The Makokola Retreat — Hotel in Mangochi

We visited Makokola as part of a larger package of stays in Malawi while visiting from UK. In that context we weren't sure exactly what we paid for our night, so can't properly judge its value for money.

The grounds are beautiful with lawns, a wide variety of trees and exotic plants. The hotel is associated with a kind of garden centre, which we know to be used by other hotels in the area.

We stayed in one of the suites which I was surprised to find in a segregated part of the resort with its own infinity pool on the beach. Our room with its central netted bed was full of clean lines and a modern design, and was delightful. After several stays elsewhere the availability of power and WiFi seemed nothing short of luxury! If I were to be picky I might mention the lovely deep bath is somewhat aspirational - there being no real hope of getting much more than 3 inches of water in it before the wait needed renders it cold.

When we were there (Jun 22) the whole hotel seemed almost deserted, either the legacy of COVID or the lack of international customers mid week. There was one other group, who we think were there to help with an elephant migration from the Liwonde reserve. We were very kindly given our own candle lit beach table at dinner time to separate us, I think.

The neatly combed sandy lakeside beach looked as if it would be at home on the Mediterranean. With two pools there is no need to enter the inviting water, but if you do, note the slight risk of Bilharzia (which you can counter using pills from local pharmacies).

The food, and many other aspects of the hotel, were as you might expect from this class of hotel. Indeed, if you consider it an issue, you might be almost anywhere in the world, and by no means steeped in local culture!

Overall a luxurious and civilized stop in...

This resort is probably the most premium accommodations to be found in Malawi. It is where the President, Vice President and many other famous people choose to stay (including during our visit). The rooms have been recently renovated giving a clean, safe and modern environment. The resort is an oasis in the area. From the moment you enter the Jurassic Park style gates you escape to a world class service and comfort. The resorts managers Mia and Greg worked tirelessly to see that every guests needs were met. An example for us was providing lunches “to go” as we left each day to various schools in the community. They provided a cooler full of ice for our water. The food was fantastic and the menu items were pleasantly varied to cover all diets. The resort was not crowded with no shortage of places to relax at any time. A special mention to William and Chincici at the bar who were attentive and personable. The sunsets you see here are unmatched followed by looking out at a billion stars around a fantastic beach bonfire each night. I look forward to my return.

Tip: purchase a local SIM card for the most affordable fast and reliable internet access. The staff even...

It’s hard to find a reason to dock a star from Makokola, truth be told.

The rooms are modern and thoughtfully appointed. The location? Spellbinding. For someone who’s spent a lifetime chasing sunsets, I think I finally caught them here.

The only hiccup was the occasional inattentiveness from staff — hence the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for service. But isn’t that the eternal challenge in hospitality? It felt more like growing pains than neglect.

The food is exceptional. The wine cellar, a quiet delight. And the fact that they grow their own vegetables? We had lettuce for the first time in months — who knew lettuce could feel like a luxury 😂

We also had the pleasure of meeting the owner. Their family’s story in Malawi deserves to be written down — the context and warmth we gained from that conversation was immeasurable. Thank you for your hospitality, sir.

And finally — there are places you stumble upon while traveling that you tell yourself you’d return to if you were ever nearby again. Makokola isn’t one of those. It’s a place I’d return to on purpose. It’s that...