Mvita Heights Retreat

The WiFi worked well once I got past the hassle of connecting, but most of the rest was disappointing. Breakfast was very basic and never enough, and the place felt a bit pricey. The location is right in the middle of a market, hard to reach by car, and noisy at night because construction goes on in the middle of the night. The staff weren’t very helpful. A cleaner barged into a discussion we were having with the front office receptionist and gave us a tongue-lashing, even though we weren’t speaking to her.

The most shocking part was breakfast, where I had to share my table with a cockroach. It ruined my meal and made me question the place’s hygiene. The rooms and bathrooms were also unacceptably unclean, and cleanliness clearly didn’t seem to be a priority for the staff. There wasn’t enough water, which made even basic things difficult. I expected much better from a hotel of this caliber. The location has potential, but the lack of cleanliness and guest comfort is a major problem. After my recent visit to Dar es Salaam, I was thoroughly disappointed and can’t recommend Le Grand Marie.

The rooms look spacious and presentable, and the hotel seems decent from outside, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I arrived at 6 pm and found there was no water in the taps, bathroom, or shower. Reception first said they’d pump it in five minutes. Fifteen minutes later, they said the pump had broken and a repair person was on the way, with everything meant to be sorted in 30 minutes. Later they said repairs were nearly done, so I kept waiting. By around 10 pm there was still no water, and they couldn’t move me to a room with running water. At midnight they offered to bring one bucket of water. After travelling from Nairobi, having no water for a bath was pathetic, but I accepted. They told me to leave the bucket outside when I was done, and I was annoyed when they came to collect it 15 minutes later. I left at 7 am and didn’t get breakfast. They apparently only serve it from 8 am and couldn’t arrange it for one person. I stayed one night, and it was one night too many. One of the worst hotel service experiences I’ve had.

The internet was slow and unreliable, which made it hard to stay connected. Still, I had a very enjoyable stay at Le Grand Marie hotel. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable, and the hospitality was top-notch. Staff always greeted me with warm, welcoming smiles. I’d recommend it as a friendly, comfortable place for business or leisure. A more dependable internet connection would make it even better.