Tautona Lodge

The restaurant and bar were open, and the friendly staff served good food. The pool had been drained because there were no guests. I enjoyed my one-night stopover. For a lodge that's 20 years old, it's well maintained, with comfortable rooms and strong, quiet air conditioning. There's plenty of wildlife nearby, and the 2km walk to the campsite is pleasant in the evening, though the sand makes it a bit of a stroll. The cages at the entrance are empty now, so caged wildlife shouldn't put you off visiting anymore.

My campsite booking for July had been confirmed, but they canceled it without telling me. I found that disappointing and unprofessional. They offered no explanation or alternative, just a “no”. Be very careful if you book here, or consider serious alternatives.

At 100usd a night, this was a horrible and vastly overpriced stay. The bed was old, creaky, and uncomfortable, there were mosquitoes, and the lighting was poor. The place felt abandoned, the pool was filthy, and the restaurant walls were dirty. Staff were unwelcoming and unhelpful, and seemed unhappy and bored with their jobs. WiFi barely worked, perhaps three or four minutes each hour. They also seemed unable to handle internet bookings: nothing was ready, and they didn't know where to find my reservation. Awful.

The food was good, but we spent one night on an old, squeaky bed. While we waited for our food, the waitress with the lion hair slammed the door several times. I don't know what her problem was. I guess the boss doesn't take good care of the staff's well-being.