Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort

Charging luxury prices does not make this a luxury hotel Bazaruto is an extraordinary destination and the natural setting of this resort is genuinely spectacular. Unfortunately, that is where the luxury experience ends. Anantara Bazaruto is simply far too expensive for what it delivers. At these prices, we expected an exceptional property and, above all, consistently excellent service. We found neither. The hotel itself is visibly tired and showing significant signs of deterioration. It feels like a property that has gone too long without the investment it needs and, in my opinion, requires a comprehensive refurbishment. Rooms and common areas simply do not feel at the level you would expect considering the rates being charged. However, the biggest disappointment was the service. There seemed to be a constant lack of leadership, coordination and ownership. Whenever we asked a question, getting a clear answer was surprisingly difficult. Different people would give different answers, staff often seemed unable to make decisions, and there was an overall feeling that nobody really had control of what was happening. F&B was another major disappointment. Quality was nowhere near what we expected, but more concerning were the hygiene standards. At breakfast, we actually saw birds defecating directly onto the buffet. What was shocking was not simply that this happened — it is an open-air environment and birds exist — but that the contaminated food remained on the buffet and nobody immediately removed or replaced it. Seeing food sitting there with bird droppings on it at a resort charging these prices was frankly unacceptable. Housekeeping and general cleanliness were also below the standard we would expect from a luxury resort. Even check-out managed to reinforce the same impression. Our final bill contained duplicate charges as well as charges that did not apply to us. We had to go through the bill ourselves and identify the mistakes. Guests paying this amount of money should not have to audit their own bill before leaving the hotel. And that really summarises our experience: a lack of attention to detail and operational control at almost every level. I completely understand that hotels age. But when the physical product is tired, exceptional service can compensate for it. Likewise, an extraordinary property can sometimes compensate for imperfections in service. Anantara Bazaruto currently has neither. What makes it particularly disappointing is the enormous potential of this place. The island is stunning and the setting is something very few hotels in the world can replicate. But a beautiful location alone cannot justify luxury pricing. We have stayed at many luxury resorts around the world and have no problem paying high rates when the experience justifies them. Here, it simply does not. Anantara needs to invest significantly in the property, but equally importantly in management, training, F&B, cleanliness and basic operational standards. Without major changes, I genuinely struggle to understand how the resort can continue charging these rates and remain competitive in the luxury market. A spectacular destination, but unfortunately a deeply disappointing hotel experience.

The helicopter transfer is spectacular and worth it alone. The stay itself started poorly. At around 40% occupancy, one of two pools and one of three restaurants were closed, and the resort felt empty despite the price point. Our first room (a family suite) was a real letdown: a long, exposed walk through an unkempt garden, an open plan shower with no privacy, an unannounced maintenance visit, and a twin room that looked overdue for refurbishment with a leaking shower. We were moved the next day to beach facing rooms near the main pool and restaurant, which transformed the stay: great sunsets, easy watersports access, and an excellent pizza restaurant. After raising concerns, some extras (cocktails, lobster, excursions) were comped. Allergy handling was below the standard set elsewhere on this trip, so approach with caution. We would recommend checking in advance which facilities will actually be running, especially off peak, as what’s promised and what’s delivered can differ.

I want to start by saying I don't write reviews lightly, and I've stayed at genuinely excellent resorts across Africa and beyond. This review is not that. Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort was, without exaggeration, one of the most disappointing luxury travel experiences I've had, and I feel a responsibility to warn other travellers before they spend the money we did. The photos are not the property. Whatever marketing team is running the Trip Advisor listing and the resort website has done an extraordinary job of photographing around the reality of this place. What greets you on arrival bears little resemblance to those images. Large parts of the property looked and felt like an active construction site, not a working luxury resort. Pathways, common areas, and facilities were unfinished, under repair, or simply left to decay. This isn't a case of "the odd building undergoing renovation", it set the tone for the entire stay. Grounds that should be lush were overgrown and neglected. For a resort trading on its tropical island setting, the landscaping and upkeep were shockingly poor. Rather than manicured tropical gardens, we found overgrown, unmaintained vegetation throughout, the kind of thing that suggests a maintenance budget that simply isn't being spent. Facilities: a fraction of what's advertised, working. Of the pools promoted as part of the resort experience, only one was actually usable during our stay. We ended up abandoning our activity plans entirely and camping out at that single pool for the bulk of the trip, because everything else on offer was so poorly executed it wasn't worth pursuing. Paid activities were, frankly, dangerous-feeling in their neglect. This is the part that concerns me most. The water sports and excursion equipment we paid extra for was old, worn, and in some cases visibly broken. This isn't a five-star inclusion, it's a liability. Guests paying premium resort rates should not be handed equipment that looks like it was retired years ago. Service did not match the price point. Across the stay, service fell well short of what you'd expect at this tier, slow, inattentive, and lacking any of the polish a resort in this price bracket should deliver as standard. The bottom line: This resort is being marketed and priced as a premium tropical escape. What you actually get is closer to a rundown, under-maintained property coasting on old photography and a good location. If you're considering Bazaruto Island, I'd strongly encourage you to look elsewhere, or at minimum go in with your expectations reset entirely, and don't take the website or Trip Advisor gallery at face value.

What a unique experience! From the moment the helicopter departs Vilanculos airport the world is transformed into breathtaking vistas of blue ocean, shallow sandbanks and tropical island paradises. From the helicopter alone we saw dugongs, dolphins, turtles and rays. The hotel itself is comfortable and ideally located. The gardens are lush and full of birds. The staff are wonderful, very obliging and incredibly friendly. Food is abundant and seafood is exceptional. The rooms are a bit tired but everything works and the views are gorgeous. But what really makes this is getting out and about the island. Visiting the village, seeing the crocodiles and many unique birds including the Mozambique bee-eater was a highlight. But that was exceeded by the endless and massive dunes on which we hiked and sand-boarded. The reefs are pristine and the life on them amazing. We saw a single dugong from the boat and dolphins swam with the boat for many minutes. A day on the reef was topped off by an incredible beach BBQ. If you want super luxury and brand new, this is not for you. But if you want immersion into land and landscape with adequate comfort and a wonderful staff; this resort delivers.

Lovely chilled vibe. Almost everything was excellent. Only negative might be the variety of wine choice. Also only certain cocktails were included in the All inclusive package but there was plenty of choice . A wonderful staff and special mentions to Orlando, Tom, Aventina at front of house and Henrique, Ricardo, Julie, Monica and Manelda in the restaurant. Many other lovely staff too numerous to mention