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All reviews dar es salaam asante sana other guests white beach manager sarah perfect place to relax total relaxation high tide beautiful beach boat transfer nice pool area amazing experience restaurant area the cottages banda safari ocean
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Reviewed 8 October 2012

I had been working in Tanzania for over 4 months before I arranged for my family to fly out and have a 4 week holiday with me. There were 2 things on the "must do" list; Safari and Beach Holiday. After much deliberation I decided to go with Foxes for both. After 3 nights at Rufiji (reviewed separately) and a weekend back in Dar, we were ready for some full-on relaxation. LL did not disappoint. The most stressful thing about the week was the drive there and back – anyone who lives here will tell you that the Bagamoyo road out of Dar is hardly peaceful. Having said that, once we arrived at our pick up point at the M'begani Boat Yard, the pace of life slowed to a crawl and there were large smiles all round.

Many of the recent reviews have hit the nail on the head – this is a place to relax and get away from it all. (I had to laugh when my work tried to phone me while I was wading through the beach surf as I arrived – I simply sent them a photo and turned the phone off). We were welcomed by Judy and the arrival admin was conducted quickly. A short walk through the shade of the trees and undergrowth saw us to our large, comfortable, simple but clean accommodation. Set on 2 floors with a large bathroom at the rear, the banda is positioned facing north east across the beach and reef. The 1st floor veranda became the place to read and watch the sun rise and the fishermen and the ground floor veranda the place to chill in the shade in the afternoon. To be fair the banda looked a little worn and tatty around the edges – but not surprising when you consider these buildings are open to the elements all year round and it certainly didn't distract from the feeling of comfort; indeed it created an atmosphere of "Robinson Crusoe Shabby-Chic".

Not forgetting Nimo, LL's very own guard dog. He slept next to our banda every night and escorted us to and from meal times and even "protected" us from the resident troop of monkeys if they got too close; hilarious to watch….

The main lodge included the bar, restaurant and pool together with ample places to sit and relax; our routine included a refreshing dip in the pool in the afternoon followed by a large gin and tonic while watching the sun set from the 1st floor balcony. The food was excellent; freshly baked cinnamon rolls at breakfast were my favourite. There are always 2 choices for lunch and dinner and if you go for the fish you are guaranteed freshness. We made a point of watching Judy haggling with the local fishermen when they stopped off on the beach to sell their catch. I was always impressed with the variety and standard of the chef's creations. Judy has created a strong team at LL; front of house are polite, friendly, efficient and unobtrusive, while the kitchen staff are obviously capable.

So, you've settled in to your accommodation and you're happy with the pool, food and drink. What else is there to do? Very little: and that is the point. There are a few kayaks and a laser dinghy to play with in the lagoon and ample beach walks, you can even build a sand castle or snorkel along the reef (but the visibility was very poor when we were there), but apart from that, you are forced to slow down, read a book and enjoy not doing very much.

Thank you Judy.

Room tip: Bandas number 1 - 12. Low numbered bandas close to bar and restaurant (but still quiet and private). High numbered bandas more remote (5 min walk to bar and restaurant).
Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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1  Thank AndrewP456
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 30 September 2012

We had three very happy days at Lazy Lagoon, rounding off an enjoyable week at safari lodges in Selous and Ruaha. Sleeping in a "banda" right at the water's edge and waking up to the sight of the Indian Ocean with little sailing dhows (ngalawas) passing by was magical. It was fun paddling along the lagoon side of the island in a kayak and exploring the mangroves. Watch out for strong currents when swimming at certain states of the tide.The food was good, with lots of local fish, but a non-fish option available. Judy and the guys were great, doing everything to make sure we felt "at home" and welcomed.

I was very glad I wasn't influenced by the critical comments of some other reviewers. I guess they were looking for a different type of holiday. It is true that the meals are at fixed times and that there is only electrical power for two periods in the day. It is rather like a game lodge in that respect. However, for us it was an enjoyable part of the experience, and of getting away from it all. There are many hotels with constant electrical power, internet access, meeting rooms, business centres and 24 hour room service, and when I'm travelling with work I'm very pleased to have all these things. But Lazy Lagoon is for holidays. Personally, when I next stay in a hotel and I don't have to take my shoes and socks off and paddle across golden sand through tropical seas into a boat waiting to take me across to the hotel's private island, I will long for that very special arrival at Lazy Lagoon.

Date of stay: September 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Thank HomerPerly
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 14 September 2012

We stayed at Lazy Lagoon after a 3 week safari. It was wonderful! I have read some of the reviews that are critical and I must say that it sounds as if the guests did not do their homework. If they had, they would have known that you have to take a boat and get your feet wet in the process (I had my water shoes in my back pack). They also would have known that the electricity is on from 6:30 to 10:30 pm. It is part of being able to "get away from it all." We also found the food to be very good safari type food. In fact, having a choice of 2 entrees was terrific. One entree was always local fish, so you know that it was really fresh. We had no problem with Karen and enjoyed chatting with her when we would come to the dining banda. And, the staff was excellent.

Lazy Lagoon is a tented camp. It is not a full service 5 star hotel. You need to appreciate that means that there will not be every possible resort type amenity available to you. We thought it was great. We sat on our porch looking at the Indian Ocean and the white sand beach, reading and relaxing. In the early morning, we would watch the local fishing boats go out as the sun rose. For us, it was the perfect way to spend a few days after being on safari. After 2 previous safaris, we had gone to Zanzibar to relax. We much prefer Lazy Lagoon.

Room tip: We were in tent #6 and I might have preferred one closer to the dining banda. However, for breakfast and lunch we walked on the beach from our tent to the dining banda which was lovely. And, if you use the walking path you will find that the walking path is very well lit at night and is a regular walkway not a dirt path.
Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Thank jscottjoplin
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 29 August 2012

We had the most wonderful stay at Lazy Lagoon (August 11/12th) as a party of four adults and two kids. The atmosphere was totally relaxed, the meals and drink absolutely delicious, and sleeping in the bandas on the beach with the sound of the waves crashing nearby was an experience not to be missed. Judy was the perfect hostess, attentive to all our needs, and very charming with the children. The staff were friendly and polite at all times, while the dog, cats and guinea fowl provided lots of entertainment - I've never seen such a chilled-out set of animals! Reading, strolling on the sandy/rocky beach, swimming and sea kayaking were the main activities during our stay, interspersed with a lot of eating and drinking - all-in-all, a perfect holiday getaway! Thank you Judy, we'll definitely be back again....

Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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Thank SHt1975
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 28 August 2012

This resort has the potential to be outstanding as the bar/restaurant are is very nice, the bandas are "rustic" but clean and well situated for privacy and face onto the ocean. The pool area is OK but could do with a few loungers/shade umbrellas. The food is slightly better than average but there is only a choice of two dishes. One of our party is a vegetarian and fo rlunch she got our meal without the fish. By the way, the manager told us when we arrived that she had just ordered the fish for us all for lunch as she didn't know that when we were arriving despite telling her in out confimation that we would be there for lunch and ringing 45 minutes before to ask her to send the boat to collect us... This lady made me feel that everything was such a hassle for her. I felt that she kept using "Africa" as an excuse for things not working and not being quite up to scratch. All our party LIVE in Dar es Salaam- it was a weekend away so this didn't work quite a s well on us as in might on someone there for a holiday! The real drawback is that ALL the lights go out at 10.30pm and after that you are in the PITCH DARK (torch provided in the room)so too bad if you want to sit up and chat or even read in bed. It also makes the evening seem a bit rushed as ther is pressure to get back in time. All in all I felt a little bit like I was at a very nicely situated boarding school and for $120 per person per first night/$105 next night (incidentally I was quoted a different price in June 2012) I wouldn't go back there when there are so mant other nicer places around Dar.

Room tip: Lower numbers are nearer the main area. We were in 8 which is a bit of a trek away
Date of stay: August 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled with friends
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4  Thank vixky
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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