Clients' reports on trips to Madagascar in 2006

We invite everyone who travels with us to tell us about their experiences so that we can evaluate the service we offer, monitor the quality of our arrangements more regularly, and inform intending travellers of the high points and pitfalls of a holiday in Madagascar.

'Just wanted to say we had an absolutely fantastic holiday. [Your local representatives] were very good. Our main guide, Solofo, was excellent and looked after us incredibly well. Quite a few people said to us that [your agents] were the best & we heard a few horror stories of people being stranded because checks hadn’t been made on flights by other agents. We probably over tipped Solofo and the driver but they really worked hard making sure everything ran smoothly for us...
Thank you very much for your help and patience in putting this together for us. We’ll definitely come back to you when we get the opportunity to organise our next big holiday.
Best Wishes,'
Ms. J. Croome, December 2006

‘Nature Lodge: Beautiful lodge.
Vakona Lodge: Was slightly disappointed with our room … But had a lovely stay –the horse-riding is superb and lemur island is enchanting.
Anjajavy: It was as gorgeous as it looks in the pictures!
We had a fabulous holiday. Madagascar was every bit as wonderful as I had imagined. The level of service/accommodation in a developing country was outstanding, and I am looking forward to returning.’
Ms. S. Molloy, October/November 2006

‘I had an absolutely fabulous time. Anjajavy was everything you said it would be and more. It was like heaven.’
Mr. M. Russell, Eire, October 2006

'Vakona Forest Lodge & reserves: Excellent. Very impressive.
Berenty: Berenty is perhaps no longer a “highlight” of Madagascar – management at the lodge is poor and the food very poor and the road to get there very poor (although very interesting).
Anjajavy: An outstanding place to stay.'
R. Pawsey, October 2006

‘Vakona Forest Lodge: Lovely.
Hotel Colbert: Absolutely superb, possibly the best hotel we’ve ever stayed in.
Berenty: Actually, rooms and facilities much better than we’d been led to expect, but food was indeed uninspiring. Lemurs stole our toast at breakfast! Night walk was excellent.
Croix du Sud: Huge & nicely appointed rooms; still being built – no reception, dining facilities at the Dauphin next door. Not in a stunningly beautiful location, but then that could be difficult in Fort Dauphin! Evatraha and Nahampoana excursions were excellent, though lunch at Nahampoana was fairly poor.
Domaine de Fontenay: Absolutely lovely rooms/hotel, gorgeous “reserve” to walk through at leisure. The owners are fabulous – we really did feel like we were at a house party, rather than paying guests at a hotel!
Chez Robert: Very clean eco-tourist bungalows, fantastic array of Chinese/Malagasy food, very welcoming management. Showers are still a “bucket wash”, but the ladies toilet has been upgraded to a proper sit-upon throne. Ideal for one night, but three would have been tolerable rather than enjoyable.
Tsara Komba: Probably the best of an already impressive bunch. Rooms are amazing, as is the location; best food of the whole holiday; only 3 bungalows overlooking a ‘private’ beach – definitely the perfect ‘honeymoon hotel’. Christian & Guy were very nice
Jardin Vanille: Really lovely, attentive staff; great to have lemurs in the trees outside our bungalow, probably would have rated it even better if we hadn’t just come from Tsara Komba!
Tsarabanjina: Idyllic location, fantastic rooms and facilities, and very friendly staff.
Relais des Plateaux: Really lovely, great pool, excellent food at great price.
Thank you so much for arranging such a fabulous trip.’
J. Crawfurd & J. Randall, October 2006

‘Domaine de Fontenay: Good comfort, service & location. Bit pretentious!
Chez Robert: Excellent food and hospitality, but long drives for excursions.
L’heure Bleue: Excellent comfort; good location & facilities. Hotel staff and owners a “bit distant”.
Tsarabanjina l’Hotel: The right combination of “helpfulness without interference”. All staff were excellent. Rainbow should mention that speedboat journey could be bumpy in case visitors have fear of such things!’
Mr. K. Philpott, October 2006

‘SERVICE FROM RAINBOW TOURS: Excellent. Always courteous & helpful.
DOCUMENTATION, SURFACE HANDLING & OVERALL SATISFACTION: Excellent.
Hotel Sakamanga: Very good.
Zomatel: First night, room depressing – no windows, poor light. Second night at front of hotel v. good.
Joyeux d’Isalo: Thank God we only stayed one night. The bed sloped so much to the middle that we spent most of the night awake … and both ended up with aching backs.
Paille en Queue: Very good. Friendly & excellent food.
Anakao Beach Resort: Paradise!! Hot water only warm, but who cares!!
Eulophiella: Wonderful setting – awful 5.5 km road to it – but fantastic to be woken up by Indri calling.’
Mr. R. Hewson, October 2006

‘SERVICE FROM RAINBOW TOURS: Excellent. No problems with arrangements – well done! Kept well informed of planning & progress.
DOCUMENTATION: Excellent. Clear. Explicit.
SURFACE HANDLING: Outstanding.
OVERALL SATISFACTION: Excellent. Thoroughly recommendable tour. Thank you.
Ampijoroa: Friendly staff. Simple setting, peaceful – more than adequate.
Hotel du Louvre: Good location. Excellent restaurant.
Chez Robert: Good basic clean facilities. Ablution facilities basic, clean, more than adequate.
Relais de Masoala: Excellent comfort, meals, location and facilities. Staff overwhelmed by two big tour groups arriving at same time as us.
Nosy Mangabe: a great place. Clean adequate facilities. Lovely location.
Tampolo Lodge: Excellent meals, service & location. Beds a bit uncomfortable, but room excellent. Good clean facilities. Flush toilets and cold showers available and more than adequate. Lovely site on beach. Bruno (host) particularly helpful.
Grand Hotel (Diego Suarez): Excellent except for noisy air conditioner. Lovely pool.
We had a fantastic time which flew past far too quickly!’
W. & G. Barbezat, October 2006

‘Very enjoyable and well organised. Local guides were v. good.
Jardin Vanille: Fantastic place!’
Ms. C. Hart, October 2006

‘Melodie Beach: Excellent meals & location. Accommodation in desperate need of renovation and not very clean.’
Mr & Mrs Oxley, October 2006

'SERVICE & OVERALL SATISFACTION: Excellent. Good advice received re which tour to take.
Thanks for a great holiday.'
Mr & Mrs A. Fisher, Madagascar Natural History Tour, September 2006

‘Hello Judith
We had a fantastic time. Jessica [guide] was just great. She has excellent English, knows about the country and to a considerable extent about the flora and fauna too. She made the whole thing smooth and easy.
Princess Bora was fine and the whale watching was perfect. We saw a large group and followed them for an hour and then we caught up with a lone male who was showing off by tail thumping in great style. They were all very close to the boat and one swam right under us! The hotel is comfortable and well managed. As you probably know there is not much else to do on the island – apart from a visit to the pirate cemetery – and so a longer stay or bad luck with days of rain would be a problem – however, we were very lucky.
Perinet was fine and we saw and heard the Indri as well as other lemurs and chameleons etc. Vakona Lodge is OK and the fireplace in the main building very welcome. We did not try the pool as it was pretty chilly. The park guide at Perinet – Maria - was great too and she ensured that we saw everything.
Anjajavy was perfection and we also really enjoyed the flight to get there. It was hard to leave. They have got the combination of a really restful environment with plenty to do on sea and land just right.
All in all the balance of things on the trip was exactly what we wanted.
Thank you so much for making it happen.
My only reservation was the Air Madagascar flights were poor – especially the return one. The cabin equipment – seats, tables, lavatories were in a shocking state. The service was also poor and lacked any real sense of customer care…
I will be recommending you to all my friends. We met a couple from Suffolk who were with you too on a SA and Madagascar holiday.
Once again thanks for all your efforts on our behalf.’
Mrs. N. Perry, August/September 2006

‘Great itinerary. Excellent guides, especially Lalaina.
Hotel Vanila @ Nosy Be: Everything excellent there!’
Mr. T. Warren & sons, August/September 2006

'SERVICE FROM RAINBOW TOURS: Excellent.
SURFACE HANDLING: Excellent. Roger and Eliore & drivers could not have been better.
OVERALL SATISFACTION: Excellent.
Paille en Queue: Excellent service, meals & facilities; good comfort & location. Bit far out of Tulear, but lovely helpful owners.
Le Relais du Roy: Excellent service & location; good comfort meals & facilities. Hotel not as yet finished so will be excellent then.
Chez Maggie: Excellent location & facilities; good comfort, service & meals. Good place because of its situation ... People there, Gerard in particular, v. helpful.
Princesse Bora Lodge: Excellent service, meals, location & facilities; good comfort.
Vakona Forest Lodge: Excellent service, location & facilities; good comfort; poor meals. Same menu for lunch and dinner in restaurant. Breakfast ltd. Packed lunch excellent.
I thought it was necessary to write how pleased we were with the trip you organised ... We would also like to heap praise on our two main guides, Roger and Eliore. They could not do enough for us but at the same time were enjoyable company with an excellent knowledge of their country and its wildlife. Their English was excellent and they were good fun.
We would certainly consider going again as we feel we would like to go to the northeast and to Ranomafana. Again many thanks.'
M. Stapley & G. Appleton, July/August 2006

'SERVICE FROM RAINBOW TOURS: Excellent. Great itinerary. Wonderful place, Anjajavy.
DOCUMENTATION: Excellent.
SURFACE HANDLING: Tuki (guide) was very good, knowledgeable, interesting.
OVERALL SATISFACTION: Excellent.
Vakona Lodge not up to Anjajavy standard, bit basic.
Wonderful time had by both of us. Well done, Judith.'
Mr. A Graham, March 2006