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(Long but honest and detailed review)
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Date of stay: 28-07-2022 to 02-08-2022 Resort occupacity at time of stay: Low
Wow what can I say?
We arrived early because we could take an earlier flight. Once arrived at Mafia Airport, a freelance taxi-driver came to us asking if we could use a ride since our pick-up didn’t know we would arrive early. He called Butiama Beach and they paid the ride for us.
Arrived at Butiama and got a warm welcome from one of the staff, nice homemade juice, filled in the paperwork for emergencies aswell (nice feature).
Got a lovely tour of the resort, all the information we got from the staff was in a book in the room aswell, very good.
The room: Very nice and clean. Beds include mosquito net. Get cleaned everyday and towels are renewed once every 2 days. (ps. Don’t forget to turn on the water heater before you take a shower😉)
No I’m not done yet.. but dont leave!
The food: To us it was amazing! We really loved every meal. Lunch is quite expensive but you really get something tasty!
The staff: Wow, awesome people! The waiters are very nice, ask you how you are, refill your water without having to ask. They are able to answer every single question and are always around.
Then you have the trip guides.. Really cool and nice people who also give you tips and information you can do something with!
Manager: William, what a nice guy that is. Knows you by your name, asks you how you are, how the trips were you did. Just an awesome guy!
Trips: The choice of trips they organize (private or group) are awesome! From a picknick on the sandbank to a sunset cruise to exploring the waters of Mafia to swimming with the Whale Sharks!
I LOVED the trips, beautiful dive site. Snorkeling was great and OH WOW.. Swimming with Whale Sharks?!?! I didn’t even know that was possible. Got beautiful shots with my underwater camera and they tell you when to jump so they swim directly underneath or next to you! Such amazing guides! It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it! Trust me!
Conclusion: Amazing place to stay! Amazing staff and manager, awesome service, wonderful trips, tasty food and a beautiful beach with shocking tides.
I was here when it wasn’t busy and it was really relaxing after a long safari.
I absolutely recommend Butiama Beach Lodge if you want to combine a great place to relax and combine it with awesome trips!
Maybe I will come back here even though it will hurt my bank account!
Thank you Butiama Beach staff. Thank you William!
Thank you...
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Butiama Lodge is a truly amazing place to stay! Welcoming and warm, the staff introduced themselves as soon as we arrived which created a very familial atmosphere from the start. William remembered our names and was always around to have a quick chat :) The rooms are super functional and well-thought through, small details which can make a big difference such as providing a beach bag (matching the beach towel), the mosquito nets everywhere, the repellent, the water jar, the water bassin at the entrance of each room to get rid of the sand and so many others! Breakfast was very good with fresh fruits, good crepes and special mention to the granola which was super tasty! Special mention also to the quality of the dinner meals which was always very impressive. We even asked for one of them at lunch on our departure day: beetroot raviolis! In a way it’s a shame that it was a bit more European than Swahili but I have to say that you found the balance and that it didn’t bother us as it was always super super good! Tea and coffee all day was super appreciated. Massage was really great, considering also the very pleasant calming sound of the ocean waves and the birds singing around. The activities were well organised with good guides (special thanks to Amir for having spotted so well the whale sharks during our excursion, we were so so thrilled!) The diving session was absolutely amazing as well. Last but not least, thank you for having catered to the needs of...
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We visited Mafia island for 5 days in the beginning of July 2024 with our sons 10 and 13yrs and I have to say, Butiama was the best choice. Very friendly staff, comfortable sea view bungalow, reccommend number 9 or 10. We could see the area of Utende, Chole Bay and have to say Kilindoni - Butiama lodge is the best option for families. We decided for tours from Butiama. We saw the whale sharks (3 specimen) even out of their season - exceptional, thanks to Moses. We did snorkeling near Utende in Chole Bay and also visited the north - lighthouse and Kanga beach + baobabs on the way. There is laundry FOC for the guest, kayak rental for free, pool, darts, ping pong. Wifi is only near reception area, but we had the local simcards. The half-board - its not bufet menu except the breakfast, the food is very tasty, also optional for veggies. Ice is made of water from the barrels so don't worry about the cool drinks, we didn't have any gastro problems here. The rooms have EU adapters, quality mosquito nets + repelent spray in each room. Every night are the rooms sprayed. During sunsets there are tiny, sandflies (because of mangroves near by), so be careful after 5PM and use more than 50% DEET repelent or wear some long...
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