Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort

I've read a couple of negative reviews of this place and was a little nervous about going but honestly- I could not find one thing to complain about. The staff are so inviting and friendly- nothing was too much trouble for them. The food was great- there was a decent selection to suit any palate and everything we had was really delicious and packed with flavour. They had a large selection of all- inclusive drinks and the service was great- nothing we ordered was out of stock or unavailable. We stayed in the beach villa and the room was stunning- the view from our deck and beach loungers was postcard perfect. We spent most of our time at the adult pool area and everything there was gorgeous- they even do a sundowner set up on the beach that is spectacular. Honestly, this place is perfect for couples looking to switch off and reconnect with one another. Its an African island resort so if perfect wifi and top of the range Balsamic vinegar (yes, I actually heard people complaining about this) are what's important to you then this may not be the resort for you. The price point was worth every penny spent in my mind- for the view and the private beach loungers alone. There are plenty of free activities to keep you busy- walks along the beach, paddle boarding and kayaking. The dhow cruise (included in the stay) was also really special and worth doing. The sunsets are AMAZING- my poor phone photography skills just couldnt do them justice. We will definitely be going back!

Our worries began as soon as we arrived at the airport: a wait of over an hour, a chaotic arrival without any information. Uncomfortable transfer by boat, again with no information and rude staff. Once there, the rooms were 30 years old, hardly anyone spoke English fluently, and the food was not good or even dangerous (the chicken was raw in the middle!!). Activities are overpriced, nothing is included, the gym is dangerous because the equipment is outdated. The store and kids' room are empty, power outages are commonplace, and wifi is very poor. There's no manager, everyone does what they want. They try to trick you by invoicing you many things you didn't do upon check-out, be careful. Go elsewhere, there's a much better place right next door...

We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Anantara. The helicopter transfer from Vilanculos airport was a treat and got us to the resort an hour ahead of those who used the speedboat transfer. The beach villa complete with plunge pool ensured we had the best view, the beach close to the villa and the added spoilt to have a pool. Our host Claudio was attentive, well-spoken and knowledgeable. The food was good, decent wine selection and the seafood was nothing short of brilliant. We will definitely be back.

During our 10-day stay at Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort starting August 5, 2024, we experienced both the charm and the challenges of this tropical paradise. **Booking Process** The financial handling during the booking process was frustrating. We assumed our holiday was paid for on the Anantara website using American Express (a surcharge applied which was fine to us). However, just a few days before the intended arrival to Anantara, while already on holiday in the South African bush with limited access to mobile connectivity, we were informed that they could not process the American Express payment due to a banking system transition. We were asked to pay by bank transfer with unclear banking details, which were blocked by our bank's fraud department. This took a lot of time and effort to resolve. It would be much simpler if Anantara arranged a PayPal payment option or some other payment terminal which could easily avoid this kind of struggles. **Helicopter transfer and airport handling** The welcome and organisation on the Vilanculo airport by the Anatara staff was friendly and well organized delivering a swift pass through to the helicopter transfer. This helicopter ride over the azur blue ocean is an amazing experience to get to the resort. The pilot very friendly and experienced. **Accommodation and Facilities** The villas, while spacious and offering stunning ocean views, are noticeably outdated. The interior decor feels very old, with in example broken lamps, old useless kitchens as a memory to appartment style units in the past and curtain rails that no longer function properly. This detracted from the overall comfort and luxury we expected from an Anantara brand property. **Resort Infrastructure** The resort features, as a main walking infrastructure to get around, elevated wooden walkways and terraces, which are unfortunately in a state of disrepair. I even fell through one of the planks, and I am not particularly heavy. The lighting installed in these areas is exposed, posing a hazard, especially around the pool with water where children play. Additionally, the available airstrip is completely outdated, the tennis court has cracked and uneven tarmac, the artificial grass football field is half torn and damaged, all the signing is old and unreadable and the asphalt paths throughout the resort are all broken and worn out. A thorough renovation is urgently needed to address these safety concerns and to meet the high standards associated with the Anantara brand. **Staff and Service** Despite the outdated facilities, the staff performed wonders with the limited resources and outdated infrastructure and accommodation available. From housekeeping to the restaurants and reception, everyone was attentive and helpful. Their dedication and friendliness significantly enhanced our stay. **Food and Beverage Experience** Although we generally prefer à la carte dining, the buffets exceeded our expectations. The quality, themes, and variety were

Arrived 1pm yesterday in the hotel. We booked a two bedroom villo in order to be all together as a family. The villa is an absolute disaster, dirty toilette, one out of use, blanket with a dirt spot, dirty coach and sofa, can't even dare to seat and old broken furnitures. Frighten to open the window as broken glass on it. Te hotel offer to change our room, even worse than the first villa. the hotel director is proposing us even to move to another hotel or to have 2 others rooms one for our daughter and one for us while we booked a 2 bedroom suite. At 9:30 and the problem stil the same, unsolved.we pre payed 2000€/night. You can find much better for much cheaper! I have send a complain to minor group, a nd will call them in Bangkok let's see the response. If nothing will contact ministry of tourism of Mozambique to understand how can they give 5 stars to such hotel!!! Only positive point seems to be the view of the room. But again cheaper in much better in Seychelles, Mauritius or Maldives. We got an email from the GM this morning,very surprised by the way he answer our request and give us a departure time for boat to leave the hotel since we are unhappy which I don’t call it a customer service attitud. Only resort manager doing his job trying to find a solution.

My wife and I recently stayed at Anantara Bazaruto for a stop on our honeymoon adventure and were extremely pleased with the accommodations and top notch service we received. Narcisio, Raul and Vicente are the best. Went above and beyond. The beachside villas with plunge pool are perfect, secluded and peaceful. The dune boarding sunset experience was amazing. They know how to make it extra special and romantic. The heli transfer to airport is a plus. 5 star all around. We’ll be back.

A very special island experience with friendly helpful staff and top notch food at every meal. Even unfortunate weather for some of the time did not inhibit a fantastic time and makes this a repeatable experience every step of the way. In particular the staff really do everything they can to ease your stay and are a core asset for the hotel!

We had a fantastic 5 nights stay in a beachfront villa. This is a stunning Island and this is a very good resort with amazing staff. It is not a stuffy and impersonal 5 star, if you want that there are plenty of options elsewhere…and they are actively replacing loose planks on the broadwalk. The food was excellent. If you can take the helicopter transfer for a simply awe inspiring arrival. The sea and beach are unpolluted , alive with life and perhaps what things were like 50 years ago elsewhere. The tides are significant so expect the water to come in and out a bit..this helps keep everything so clean and alive as well. Go,chill out and do the activities outside the resort itself. There is a lot to see and do. Enjoy.

The location is a paradise and that is the only positive thing. The rooms are old, there are no activities for children even though hotel advertises them. The rooms were full with mosquitos and we had very poor sleep quality. Our laundry was not returned in time, the transfer boat was late and the communication was poor from the staff.