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Alan T

Beautiful Island

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 22 Aug 2024
We had a great stay after a rather bumpy speedboat crossing form Vilanculos Aiport. The island is lovely and we had a very large and well appointed villa. Excellent food and great beach. Isabel looked after us extremely well. We went on 2 great snorkelling trips and were amazed to see Dugongs and Whales.
Date of stay: August 2024
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
4.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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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.
Charles Tandane, Other at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, responded to this review
Responded 23 Aug 2024
Dear alant1904CR
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience through our Guest Satisfaction Survey.
We appreciate your feedback and I'm delighted to learn that we met your expectations.
Thank you for your kind praise of our team members whom you mentioned that looked very well after you. I also very happy the fact that the trip to snorkeling were amazing and you sow Dugongs and Whales.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback and I certainly hope to welcome you back very soon!
Charles Tandane
Resort Manager
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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    Reviewed 15 August 2024 via mobile

    During our 10-day stay at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort starting August 5, 2024, we experienced both the charm and the challenges of this tropical paradise.

    **Booking Process**
    The financial handling during the booking process was frustrating. We assumed our holiday was paid for on the Anantara website using American Express (a surcharge applied which was fine to us). However, just a few days before the intended arrival to Anantara, while already on holiday in the South African bush with limited access to mobile connectivity, we were informed that they could not process the American Express payment due to a banking system transition. We were asked to pay by bank transfer with unclear banking details, which were blocked by our bank's fraud department. This took a lot of time and effort to resolve. It would be much simpler if Anantara arranged a PayPal payment option or some other payment terminal which could easily avoid this kind of struggles.

    **Helicopter transfer and airport handling**
    The welcome and organisation on the Vilanculo airport by the Anatara staff was friendly and well organized delivering a swift pass through to the helicopter transfer. This helicopter ride over the azur blue ocean is an amazing experience to get to the resort. The pilot very friendly and experienced.

    **Accommodation and Facilities**
    The villas, while spacious and offering stunning ocean views, are noticeably outdated. The interior decor feels very old, with in example broken lamps, old useless kitchens as a memory to appartment style units in the past and curtain rails that no longer function properly. This detracted from the overall comfort and luxury we expected from an Anantara brand property.

    **Resort Infrastructure**
    The resort features, as a main walking infrastructure to get around, elevated wooden walkways and terraces, which are unfortunately in a state of disrepair. I even fell through one of the planks, and I am not particularly heavy. The lighting installed in these areas is exposed, posing a hazard, especially around the pool with water where children play. Additionally, the available airstrip is completely outdated, the tennis court has cracked and uneven tarmac, the artificial grass football field is half torn and damaged, all the signing is old and unreadable and the asphalt paths throughout the resort are all broken and worn out. A thorough renovation is urgently needed to address these safety concerns and to meet the high standards associated with the Anantara brand.

    **Staff and Service**
    Despite the outdated facilities, the staff performed wonders with the limited resources and outdated infrastructure and accommodation available. From housekeeping to the restaurants and reception, everyone was attentive and helpful. Their dedication and friendliness significantly enhanced our stay.

    **Food and Beverage Experience**
    Although we generally prefer à la carte dining, the buffets exceeded our expectations. The quality, themes, and variety were impressive, even during the quieter season when not all restaurants were open. The live bands and musical accompaniment during dinners were very pleasant without being overpowering. The breakfast buffet was also very sufficient and tasty, featuring a good amount of live cooking. The lunch menus in the two restaurants offered a variety of nice food. We enjoyed our meals, and the kids had a great time.

    **Activities**
    The activities offered were a highlight of our stay:
    - **Horseback Riding**: We rode along the beach multiple times. The horses were well cared for, with proper facilities and quality feed. Our guide was excellent, and the rides through the beach and inland were breathtaking.
    - **Big Game Fishing**: Led by Captain Fernando, this was an incredible experience. He was very experienced, making the fishing tours memorable. However, be aware that the waves can be quite challenging.
    - **Private Boat Cruises**: We took two private boat cruises to Paradise Island and Pansy Island. Both trips were fantastic and well-organized. The trip to Paradise Island included a wonderful beach BBQ, and the captain provided an extensive history of the island. Snorkeling here was fantastic, with a diverse underwater life. At Pansy Island, we combined the tour with whale and dolphin watching. The captain knew how to find the animals while maintaining a respectful distance. Snorkeling at 2 Mile Reef on this trip was amazing, with an overwhelming variety of marine life, which we can attest to as avid divers.
    - **Cultural Drive**: This tour around the island was very informative, giving us a great insight into local life. We learned, for example, that the islanders only recently got electricity.
    - **Kids and Teens Club**: We were particularly disappointed with the kids and teens club facilities, which were just not available despite being heavily promoted on the website. This was a significant letdown, as we had counted on some kids' entertainment. The staff seemed unaware of these activities and suggested booking tours instead, which is not the same.

    **Exploring the Island**
    It was delightful to explore the island from the resort. Walking along the beautiful, expansive beach, seeing locals at work with their fishing, and watching schoolchildren walk to school along the shore was a wonderful spectacle that truly appeals to lovers of authentic Africa. You do realize you are a guest on their beautyful island home.

    **Conclusion**
    Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort is a beautiful destination with a lot of potential. However, it urgently needs a comprehensive renovation to ensure safety and to meet the expectations of its guests. While the good experience we had made up for some of the shortcomings, management cannot rely on this going forward. Future guests should be aware of the current state of the resort and consider this before booking. A price versus quality discussion is fair to have, as we did not feel pricing was adjusted for these issues if compared to other Anantara resorts or hotels.

    One disappointing aspect was on our departure day. Despite having a helicopter flight booked, which is a significant revenue for the resort, we were charged for three final pizzas as our departure was at 12:45 PM. This was particularly strange given the all-inclusive formula. While this charge was formally correct as they might feel we had checked out before waiting for the helicopter, it felt like a petty gesture and left a less favorable final impression. Just a pitty we would say and so easy to avoid as these 60 dollars are not making any difference.

    We had a great holiday but would not positively refer or recommend people to go here with the current state of the resort. It is just not what you expect from an Anantara brand resort. We would like to thank all the staff for their extra efforts in creating such a memorable experience at the resort. And would be definately looking forward to come back to this beautyfull environment when the resort is properly renovated to a modern Anantara grade level.

    Note: the pictures shown on Booking.com and Tripadvisor seem from many many years ago.

    Room tip: Make sure that the current state of the hotel is completely renovated before you book.
    Date of stay: August 2024
    Trip type: Travelled with family
    Thank sdkams
    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.
    Charles Tandane, Other at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 27 August 2024

    dear sdkams
    Thank you for taking the time to provide detailed feedback regarding your recent stay with trip advisor family.
    We appreciate your insights and regret the aspects of your experience that did not meet your expectations. We acknowledged the areas of concern you highlighted, including the activities with kids and tennis club which your were particularly desapointed. We are currently working in the Hotel Renovation , which involves several sections such as the two bedrooms villas, the vegetable garden setup where guests will be able to enjoy a better scenery , good environment during cooking class lessons, fresh vegetables from the land to the table. The Nursery, the new snooker room, and up coming the new club naval revamp. Regarding the children playing in the recreation areas of the resort we are very open to all guests has families with kids requests for local experience and to accommodate their requirements we organize soccer tournaments between locals kids and the guests.
    We are proud of that destination and our resort, and I do believe that Bazaruto is a beautiful island–a natural wonder. We are committed to providing memorable experiences with exceptional service to all our guests.
    The remarkable experience you had and the comments you shared with us are greatly appreciated and have been shared with the rest of the team.
    Our entire team would be pleased to welcome you back soon and for another memorable stay at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort & spa.

    Warm regards
    Charles Tandane
    Resort Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 18 July 2024 via mobile

    Arrived 1pm yesterday in the hotel. We booked a two bedroom villo in order to be all together as a family. The villa is an absolute disaster, dirty toilette, one out of use, blanket with a dirt spot, dirty coach and sofa, can't even dare to seat and old broken furnitures. Frighten to open the window as broken glass on it.
    Te hotel offer to change our room, even worse than the first villa. the hotel director is proposing us even to move to another hotel or to have 2 others rooms one for our daughter and one for us while we booked a 2 bedroom suite.
    At 9:30 and the problem stil the same, unsolved.we pre payed 2000€/night.
    You can find much better for much cheaper!
    I have send a complain to minor group, a nd will call them in Bangkok let's see the response.
    If nothing | will contact ministry of tourism of Mozambique to understand how can they give 5 stars to such hotel!!!
    Only positive point seems to be the view of the room. But again cheaper in much better in Seychelles, Mauritius or Maldives.
    We got an email from the GM this morning,very surprised by the way he answer our request and give us a departure time for boat to leave the hotel since we are unhappy which I don’t call it a customer service attitud. Only resort manager doing his job trying to find a solution.

    Room tip: Do not come here, the renovation is about 24 years ago and since NOTHING, aggressive approche from management instead of solution.
    Date of stay: July 2024
    Trip type: Travelled with family
    Thank 958anahitas
    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.
    Marcos Buissa, Owner at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 10 August 2024

    Dear Anahitas,

    Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent stay with us.
    We understand that the details you shared highlight some concerns about the condition of your room. However, it’s important to note that these issues represent a small portion of the overall room condition. When these concerns were raised, we offered you a room move to our beach location, which you declined. Additionally, when you requested an alternative hotel, we provided options that were also declined. As a result, you requested a full refund, and we recognize that all the solutions we offered were not accepted.
    Despite the alternatives and our efforts to address your concerns, you chose to continue your stay at the Resort and participated in several activities, including some that were offered on a complimentary basis.
    Guest satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to ensuring that all our guests experience Mozambique's warm hospitality.

    Please let us know how we can further assist you, and we hope to give us another opportunity to provide the high-quality service we are known for.

    MARCOS BUISSA
    Villas Operations Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 21 June 2024

    We have just had six wonderful nights on this beautiful island. The team there are so friendly and do everything they can to make your stay a wonderful one. The food was always fresh and extremely good. Highly recommend for a relaxing break. We didn’t do any snorkelling but others were saying there’s plenty of fish, turtles and other marine life to see.

    Date of stay: June 2024
      • Value
      • Location
      • Sleep Quality
      • Rooms
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
    Thank Pauline G
    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.
    Marcos Buissa, Owner at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 21 June 2024

    Dear Pauline

    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with our TripAdvisor family and for your positive comments about the team.
    Your feedback regarding the food and hospitality has been shared with the team.

    We are looking forward to welcoming you back in the future and if there is anything We can assist with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

    Warm regards

    Marcos Buissa

    Villas Operations Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 20 June 2024

    Great resort what concerns localization, type of rooms, people friendliness, nice spots to dive or snorkel, but the most poor F&B service I have been in a 5 star hotel. Poor everything, lack of products, some already not consumable (milk that had already pass long time the expiration date!), Same fish of the day everyday! In resume will not return

    Date of stay: June 2024
      • Value
      • Location
      • Sleep Quality
      • Rooms
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
    Thank JoaquimQ2
    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.
    Marcos Buissa, Owner at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 21 June 2024

    Dear JoaquimQ2
    Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are delighted to hear that you appreciated our resort's location, room types, friendly staff, and the beautiful spots for diving and snorkeling.

    We sincerely apologize for the issues you encountered with our Food & Beverage service. We take these matters very seriously and will address them with our team immediately to ensure they are rectified.

    We value your feedback as it helps us improve our services. Please know that your experience is not typical of our resort, and we are committed to making the necessary improvements.

    We hope you might reconsider and give us another opportunity to provide you with a truly exceptional experience in the future.

    Kind regards,
    Marcos Buissa
    Villas Operations Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 28 May 2024

    I have been to many tourist destinations and I'm short of words to describe my stay at bazaruto. in short , it was the most amazing experience and most of all the staff makes it even worth the travel. Food was exceptional, rooms superb, views just breath taking. We will be sure to come back to this paradise.

    Date of stay: May 2024
      • Value
      • Location
      • Sleep Quality
      • Rooms
      • Cleanliness
      • Service
    Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
    Thank khanimambo86
    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.
    Destiny Bhobho, Owner at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, responded to this reviewResponded 30 May 2024

    Dear khanimambo86t,

    Warm Greetings from Anantara Bazaruto Resort

    Thank you for taking the time to complete the review following your recent stay with us.

    We were delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you were particularly pleased by the hospitality and genuine service from our team members, and we will recognize their excellent job. Glad to hear our culinary offerings exceeded your exceptions.

    We are very much looking forward to welcoming your return to Anantara Bazaruto Resort in the near future.

    Best regards,

    Destiny Bhobho
    Assistant Villa Operations Manager

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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