Dugong Beach Lodge
Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilanculos 1304 Mozambique
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About
4.0
#4 of 9 hotels in VilanculosLocation
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Located on 30 000 hectares of pristine Marine and Wildlife territory, it provides a unique Beach & Wilderness Experience in a hidden corner of sub-tropical Africa. This diverse eco-system of wilderness and wetland, with its powder white beaches and crystal clear water is host to a magnificent array of fish, dolphin and most importantly, the nearly extinct "Atlantic Dugong" (which resembles a sea lion). Shallow and deep water reefs reveal beautiful creatures such as the great leatherback turtles, sailfish and manta ray. Deep-sea fishing of marlin and barracuda is truly spectacular and the large flocks of flamingos and pelicans are a sight to behold.
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Property amenities
Free internet
Pool
Bar / lounge
Beach
Boating
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Airport transportation
Wifi
Hot bath
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Outdoor pool
Private pool
Plunge pool
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Outdoor dining area
Special diet menus
Poolside bar
Canoeing
Diving
Hiking
Snorkelling
Windsurfing
Fishing
Spa
Couples massage
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Manicure
Massage
Neck massage
Pedicure
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Convenience store
Gift shop
Mosquito net
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Sun umbrellas
24-hour check-in
Room features
Allergy-free room
Blackout curtains
Air conditioning
Private beach
Housekeeping
Minibar
Extra long beds
Walk-in shower
Bathrobes
Private balcony
Safe
Seating area
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Laptop safe
Private bathrooms
Tile / marble floor
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Electric kettle
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Room types
Ocean view
Pool view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Hidden Gem
Boutique
Languages Spoken
English, Portuguese
Location
Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary San Sebastian Peninsula, Vilanculos 1304 Mozambique
Getting there
Vilanculos Airport
20.9 km•
See all flights
Car Hire
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Detailed Reviews
+1
The beach lodge in my opinion should be rated 5 star. The lodges are very clean and comfortable. They are cleaned daily and in the evenings the beds have the mosquitoes nets put down. Caron and Martin are amazing hosts always there to assist. Nothing is too much trouble for them. Martin is an excellent skipper putting us on fish every time we went out. Not to mention the snorkeling was out this world. You can have a full breakfast and the dinners are exceptional with a variety of seafood to the traditional braai.
Having travelled extensively all over the world, Dugong Beach Lodge is one of those places I will definitely go back to. Well done Caron and Martin
Having travelled extensively all over the world, Dugong Beach Lodge is one of those places I will definitely go back to. Well done Caron and Martin
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Plenty of parking on the premises if you do a self drive. They also arrange airport pick up. Some...
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.
+1
From the moment we met Madri at the airport, our holiday really began. We were blown away by the location of the beach lodge. Our welcome was so special as we docked outside. We felt very welcome!! The lodge is a real paradise. Beautifully kept, quality furnishings and has everything you need. Even a little library, board games and chess which my children enjoyed. The accommodation is beautiful. The rooms are first class. Lovely shower, comfy beds with mosquito nets. Gorgeous views of the beach. The small spa is lovely and treated myself to 2 massages which was bliss! The pool is lovely and there was floats and snorkels for the children. My youngest also appreciated the sandpit. The food was amazing and I can’t believe there was such choice given the location. The chef was superb and even made a cake for my son’s birthday. The bar by the pool was great and stocked well. The staff were simply amazing. So proud and truly looked after us. So friendly and nothing was too much trouble. We went on the fishing village excursion which was beautiful and lovely to see local people. My husband and son also swam with the horses which again was magical. Unforgettable. The kids enjoyed the banana boat rides! I particularly enjoyed the boat trip to a nearby island. On our last night we had a special dinner with the most amazing fresh fish and lobster. Such a treat. Watching the stars and sunset (the lodge is west facing!) - what more could you want. We felt totally refreshed and so lucky to find this special place. Thank you! Hope to see you again.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip 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 LegendHospitality, Public Relations Manager at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 27 Jan 2020
Dear Krachelwood, We would like to thank you for taking the time to rate & provide detailed feedback of your recent stay at Dugong Beach Lodge. We are delighted to read that your "holiday in paradise" exceeded prospects on all levels and that all of the elements, from the food and the service to the activities and accommodation lived up to expectations! Thank you for your kind compliments on the little touches, such as the library & board games as well as the experience and service received from our spa. We also appreciate your wonderful feedback on the meals and Roberto and his team's incredible work. Our entire team takes such pride in their what they do and they would be over the moon to read that this has not gone unnoticed. It warms our hearts to read that all of the activities were thoroughly enjoyed by the entire family and that you found peace in relaxation on this little patch of paradise in the San Sebastian Peninsula. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon for yet another unforgettable experience at the mesmerizing Dugong Beach Lodge. Kind regards The Dugong Beach Lodge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
What a magical place to spend a week or more... From the pick up at the airport, the room by the beach, the food, the hospitality, the horses, everything was above expectations.
Madri and Wimpie, Manager of the lodge and Manager of the stables, took very good care of me and made my week more than magical. I experienced local life going on horseback rides in the bushes, encountering zebras, eland, gnou! and meeting local people (especially amazing children). We swam with horses, and this was a beautiful experience...
The staff at the lodge is the most reliable and nicest people. Always a smile, always a nice word. The lodge itself is such a precious place. It is peaceful and beautiful. Grateful for such an incredible week.
Madri and Wimpie, Manager of the lodge and Manager of the stables, took very good care of me and made my week more than magical. I experienced local life going on horseback rides in the bushes, encountering zebras, eland, gnou! and meeting local people (especially amazing children). We swam with horses, and this was a beautiful experience...
The staff at the lodge is the most reliable and nicest people. Always a smile, always a nice word. The lodge itself is such a precious place. It is peaceful and beautiful. Grateful for such an incredible week.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: All rooms have beach access and beach view from the private balcony/deck.
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 LegendHospitality, Guest Relations Manager at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 28 Jan 2020
Dear Laura, Thank you for choosing to spend your precious holiday time with us! It was an absolute pleasure hosting you and we thank you for your detailed feedback and compliments on the rooms, service, meals, location and activities. We are thrilled to read that the overall experience was "magical" and that it exceeded all expectations, especially your time on horseback. Your kind words truly mean a lot to the entire team and we look forward to making your next visit to Dugong Beach Lodge another memorable one! Kind regards The Dugong Beach Lodge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Do not be fooled by the ‘air conditioning’ feature of this resort. It is only on for a few hours in the morning and evenings which makes sleeping at night or afternoons very difficult. Electricity is cut off due to generator noise from 11.00pm to 6.30am and from 10.00am to 6.00pm.
It is a beautiful resort but very poorly managed by a couple who do not understand housekeeping (had to request for sheets on our bed twice, not shampoo and body wash, no shower mat, face washer... just 2 towels).
They also cannot manage their stock levels (no beans for coffee machine, no more yoghurts for our first breakfast, no bread for one of our lunch, no more juice, no more beer...)
New Year’s Eve was a disaster. After providing guests with a meal, we were left with no entertainment from 9.00pm to 12.00pm when we were then served a glass of sparkling wine. A little music would have sufficed as guests were keen on partying. Unfortunately, the resort was very quiet for these 3 long hours.
After complaining to the couple who managed the resort, we were offered our laundry cleaning for free and our horse riding activity which were were initially charged full price when we could only enjoy for 5mn instead of 1 hour due to unavailability of the horses.
The manager charged our credit card twice on the last day. That was the cherry on top of the cake.
On a good note, the wait and bar staff was very friendly, the resort is beautiful although needs a few repairs, the view is amazing. It’s just a shame it is poorly managed.
It is a beautiful resort but very poorly managed by a couple who do not understand housekeeping (had to request for sheets on our bed twice, not shampoo and body wash, no shower mat, face washer... just 2 towels).
They also cannot manage their stock levels (no beans for coffee machine, no more yoghurts for our first breakfast, no bread for one of our lunch, no more juice, no more beer...)
New Year’s Eve was a disaster. After providing guests with a meal, we were left with no entertainment from 9.00pm to 12.00pm when we were then served a glass of sparkling wine. A little music would have sufficed as guests were keen on partying. Unfortunately, the resort was very quiet for these 3 long hours.
After complaining to the couple who managed the resort, we were offered our laundry cleaning for free and our horse riding activity which were were initially charged full price when we could only enjoy for 5mn instead of 1 hour due to unavailability of the horses.
The manager charged our credit card twice on the last day. That was the cherry on top of the cake.
On a good note, the wait and bar staff was very friendly, the resort is beautiful although needs a few repairs, the view is amazing. It’s just a shame it is poorly managed.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip 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 LegendHospitality, Public Relations Manager at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 8 Jan 2020
Dear Ms Pavageau Thank you for taking the time to rate & review your recent experience at Dugong Beach Lodge. Constructive feedback assists us in constantly improving the overall guest experience for future visitors. Thank you for your kind feedback and compliments on the location, service and staff members, this is highly appreciated! We are however saddened to read that the overall stay did not live up to your initial expectations of our resort. Due to our remote location within the untouched & beautiful Vilanculos Coastal & Wildlife Sanctuary and along the Bazaruto Archipelago we are unfortunately dependant on generator power for operations. Our generator operation times are: 07:00 to 11:00, 14:00 to 15:00, 18:00 to 23:00. At Dugong Beach Lodge we usually provide amenities in the room including, body lotion, shampoo and bars of soap. Upon arrival we had unfortunately run out of stock but had placed complimentary Body Scrub and Body Butter from our spa within the rooms. Our management team also provided ya full bottle of shampoo and on the second day of your stay soap was replenished &place in the room. In the room you were also provided with face cloths as well as bath/shower mats, two small towels and two large towels. All of our beds are equipped with fitted sheets and after communicating your disappointment that there was no flat sheet our management team tried their best to assist. Our lodge has a wide variety of options for hot beverages including a variety of normal coffees, filter coffee, hot chocolate and teas. Although coffee beans were not available for the first two days of your stay, the coffee beans had been replenished upon the third day when our team members stocked up in Vilankulos. Yoghurt was available and replenished every morning with the buffet breakfast as confirmed by our management team and the juice was replenished by the next day after stock levels had lowered. Our management team mentioned your dismay in the fact that we did not have fireworks for New Year’s Eve, where after they explained that due to our location being within a protected area, this was not allowed. Before the meal our management team ensured a lovely drumming performance for the guests where most of the guests joined in, in the fun and dancing. Our team also placed picnic blankets on our private beach and swimming pool with lanterns for guests to enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of our location. Music was playing at the bar, where champagne was served for the countdown and continued to play until 01:30AM when all the guests had gone to bed. Our team truly did their best to make it a special New Year’s Eve to remember for the guests at Dugong Beach Lodge. Seeing that most of our horses were out on horseback safari with Pegasus Retreats, the time for this activity was limited. For this reason and to be able to give each guest the opportunity the time on the horses were shortened. Initially your family was however only charged for 1 person and there after this activity along with the laundry was offered complimentary. Our management team explained that due to the poor signal the first payment did not go through, the machine was “posted” to ensure that nothing had already been deducted. There after a second attempt was made and successful. After you had contacted Madri concerning this, we double checked and confirmed that only one payment had been done and posted to the bank - as you will also be able to confirm on your end. Although we do understand that the overall experience did not live up to expectations we still thank you for providing us with feedback. Kind regards The Dugong Beach Lodge Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I don't even know where to begin. We were moved to Dugong Lodge after Marlin Lodge experienced a fire. We were a few days away from our wedding and expected our agency, Go2Africa, to do right by us and find us a comparable place. We had no idea what a nightmare it would be.
The lodge was powered on a generator that was shut off frequently during the day and night. This meant:
- We could not shower since there was rarely hot water
- Sleep was not possible since the AC always shut off as temperatures soared to 90+ degrees
Our room was infested with cockroaches.
- We informed the GM (Brian) of this after finding multiple roaches in the shower and bathroom.
- The room was fumigated - which we then had to sleep in - and two days later more roaches were crawling throughout the room. We truly tried to brush it off the first time, but after a fumigation and more roaches, it was clear conditions were unsanitary.
- One reason may be that the staff left clean bedding out on the floor outside, and then put them on the beds. We have photos of this (posted).
- Brian and the management lied to our travel agency and said we only had one cockroach, and that we were making it up. Because you know, I wanted cockroaches on my honeymoon. PLEASE!
There was not proper security.
- Almost every night we listened to locals swimming and yelling in the ocean which was just yards from us, while also driving cars right next to our lodge.
- One would think we could just call reception however there was no phone in the room. Also with the power being out, it was unsafe to go on the unlit walkways to find security / a manager.
- One guest - whose lawn chairs were stolen - did wander out one evening and found the one night guard sleeping on the deck. We felt unsafe, and had no connection to manager / staff members during evening hours. One night, several days in, I called our travel agency in a panic asking to be moved. I felt unsafe, surrounded by roaches and with no way to reach someone if needed.
Water was brown and not drinkable.
- We understand that some areas we were traveling to may have this as the case, however the situation was exacerbated by us only getting one water a day to drink from-unless of course we paid extra. This is just unacceptable in such high heat conditions. And remember, no power so your fridge in the room didn't work to keep water cold!
The service at the lodge was appalling, and almost every guest there was clearly disgruntled. Some examples:
Whenever asking for coffee, food, a paddle for a kayak, you had to ask two or three times. The staff would forget or say "yes" when they didn't understand the request. This happened 5x a day easily. Food orders were almost always wrong / forgotten about.
Brian was the only person on staff who would resolve issues and communicate actual answers to us . But he was rarely at the lodge or available. When we would ask to see him we were almost always told "he's not here" or "he will come see you in a few minutes" (which never would happen, and we would just go looking for him ourselves again). Then, he told our agency we were liars so shame on us for trusting him.
Meal times were always changed. We were frequently told to show up at a certain time and would wait 1, even 2 hours (on New Years Eve) to eat. This was especially annoying since "free drinks" didn't start until dinner did.
I booked a massage in hopes of salvaging things. The woman was late, did not have towels (I gave her the ones from my room) and performed it in a hallway outside my door so I was very exposed. It was supposed to be for 60 minutes and it lasted 25. I would have told her to keep going but she was yawning through much of it.
On many occasions, the staff opened our locked door when we had a do not disturb sign up.
We were told there would be activities on NYE and an open bar - this was not the case.
The last night we were told to meet at 10:15 AM to resolve our bill by Ernesto (another manager). We requested Brian to be there too, and were told that he would be. 10:15 rolls around and we are told "you don't have a bill, you were all inclusive" by Ernesto. This made no sense and I requested a receipt which he said he could not give me. We asked for Brian, were told he was at another resort and could not meet. Of course, we ended up finding Brian ourselves who said that due to all of our issues we're not being charged for anything and he would be in communication with Go2Africa about a refund. (Please note, he then claims we left without paying - such lies!)
We were supposed to leave at 10:30 AM via boat to make our flight but until Brian showed up - at 10:40 - no-one was even preparing the boat to leave.
To top this all off - and mentioned a bit before - we lodged a complaint with our travel agency. They of course went to Dugong / Legends to clear things up. The hotel is saying we are lying and refused to pay our bill. This is not even close to the truth. They are lying - after taking several thousands of dollars from us. They claim they didn't charge us for extras, when we were not even presented that option, or a bill upon us leaving!!! RIDICULOUS!
PLEASE DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE WE DID. BOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE! It is not worth your money!
The lodge was powered on a generator that was shut off frequently during the day and night. This meant:
- We could not shower since there was rarely hot water
- Sleep was not possible since the AC always shut off as temperatures soared to 90+ degrees
Our room was infested with cockroaches.
- We informed the GM (Brian) of this after finding multiple roaches in the shower and bathroom.
- The room was fumigated - which we then had to sleep in - and two days later more roaches were crawling throughout the room. We truly tried to brush it off the first time, but after a fumigation and more roaches, it was clear conditions were unsanitary.
- One reason may be that the staff left clean bedding out on the floor outside, and then put them on the beds. We have photos of this (posted).
- Brian and the management lied to our travel agency and said we only had one cockroach, and that we were making it up. Because you know, I wanted cockroaches on my honeymoon. PLEASE!
There was not proper security.
- Almost every night we listened to locals swimming and yelling in the ocean which was just yards from us, while also driving cars right next to our lodge.
- One would think we could just call reception however there was no phone in the room. Also with the power being out, it was unsafe to go on the unlit walkways to find security / a manager.
- One guest - whose lawn chairs were stolen - did wander out one evening and found the one night guard sleeping on the deck. We felt unsafe, and had no connection to manager / staff members during evening hours. One night, several days in, I called our travel agency in a panic asking to be moved. I felt unsafe, surrounded by roaches and with no way to reach someone if needed.
Water was brown and not drinkable.
- We understand that some areas we were traveling to may have this as the case, however the situation was exacerbated by us only getting one water a day to drink from-unless of course we paid extra. This is just unacceptable in such high heat conditions. And remember, no power so your fridge in the room didn't work to keep water cold!
The service at the lodge was appalling, and almost every guest there was clearly disgruntled. Some examples:
Whenever asking for coffee, food, a paddle for a kayak, you had to ask two or three times. The staff would forget or say "yes" when they didn't understand the request. This happened 5x a day easily. Food orders were almost always wrong / forgotten about.
Brian was the only person on staff who would resolve issues and communicate actual answers to us . But he was rarely at the lodge or available. When we would ask to see him we were almost always told "he's not here" or "he will come see you in a few minutes" (which never would happen, and we would just go looking for him ourselves again). Then, he told our agency we were liars so shame on us for trusting him.
Meal times were always changed. We were frequently told to show up at a certain time and would wait 1, even 2 hours (on New Years Eve) to eat. This was especially annoying since "free drinks" didn't start until dinner did.
I booked a massage in hopes of salvaging things. The woman was late, did not have towels (I gave her the ones from my room) and performed it in a hallway outside my door so I was very exposed. It was supposed to be for 60 minutes and it lasted 25. I would have told her to keep going but she was yawning through much of it.
On many occasions, the staff opened our locked door when we had a do not disturb sign up.
We were told there would be activities on NYE and an open bar - this was not the case.
The last night we were told to meet at 10:15 AM to resolve our bill by Ernesto (another manager). We requested Brian to be there too, and were told that he would be. 10:15 rolls around and we are told "you don't have a bill, you were all inclusive" by Ernesto. This made no sense and I requested a receipt which he said he could not give me. We asked for Brian, were told he was at another resort and could not meet. Of course, we ended up finding Brian ourselves who said that due to all of our issues we're not being charged for anything and he would be in communication with Go2Africa about a refund. (Please note, he then claims we left without paying - such lies!)
We were supposed to leave at 10:30 AM via boat to make our flight but until Brian showed up - at 10:40 - no-one was even preparing the boat to leave.
To top this all off - and mentioned a bit before - we lodged a complaint with our travel agency. They of course went to Dugong / Legends to clear things up. The hotel is saying we are lying and refused to pay our bill. This is not even close to the truth. They are lying - after taking several thousands of dollars from us. They claim they didn't charge us for extras, when we were not even presented that option, or a bill upon us leaving!!! RIDICULOUS!
PLEASE DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE WE DID. BOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE! It is not worth your money!
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Date of stay: January 2013Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Mozambique is a lovely destination for a holiday and the people of Mozambique are very friendly and nice. But don,t be fooled by website pictures or by travel agent recommendations when choosing a location. I chose Dugong Lodge based on travel agent recommendations and website pictures. It was a big mistake. They did not tell me: (a) there is hardly any beech at the lodge (b) electricity would be purposely disconnected at night (c) the roof in my toilet would constantly leaking , (e) the accommodation I was promised never materialized, and (f) there would only be one other Chalet occupied. The staff, who were very helpful, were much more than the guests. The Lodge is located literally in the middle of no where. The only way to get somewhere with other holidaymakers is a one hour boat ride from the Dugong Lodge.
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Date of stay: September 2012Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Choose another place to stay
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 Michelle B, Senior Marketing Assistant, OBO General Manager at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 12 Nov 2012
Dear Sabry Thank you for taking the time to review our property. Your complaint was dealt with, as far as we were concerned, directly with your travel agent to your satisfaction and refunds were affected. A copy of the apology letter sent to your travel agent is available should you require it.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The setting at Dugong Lodge was wonderful but the service and the food was appalling. We never saw a menu. On our first day we had chicken pie – I could have prepared that at home and it would have tasted better. Chicken pie was offered twice during the week we were there. We were offered chicken livers or soup for starters at dinner; neither was appealing. For lunch on one day we were offered processed meat which was quite disgusting and on one day pasta and mince. It was worse than school dinners. For dessert on one day we were offered a tiny portion of chocolate Angel Delight and on another day I am sure the cheesecake was a packet mix. If you were late for lunch you got nothing. The salad everyday was an iceberg lettuce and tomato. One day we were offered a Greek Salad which was the same iceberg lettuce with a single olive on top and a bottle of shop bought greek dressing; other guests had a cube of feta cheese but we missed out. Breakfast was the most palatable meal of the day but even that was poor. On the first day we were offered either golden syrup or honey with the pancakes but by the end of the second day the golden syrup had been used up and there was only honey. If you wanted Orange Juice (as I did) you had to buy it from the bar because the orange drink served at the buffet was orange squash – this is what we give to children at home and costs just pence.
Lots of people were complaining about the appalling food and lack of quantity as well – we were always hungry – and on only one day out of the week we had seafood which was very nice. One of the clients had caught a marlin which was grilled for supper and we had langoustines with it. However one decent meal did not make up for a week of really poor quality food. On New Year's Eve we had chicken curry that was full of bones or chicken a la King which was served luke warm.
The most disgusting meal was the processed meat for lunch. It was literally poor quality watery chicken and some kind of processed meat served in rounds that would have cost just pence at home. I would not eat it or serve it at home and do not see why I should have to eat it on holiday; there was no other choice.
Between meals we would sometimes sit at the bar in the hope of eating cashew nuts or crisps: we were all so hungry.
The phone signal was very poor and I could not get signal while we were there or I would have telephoned and asked to be moved.
The situation was made worse by us being on an island with nowhere to go to buy extra food.
Apart from the food situation the electricity supply was erratic and there was not usually air conditioning on during the night which made sleeping very uncomfortable.
Water should have been supplied in the refrigerators in the rooms but we only had it on one day and apart from that the fridge was empty. We had to go and ask for it from the bar.
Sometimes no towels were put in the rooms and we had to ask for them.
Staff were poorly trained and looked blank if they were asked the simplest of requests.
One of the Managers, Gayle, used to shout at the staff in front of us which made us feel uncomfortable. When other guests complained to the two other Managers, Richard and Blaize, about the poor quality food and shambolic administration of the resort Blaize said that she had been managing the place for a month and it was a "s***hole" and she wanted to leave. Not really what you want to hear about your holiday resort.
We spent most of our time comparing notes with other guests about the food and poor service. It is a shame that we spent 7 nights there, which was the longest we spent anywhere on our holiday and the other 2 places were so wonderful and were about half the price.
We did not feel that our complaints were taken seriously. Gayle told one of the other clients that she had spent some of her own money buying food to supplement what was available. She also said that they were short of food because of the New Year holiday. I felt that she was trying to make her problems our problems which was not appropriate. They should have made provision for New Year – it is the same time every year.
This was a very special trip for us and unfortunately, staying at Dugong Lodge, especially for the money we spent pretty much ruined our second week. Our travel agent has complained on our behalf, and we were offered a couple of nights away at a golfing lodge, however as we live in the UK, we will definitely not be spending hundreds to go out to Africa for a couple of nights at another Legend resort.
I hope that this precis gives a flavour of what we experienced at Dugong Lodge. It is a real shame, because the setting was stunning.
Lots of people were complaining about the appalling food and lack of quantity as well – we were always hungry – and on only one day out of the week we had seafood which was very nice. One of the clients had caught a marlin which was grilled for supper and we had langoustines with it. However one decent meal did not make up for a week of really poor quality food. On New Year's Eve we had chicken curry that was full of bones or chicken a la King which was served luke warm.
The most disgusting meal was the processed meat for lunch. It was literally poor quality watery chicken and some kind of processed meat served in rounds that would have cost just pence at home. I would not eat it or serve it at home and do not see why I should have to eat it on holiday; there was no other choice.
Between meals we would sometimes sit at the bar in the hope of eating cashew nuts or crisps: we were all so hungry.
The phone signal was very poor and I could not get signal while we were there or I would have telephoned and asked to be moved.
The situation was made worse by us being on an island with nowhere to go to buy extra food.
Apart from the food situation the electricity supply was erratic and there was not usually air conditioning on during the night which made sleeping very uncomfortable.
Water should have been supplied in the refrigerators in the rooms but we only had it on one day and apart from that the fridge was empty. We had to go and ask for it from the bar.
Sometimes no towels were put in the rooms and we had to ask for them.
Staff were poorly trained and looked blank if they were asked the simplest of requests.
One of the Managers, Gayle, used to shout at the staff in front of us which made us feel uncomfortable. When other guests complained to the two other Managers, Richard and Blaize, about the poor quality food and shambolic administration of the resort Blaize said that she had been managing the place for a month and it was a "s***hole" and she wanted to leave. Not really what you want to hear about your holiday resort.
We spent most of our time comparing notes with other guests about the food and poor service. It is a shame that we spent 7 nights there, which was the longest we spent anywhere on our holiday and the other 2 places were so wonderful and were about half the price.
We did not feel that our complaints were taken seriously. Gayle told one of the other clients that she had spent some of her own money buying food to supplement what was available. She also said that they were short of food because of the New Year holiday. I felt that she was trying to make her problems our problems which was not appropriate. They should have made provision for New Year – it is the same time every year.
This was a very special trip for us and unfortunately, staying at Dugong Lodge, especially for the money we spent pretty much ruined our second week. Our travel agent has complained on our behalf, and we were offered a couple of nights away at a golfing lodge, however as we live in the UK, we will definitely not be spending hundreds to go out to Africa for a couple of nights at another Legend resort.
I hope that this precis gives a flavour of what we experienced at Dugong Lodge. It is a real shame, because the setting was stunning.
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Date of stay: December 2011Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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 Michelle B, Snr Marketing Asst. OBO Senior GM at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 7 Mar 2012
Thank you for taking the time to post your review on Tripadvisor. We see you have already received a letter from us with an invitation back to any of our other properties in the group, which will be easier to travel to. As explained in our letter to you, we apologised for the breakdown in service delivery – this is definitely not the norm nor how we wish to be remembered. As explained in a response to another guest, the problems were caused by the sudden and unexplained departure of senior management and while we acted immediately to replace them we were unable to source the required supplies in the timescales available in order to deliver our usual 5* service. This has now been totally resolved and our lodge is operating at its premium again. We would like to mention once again that the offer is open to you whenever your travels bring you back to South Africa, so please contact us if you would like to discuss the details. We would like to impress upon you to keep faith in Dugong Beach Lodge and retain us as a destination of choice in the future. Regards, Gary Millar, Senior GM, Legend Group - gary.m@legendlodges.co.za
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I booked this lodge for the last 4-5 days of a two week honeymoon - what a disaster.
On arrival in Vilanculos Airport we were not met, but did eventually find the lodge’s driver and a few of his mates kipping in the back of what looked like the Lilt wagon having completed the Paris Dakar. Ten minutes later we were on the pier and being loaded onto an equally disheveled looking boat.
By the time we reached the lodge we were already feeling a little gloomy but worse was to come. The manager explained that because there was no mains power they have to shut down the generators during some parts of the day, and it turns out that’s after lunch and at night when you need the fan on to get to sleep! Next he explained they don’t smoke for mosquitoes and hence they can be a nuisance around dusk…and mid after noon, evening, and all night while you’re in bed sweating with no fan.
At this point my new wife was welling up but better was to come. “The water”, the manager explained, “is sulphurated, which can bring real health benefits”. Oh yes, and it stinks of rotten eggs so having a bath is like dipping yourself in egg mayonnaise.
In case all this isn’t enough to put you off, in addition:
The bungalows are worn out
There are fag butts and rubbish scattered around
The pool is small and cold
The food is worse than terrible – Gordon Ramsey make haste.
And…the whole thing is very expensive.
Luckily this sorry tale has a happy ending. By God’s good grace I had a bar of signal on my mobile phone and was able to ring Marlin Lodge on their emergency contact number and request immediate evacuation. This they did and we finished our honeymoon, as we had wished, in the fantastic surrounds of Marlin Lodge. Marlin deserves a review of it’s own, and I’m sure it’s had plenty, but in short it’s quite superb.
The moral of this story – never leave home with out your credit card and mobile and be prepared to max them out on your honeymoon when it all goes pear shaped.
On arrival in Vilanculos Airport we were not met, but did eventually find the lodge’s driver and a few of his mates kipping in the back of what looked like the Lilt wagon having completed the Paris Dakar. Ten minutes later we were on the pier and being loaded onto an equally disheveled looking boat.
By the time we reached the lodge we were already feeling a little gloomy but worse was to come. The manager explained that because there was no mains power they have to shut down the generators during some parts of the day, and it turns out that’s after lunch and at night when you need the fan on to get to sleep! Next he explained they don’t smoke for mosquitoes and hence they can be a nuisance around dusk…and mid after noon, evening, and all night while you’re in bed sweating with no fan.
At this point my new wife was welling up but better was to come. “The water”, the manager explained, “is sulphurated, which can bring real health benefits”. Oh yes, and it stinks of rotten eggs so having a bath is like dipping yourself in egg mayonnaise.
In case all this isn’t enough to put you off, in addition:
The bungalows are worn out
There are fag butts and rubbish scattered around
The pool is small and cold
The food is worse than terrible – Gordon Ramsey make haste.
And…the whole thing is very expensive.
Luckily this sorry tale has a happy ending. By God’s good grace I had a bar of signal on my mobile phone and was able to ring Marlin Lodge on their emergency contact number and request immediate evacuation. This they did and we finished our honeymoon, as we had wished, in the fantastic surrounds of Marlin Lodge. Marlin deserves a review of it’s own, and I’m sure it’s had plenty, but in short it’s quite superb.
The moral of this story – never leave home with out your credit card and mobile and be prepared to max them out on your honeymoon when it all goes pear shaped.
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Date of stay: January 2006Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
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 wanted to stay somewhere luxurious in/around Vilanculos. One of the prerequisites is that we wanted aircon as it was March and very hot. What they fail to explain is that they do have aircon and fans but the generator turns off at mid-night and only comes on again at 07h00 in the morning. So you go to bed with aircon on and windows closed (because of all the mozzies) and early hours of the morning, you start sweating. You eventually have to open the windows and naturally all the mozzies flood in and buzz around your net and keep you awake or find their way into the mozzie net. Either way you cannot sleep. Dugong promised to keep the generator on the whole night after the second night of this happening but failed on their promise. The generator went off the same time and came on again at the same time but they explained that the generator was faulty and the technician could not fix it in the dark??? We wanted famous Mozambiquen R & R's but they had no Raspberry Juice. The list goes on ... it was a very disappointing stay!
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Date of stay: March 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Cleanliness
Service
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 MichelleBouic, Marketing & PR Executive at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 11 Jul 2014
Dear WarrenFarrer, It is with disappointment that we read your review on Dugong Beach Lodge. We strive to create a truly Legendary experience for all our guests and apologise that this was not the case for you. We however can advise that while we welcome constructive comments, we take all complaints extremely seriously and can assure you that a proper investigation is taking place. We have been experiencing problems with our generators with parts having to be ordered. We can confirm that the parts have been sent to Dugong, from South Africa and the generators are working once again. While the policy is to switch the generators off from midnight to sunrise, exceptions are made with extremely warm weather. We can also advise that our MD and CEO are on the property at the moment and have been informed of the issues you experienced and will personally investigate. Warren, our lodge is known for its tranquillity and luxury, its wonderful service and team and of course, the natural beauty of its location. To read that your time with us was not made of that is concerning. While we do understand that your current perception of our lodge is marred, we can only hope that this will not deter you from returning in the future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dugong Lodge must have been fantastic a few years back, situated as it is right on the beach of the beautiful bay between the mainland and the Sanctuary peninsular. You get the sense that the creaking infrastructure has been neglected and we were subjected to constant power failures and dodgy brown water from the taps. Could hardly see what we were eating some nights. The swimming pools were dirty and the slate tiles around them sharp and flakey. The rooms are good with too large furniture (many bruises to prove that) but the bathrooms are lovely. The beds were so uncomfortable we slept on top of the bedding, my sheets had holes in them. It was the quality of the staff that made our stay. We never saw any of them without a beautiful smile and an eagerness to make us comfortable. It made up for having to use our cellphone to light the way home each night and the really weird hyperbole sprouted by the incumbent manager ...
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Date of stay: December 2013Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: The end rooms are interconnected family rooms with private pools and are the best
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 MichelleBouic, Client Liaison & Branding Executive at Dugong Beach Lodge
Responded 13 Jan 2014
Dear Claire B, Thank you for taking the time to review our property and the kind words about our team at the Lodge. Dugong has, as you can see, often been the recipient of praise for its location, and definitely the delightful team on hand. We are however disheartened to read that your visit was not the complete Legendary experience we strive to create for all our guests. All your points have been taken up with Management and the Team onsite and attended to as required. We understand from the General Manager that with the extreme heat, the generator seized and needed repairing, which was done over 2 days. While we recognise that this was an inconvenience, we do trust you appreciate that our team did everything within their power to ensure the generator was repaired as timeously as possible. Dugong has also been the recipient of a decent amount of rain, accounting for the colour of the pool water (as the water drips off the thatches overhanging). However we understand that once the weather cleared the pools were tended to and restored to their usual sparkling blue. Claire, we trust that these minor infractions do not deter you from visiting our wonderful property again, and look forward to welcoming you back.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
You will have to fly to Vilacoulos. At Vilacoulos you will be picked up and then be transported by boat to the lodge. There are fridges in the rooms.
"Plenty of parking on the premises if you do a self drive. They also arrange airport pick up. Some of the lodges offer self catering"Read full review
"The end rooms have 2 private balconies, perfect for catching breezes and avoiding the sun"Read full review
ALSO KNOWN AS
dugong beach hotel vilanculos
LOCATION
MozambiqueInhambane ProvinceVilanculos
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Dugong Beach Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Dugong Beach Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Dugong Beach Lodge?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and blackout curtains.
What food & drink options are available at Dugong Beach Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Dugong Beach Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Dugong Beach Lodge have airport transportation?
Yes, Dugong Beach Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Dugong Beach Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Portuguese.
Does Dugong Beach Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.