of finding something from the missing Malaysia Airlines 370 flight, he recommended I consult nearby Dolphin Dhow Safaris. They took me in a boat to the Paluma Sandbank where we found the famous "No Step" panel, the second piece of debris found and reported from the missing plane. Tony then went out of his way to help me make arrangements to turn this important evidence over to the appropriate Mozambique authorities.
I highly recommend a stay at Varanda for whatever you like: a relaxing vacation, a great adventure, and to be close to a part of aviation history.
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Date of stay: February 2016Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here for 6 nights. It's a nice hotel, the room was very comfortable and clean. The views were great from our room! The bed was a bit too small for us (I would say about 1,60 m wide) and the mosquito net was not suitable for the bed. It was one of those dome mosquito nets, but the bed was attached to the wall, so you basically had the net in your face... Luckily we had our own net which was rectangular and Raul installed it for us - that was great. Also, the beach in front of the hotel is not exactely as we expected it to be. There are a lot of boats, people and rubbish (also broken glass!). But it's right next to the Diving Center - that's very convenient! Raul was always very helpful!
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Date of stay: May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Varanda is located right along the beach and is the perfect spot for a private paradise experience. Each of the rooms had it's own nautical theme and decor, which made the rooms feel extra special. With only 5-6 rooms available, Varanda is extremely private and intimate...definitely not your typical hotel or bread & breakfast. The service was also top notch -- Rahul, who hosted us, took great care of us! He helped us with our laundry, made sure we were well-fed in the mornings, and gave us great advice for things to do.
When we landed at the airport, Tony, the owner of Varanda, helped arrange a taxi from the airport and called us multiple times to make sure we were okay. We finally met Tony in person on the last day of our stay, and he was so friendly and warming! Thanks for the amazing accommodations!
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Date of stay: April 2016
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Vilanculos area.
LOCATION
MozambiqueInhambane ProvinceVilanculos
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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