Guest reviews Machangulo Beach Lodge

by gunit-kl kl

Wonderful get away

We enjoyed 2 nights at The Machangulo Beach Lodge. Being picked up in Maputo we were at the harbor ready to board the boat very quickly. We were happy to swim in the ocean, walk the beach, enjoy the pool, and snorkel. The food was great, the spa services divine. The bartender created wonderful cocktails each time. We look forward to our next trip there!

by jair557

Paradise!

Perfect place to relax, excellent diversification of activities, total attention of the staff, excellent menu, very comfortable rooms, perfect for family, place is a paradise and with comfort and stewardship.

by Slj159 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A Truly Magical Place

This is a truly exceptional resort. From the moment you arrive, you can tell the staff really cares about the quality of your stay. The property is a magical treehouse oasis, with updated design features and amazing food and drink options. Every cabin has a jaw dropping view of the aqua blue waters. Also, this was quite possibly the cleanest place we visited on the whole continent as well. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that and how much it amazed me as well - its not easy to keep such a natural resort this clean! The location is perfect - its at the most private part of the peninsula. Perfect for serene beach walks or enjoying the view from their beach huts/lounge chairs (there is even bar service on the beach and the alcohol at the resort is reasonably priced). I also want to be clear that this resort does not loose its African charm - you will not feel commercialized here, or like you are imposing on the natural resources of the area. It feels sustainable, environmentally conscious, and is not missing the local charm that I really want to be a part of when I get away. If you want this to be like your home - like you want only 1 bottle of wine or one type of food during your whole stay and you are inflexible - just email them ahead of time and I'm sure they'll get it for you. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the ride - they will take excellent care of you.

by lclarktb2017 Ashington, United Kingdom

Lovely location but not good value for money

Great first impressions with very friendly staff and nice beach welcome and introduction. Promises to attend to every detail were encouraging. The room was stunning - one of the new rooms up high (not suitable for old or those with difficulty walking stairs) with gorgeous views of he peninsula. However things didn’t live up to our expectations. We paid extra for fully inclusive only for them to run our of Pina Colada mix on day two and then white rum the next day and were told we should have told the, what we wanted to drink! Then asked for excess payment for Jack Daniels (one drink) as it was a premium drink! They did get the drinks in later in the week but no refund offered and we certainly didn’t get our money’s worth as we don’t drink much else. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great and there wasn’t much to do (no TV either) and despite asking if snorkelling was going to be ok to which the answer was affirmative the visibility was virtually zero which was such a shame as the fish were stunning. They did refund the trip but at the price they charge I wasn’t expecting to have to pay for snorkelling or kayaking... it was only a short boat trip away. The kayaking was far too rushed with very little commentary on the wildlife, fauna etc and no one offered to take pictures of us which was disappointing as the flamingos were beautiful and there would have been some lovely snaps! The food was good but after five days starting repeating and there was only ever one choice of desert which again, for the money isn’t really acceptable. Also the eggs at breakfast were poorly cooked no matter how you had them and they had trouble bringing out things in order. Getting toast beforehand was a struggle. The staff were all very polite but really didn’t have the knowledge or experience to deliver the level of service and attentiveness required by the standard or hotel they were trying to offer. You couldn’t really swim in the sea as the surf was big and at times there was a strong current with the tides but also there were a lot of large jelly fish - the staff said they shouldn’t sting but I didn’t want to put it to the test! They did give us a complementary spa treatment to make up but a bit of a token gesture. The boat trip from Maputo is about 1 1/4 hrs and the sea can get quite rough so you need sea legs! Overall not the standard of service, activities or food for such an expensive hotel so quite disappointed - such a shame as was so looking forward to to it and we had to stretch ourselves financially to do it.

by NatalieK2507

Absolutely outstanding in every way

Staying at Machangulo Beach Lodge has been an absolutely spectacular experience! The setting is beautiful with chalets up on the hill for the perfect view and sea breeze. The staff are efficient and extremely friendly with nothing ever being too much for them.The managers were fantastic. Our waiters Sergio and Berito were excellent! Every meal was first class and simply excellent with a huge array of fresh seafood on offer. Rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated, kitted with air cons, very good comfortable beds, coffee plungers, beach baskets and khoikhois amongst others. Snorkeling was better than the maldives, although the visibility varied a lot and was dependent on tides and weather!! Outstanding experience and definitely recommended for a family holiday!!