Location:

The resort is within a close drive, approximately 5 minutes, to the entrance of the Khao Sok National Park. The resort is located at the edge of a forest, surrounded by trees and the sounds of nearby wildlife. We felt that the location was good due to its close proximity to the park, provided that you have your own transportation. There isn't much else around the resort other than a few other resorts and some very small and basic supermarkets.

Room Comfort:

The Khao Sok Treehouse offers a range of accommodations from basic to luxurious treehouses. The tree houses are actually built on trees, and the trees' branches are incorporated nicely into the rooms. Don't be surprised if there is a tree going through the room acting as a support beam or if your bathroom sink is sitting on a tree stump. We had a standard treehouse without air conditioning but found the evening temperature to be cool so air conditioning wasn't required, (at least in January when we were there). The room was small and had little space for luggage so it was a difficult to get settled. The room amenities and comforts were basic. The bathroom was very uniquely designed but small. A mosquito net was provided in the room and was definitely needed as the room was not secure enough to keep out mosquitoes. We liked that we had geckos in the bathroom since these little lizards eat other creatures. We really likes the uniqueness of the room and the use of the natural surroundings in the design of the room and hotel grounds.

Cleanliness:

The room was clean when we arrived, but was not cleaned any further during our entire multi-day stay. The mosquito net was a bit worn and dusty. The walkways to the rooms were also a little worn but that was expected due to their natural setting. The surrounding lawn and gardens could use a bit more attention as their beauty was starting to fade and weeds started to grow in them. Once again, this didn't bother us since it felt more like the forest was left in its natural state.

Service:

The service was great. We received prompt responses to our email inquiries and received a friendly welcome upon arrival. The staff was very personable and seemed to enjoy their jobs. They really went out of their way to make sure we got the personal attention to make us feel welcome and at home.

Food:

The food was very good. We enjoyed a traditional Thai dinner and it became one of our most memorable meals in Thailand. We really enjoyed the taste and quality of the food at the resort. Breakfast was included in the price and consisted of eggs, toast and fruit. The breakfast was a little small but enough to get you going. All meals we had here were very good and reasonably priced. 

Overall Value:

Overall, we recommend this place to those looking for a unique place to stay while visiting the Khao Sok National Park and the surrounding area. Although we enjoyed the stay in our standard treehouse, we suggest you spend a little more money and stay in a more spacious treehouse. The staff was great and truly helped with making our stay enjoyable.

Other Notes:

When you are in this area, don't forget to visit the Worlds biggest flower. From January to February it's possible to find the Worlds biggest flower the Rafflesia blossom in this area. You can ask at the Khao Sok park visitor center on where you can find this flower at the time of your visit. It's located a few kilometres from the hotel off the main highway.

Our Rating: 3.8/5   Year Reviewed: 2009 

For the most options of places to stay in this area please visit Expedia.ca. You can also visit the hotel's website at: khaosok-treehouse.com

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Location:

LangiLangi Resort is located on the north coast of Zanzibar in a town called Nungwi. The hotel was difficult to find as there weren't any signs to point us in the right direction, unlike other hotels in the area. Furthermore, the directions provided by the hotel were not very clear which made it even more difficult to find. If you are driving to the hotel, the easiest way to get there is to ask someone for directions once you hit the end of the main road to Nungwi. To us, it seems that there isn't really a good or bad location on Nungwi west, it's really all the same.

Nungwi is approximately 45-minutes from Stone Town. The town on Nungwi is small but is known as the more livelier beach in Zanzibar. The shoreline is lined with hotels and restaurants making it difficult to tell where one ends and where the other begins. There are small patches of sandy beaches spread out along the coast; however, they were full of sand flies making it difficult to relax on the sand. Other than the small patches of sand, there isn't much of a beach in Nungwi anymore as the tide is high most of the time. 

Room Comfort:

There are 34 rooms at LangiLangi Resort. Accommodations range from garden/pool views to sea view suites. The sea view rooms are located in a building adjacent to the large patio which hosts the lounge chairs and beach umbrellas made of palm leaves. The sea view of the rooms at the bottom of the building are obstructed by the patio furniture and are not worth the price. We stayed in a sea view suite which really just seemed like a large room that shouldn't be classified as a suite. Our room was on the lower floor which meant we didn't have much of a sea view at all. The bed in our large room was draped with a well-maintained mosquito net and decorated with langi langi flowers. The bathroom in our room was also spacious. The room had all the amenities to make our stay comfortable, such as mini-fridge, air-conditioner, seating area, toiletries (even though some were half used), and so on.

Cleanliness:

The hotel seemed clean, but upon check-out we noticed that the cleaning staff did not change the sheets for the next guests but rather just made the bed.  The restaurant also seemed clean and the grounds were well-maintained. The faucet in our bathroom showed signs of rust so some things in the rooms were definitely starting to show signs of aging.

Service:

Despite receiving timely responses to our emails before booking, when we arrived at the reception desk the staff seemed very disorganized. Fortunately, they had everything in order and our reservation was there. Overall, the staff was friendly and approachable as they helped answer most of our questions. 

Internet service is available at the hotel for a fee but it's relatively expensive. Laundry service can also be arranged at the hotel but again is expensive. There is a local place that does laundry not too far from the hotel called Nungwi Modern Laundry Services (Tel: 255 777416269). They charge per item, but we negotiated a sum price for a large bag of items which was very reasonable. 

At check-out the women receive a small gift ,(perfume made from the langi langi flower), which we thought was a nice touch.

Food:

The food was good. Breakfast was included in our reservation and was filling. We also had dinner here and it was good. They had a range of local and international foods to choose from. We ordered dinner from the restaurant and had it delivered to our room so we could enjoy it on our balcony.

Overall Value:

Overall, the resort was adequate and provided the comforts we were looking for. Although we recommend the hotel as an option to consider in this area, we probably wouldn't stay here again. The rooms are overpriced for Zanzibar, but at least the hotel staff were friendly and welcoming.

Other Notes:

Due to the tide, there isn't a beach at this hotel, but as a result you can swim most of the time. There are stairs that lead down to the water. Unfortunately, the stairs are located at the side of the outdoor part of the restaurant and can only be reached by passing through the restaurant. We found this a bit odd as you have to walk through the restaurant in your bathing suite to go for a swim. Alternatively, at the highest point of the tide, we jumped from the railing of the lounge area into the water, but that can be challenging for some individuals. The railing is about 2 meters above the sea, so it's a bit high. To get back to the lounge area, you have to swim against the current to the stairs and than walk through the outdoor part of the restaurant.

As mentioned, there is a local place that does laundry not too far from the hotel called Nungwi Modern Laundry Services (Tel: 255 777416269). They charge per item, but we negotiated a sum price for a large bag of items which was very reasonable priced.

Our Rating: 3.5/5   Year Reviewed: 2009 

For the best possible price, please visit Expedia.ca or try Priceline.com. You can also visit the hotel's website at: www.langilangizanzibar.com

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Location:

This small family-style hotel is located on the east coast of Zanzibar on the white sandy beach of Jambiani. The nearby town of Jambiani is approximately a 50-minute drive from Stone Town and is very small with little to see or do. We found that there was very little to do in Jambiani other than wonder the long stretch of beach during the low tide or to relax on the beach chairs that lined the beach. This area is very quiet and relaxing.

Room Comfort:

The rooms are spacious and had everything to make our stay comfortable. The large and comfortable beds were surrounded by a well-maintained mosquito net which made for a comfortable nights rest. The bathroom was also very spacious with constant hot water. We stayed in a sea-view room and we were not disappointed. We had a large balcony with a couple of authentic lounge chairs and a small table overlooking the beautiful blue sea. The one downside to our room was that our balcony was connected to the balcony belonging to the adjacent room. If our neighbours were on their balcony at the same time as us, there wouldn't be any privacy. This wasn't an issue for us since the room beside us wasn't occupied during our stay.

Cleanliness:

The rooms were very clean. The hotel grounds were also very clean and well-maintained. Although the hotel seemed very clean and well maintained, we did see a rat run out of the restaurant kitchen and out on one occasion while waiting for our dinner to arrive. It's nothing to worry about though, the place is sanitary and we are sure this was a rare and isolated incident.

Service:

The service was excellent. We received quick responses to our emails and a friendly welcome (and welcome drink) upon arrival. When we entered our room, we had flower petals arranged on the bed and a very nice personalized welcome note. Overall, the staff at the hotel and restaurant were very laid back and pleasant to talk to. Moreover, they are able to arrange various excursions or laundry service at reasonable prices, (which was surprisingly difficult to find in East Africa). The staff was very approachable and helped us with all of our queries.

Food:

Breakfast was included with our booking but was very basic and not that filling. It consisted of a small portion of fresh fruit, half an omelette and two pieces of toast. Dinner on the other hand was delicious and more filling. The dinner menu was comprehensive and included a variety of foods, such as fish, pizza, pasta, and so on. We pre-ordered our dinner for a specific time and it was ready on time. The restaurant is located on the upper level of the main building and has an open concept which allowed the cool summer breeze to flow through.

Overall Value:

Overall, the room was very reasonably priced for what we got, even though the breakfast was lacking substance. Nevertheless, despite the small breakfast, we recommend this hotel as it's a good value for this area. If you are looking for a quiet, clean and friendly place where you can relax, this place is it.

Other Notes:

Zanzibar's beaches are tide dependent. This means that depending on the tide, there may not be a beach during high tide or that you can't swim during low tide. The staff at this hotel posted the tide schedule in the reception area and informed us of areas near the hotel where we could swim at all times. Fortunately, the hotel's beach lounge area is strategically designed so that it's actually a couple of meters above the beach, ensuring that you have a beach at the hotel even during high tide. There are stairs leading down to the beach area so even if the tide is high you can still take the stairs down and go for a swim. If the tide is low than ask the staff about the nearest safe swimming area and they will advise you accordingly.

Our Rating: 4/5   Year Reviewed: 2009

For the best possible price, please visit Expedia.ca or try Priceline.com. You can also visit the hotel's website at: www.zanzibar.de

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Location:

This Swiss-owned hotel is centrally located in the heart of Stone Town, but is not accessible by car. The hotel is located on a street where only pedestrians, bicycles and motor bikes can pass, so you can only take your car or taxi up to a certain point and carry your luggage the rest of the way. (It's about a 5-minute walk from where the cars can drive to.) The street that the hotel is located on is not as busy as the surrounding streets; however, it can still get noisy from the people that pass by.  The main floor of the hotel is a popular coffee lounge and serves great coffee and snacks.

Room Comfort:

All eight rooms are air-conditioned and have traditional Zanzibar four-poster beds with mosquito nets, rare lamps, antique furniture and unusual details offering their own unique character and comforts. We stayed in The Espresso double room that had a separate but private bathroom. The room was spacious and comfortable, but tended to be a bit loud at night from the people passing by on the street below. We were also awaken early one morning (at 4AM) by someone from the hotel who was checking out who kept talking to the security guard in the hallway. Since our room was located on the floor above the coffee shop (or exit of the hotel) the sound seemed to have echoed directly into our room. Other than that, the room provided everything to make our stay as comfortable as possible and we truly enjoyed it.

Cleanliness:

The rooms and coffee house are kept clean and are well-maintained. The staff is outfitted in colourful clean uniforms.

Service:

This was one of the few places where we stayed where the staff consisted of only women. During our entire stay, these women were very welcoming, pleasant and provided great service. A turn down service was provided in the evening where they pulled back the bedding, adjusted the mosquito net and sprinkled fresh flowers on our pillows. Check-in and check-out were quick and efficient. A welcome drink was provided upon check-in and can be any drink from their coffee house menu.

Food:

Breakfast was included with the room and was served in tower top teahouse which offers some nice views of the city. Overall, we were really satisfied with the breakfast as it was simply delicious. They provided freshly made speciality coffee or tea along with a variety of pastries, fruits, exotic homemade jams, fresh juices, made-to-order waffles and eggs. We also purchased desserts from the adjoining Zanzibar Coffee House Café, which serves a variety of coffees as well as delicious cakes and a range of continental foods, that we were pleased with. It's not a place to have a meal but you can certainly enjoy a good cup of coffee and a light snack or dessert.

Overall Value:

Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at this hotel. We would recommend it and would certainly stay here again. It is a small hotel with lots of character and class. The hotel is very reasonable priced for what you get.

Other Notes:

The doors to the coffee house, (which are also your entrance to the hotel), close at a certain hour after which you are required to knock on the window to notify the security guard to let you in. Some of the streets at night leading to the hotel are poorly lit and felt a bit unsafe, so carry a small light with you to help you find your way back more easily, as it is not hard to get lost in the streets of Stone Town. The staff did a great job of trying to minimize the amount of mosquitoes in your room; however, our bathroom still had quite a few.

Our Rating: 4.2/5   Year Reviewed: 2009 

For the best possible price, please visit Expedia.ca. You can also visit the hotel's website at: www.riftvalley-zanzibar.com

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