Simba Garden Lodge - Hostel

The peaceful atmosphere at simba garden lodge made our week so enjoyable that we already miss it. Rahul was really nice and helped us arrange activities and an airport taxi. The price is unbeatable, and the included breakfast is delicious. Our simple room had everything we needed, and we’d definitely stay there again.

We were disappointed with this stay. The pool was unusable: the water and the area around it were dirty, with sand, leaves, and fungus, and swimming gave us a rash. The water wasn’t cleaned during our five nights. We asked staff to clean it and later learned the pump was broken, but nobody had told us while we were there. There were also termites in the room, especially over the bathroom door. They kept coming back, and after two days we had to change rooms. The air conditioning worked but was so loud it made sleeping difficult, and the spacious rooms were very dark. We tried to report the problems directly to Claudia, the owner, but she was never there. We messaged her and spoke to staff several times about the pool and bugs. After we left, Claudia accused us of not saying anything during our stay and said we should have spoken face to face. In our view, speaking to staff should have been enough, but apparently the information never reached her. There were some good things. Breakfast was tasty, with eggs, pancakes, avocado toast or granola, plus fruit and coffee or tea. Cold water at breakfast cost extra, though, and I was surprised to be charged for it at checkout. We paid for the first day only and it was free on the other days, which was confusing. There was also an extra, hidden five percent charge for card payment. The staff were pleasant and helpful, recommended a great tour guide, and arranged a car or scooter rental through BWAX. We took lots of trips with him and highly recommend him. The pool area had a nice atmosphere, with trees and lights, and the location was good, close to the main road and about a ten minute walk to the beach.

Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived because the hotel was overbooked. They offered us other rooms, but they were a lower standard, so we found somewhere else to stay. The owner refunded all our money right away, so there was no issue.

Breakfast was a highlight, served upstairs with a lovely view, and the price felt very fair. Claudia, Simba's peaceful host, made us feel welcome right away. Our room was clean, spacious, and lovely. Highly recommend.