Madidi Lodge

The lodge is small but has all the facilities, and the full body massage is really good. There's a wide choice of food at the restaurant, and it's in a quiet part of Area 9 in Lilongwe. The swimming pool is tiny, though, with room for only three people.

I came with church members for a missionary trip, and the stay was quite satisfying. It wasn't the Hilton, but the service was second to none and the food was outstanding. When we wanted something in particular, they went out of their way to get it. I'd recommend this Lodge to anyone.

The lovely view of the nearby magic monkey balancing majestically on a 1mm wide branch is one reason I love Sino Garden. It's the closest place to stay to see it. Madidi lodge also has lots of good staff, especially Pylie Siddall, who takes you to Area 9 Musjid for free. Lovely view, best hotel ever.

I wouldn't be likely to stay again, though I might try one of the other places. The airport is about a 30 minute drive, and the hotel shuttle cost extra. The drive itself is straightforward, but the driver seemed to think he was in Formula 1. I asked him a few times to slow down, mainly because other road users can be unpredictable. The nearby shopping mall was said to be a 10 minute walk, but it took me 30 minutes. Half the shops were closed or empty, though the supermarkets were well stocked with plenty of familiar European products, and there were some fast food places and restaurants that looked okay. I was only there overnight before a flight. Following the signs made it easy to find, and check-in was painless. Grace was very nice and took me upstairs to my room. The online photos look quite different from the place in person. It's dated, though some people might see that as part of Africa's charm. There were plenty of chairs to sit back and let life pass by, but the pool was green, so I didn't go in. My shower was cold the night before I learned I had to ask to have the pump turned on. Then I found that the tap marked blue for cold gave hot water, while the hot tap gave what I thought was cold. I can't say much about dinner since I didn't eat there that evening. I had breakfast and asked for the English. The eggs looked like the add water kind, and for some reason they put diced carrots in the beans. The toast was toast, and the tea and coffee were okay. Coffee and tea were available in the room, but I had to ask for bottled water, as the arrival information on the bed advised. I was charged for that. I also asked for fresh, long life milk and wasn't charged. The online listing says internet is free, but you only get 250mb of Wi-Fi before you have to pay. The paid option is cheap, 6gb for £3. The room had a TV, but if you're not very religious, don't turn it on. There must have been 30 or more religious channels, from Malawi and the USA.