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Honeymoon to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Seychelles & United Arab Emirates
Jinous Rouhani, 11th April 2022Steve Meinhold did an exceptional job of planning and orchestrating the trip, especially since we had to change our plans so many times because of COVID 19. We were originally booked for April of 2020, and while we rebooked several dates along the way, were weren't able to finally take the trip until April '22. Steve was so patient and graciously worked with us in the ever changing environment we were all facing. We will 100% recommend Steve and Mahlatini to everyone who will listen to us!
Countries Visited
South Africa
“Friendliest people on the planet, whether in the big cities or out in the bush, everyone was so friendly and genuinely wanted to please and wanted us to have a wonderful experience. We were just treated so well everywhere we went.”
Zimbabwe
“Just a short stay, to see Victoria Falls. After experiencing Tengile River Lodge (by far the highlight of the trip), the Elephant camp just couldn't match up, but wonderful non-the less. The people were still nice, but not quite as friendly and responsive as in South Africa.”
Seychelles
“Seychelles (we really didn't venture off of the Four Seasons property) was beautiful and the staff at the Four Seasons was great! However, getting into the country was a real pain! The online "paperwork" was a terrible experience and the extra body and luggage screening once we arrived at the airport seemed excessive. The only real negative is what the government is requiring tourist to do in order to get into the country, but once at the resort we had a wonderful time and were treated very well!”
United Arab Emirates
“The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai was lovely, as you would expect out of a 7 star hotel. Service was wonderful and it was a good experience. It was fascinating for us to meet and talk to so many people from all over the world - truly a melting pot of people and cultures! We actually have friends in Dubai and in Abu Dhabi, so there may be reason to go back one day, but other than going to see friends, once we've been there for sightseeing, I don't know that it would be on my list to visit again. Like all of our destinations on this trip, it was enjoyable, we were treated well, enjoyed our accommodations and had a great experience!”
Accommodation Visited
Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel
“Loved it! We loved the atmosphere and charm. The staff were super friendly and helpful. The location was perfect for us. It was the perfect place to rest and recuperate after our long journey from the U.S. It was first class!”
Tengile River Lodge
“If we could give it more than 5 stars, we would. The staff was amazing, and the food and drink were first class. The accommodations were fantastic! Everything about the safari portion was unbelievably great, but even if we saw no animals (and we saw every animal, many times over) we would still rank just the camp part as a highlight of the trip. Tengile River Lodge was the best part of an incredible trip, and that's a big statement seeing how every place we went, everything we saw, and every place we stayed was wonderful!”
The Elephant Camp
“We went directly from Tengile River Lodge to the Elephant Camp, which made the Elephant Camp a bit of a let down. I know for our trip that was the only way it would work for available times. Given the flexibility to do so, I would definitely recommend sending guests to the Elephant Camp first, and then on to Tengile River Lodge sometime later in the trip. But with that said, it was still a lovely place and a wonderful experience. The food was delicious, but the accommodations were not as nice as Tengile and the staff, while still good, weren't as exceptional as at Tengile.”
“We were only there one night, but it was a beautiful place, and very nice and quiet. The food was great, and the atmosphere throughout was amazing. It was this perfect oasis inside the big city! All of the staff were amazing. Our driver, Marvin, was wonderful. Not only did he keep us safe and overall take good care of us, but he was so knowledgeable and shared so much history with us. We really appreciated and enjoyed Marvin.”
The Four Seasons Seychelles
“The island is already paradise, but the Four Seasons was exceptionally beautiful and peaceful. It was the perfect place for a little rest and relaxation after leaving the African continent. The staff was just amazing! The food, service and accommodations were first class. Just like at Tengile River Lodge, they spoiled us with their honeymoon package and made us feel very special!”
Burj Al Arab
“What can one say, it's a 7 star hotel! We enjoyed the service and the experience. So glad we chose to stay there.”
Staff Review
“Again, if there was a way to add more than 5 stars, we would! Steve was just so amazing, especially considering that this turned into a 2 1/2 year assignment for him! I can't count the number of times that Steve had to rework all of the reservations, accommodations, and flights over that 2 1/2 years. He was not only amazing at the craft of travel planning and execution, but his attitude, friendliness, and professionalism was just incredible! Did we mention patience - which he needed and had an abundance of!
We truly appreciated Steve's ability to keep track of and provide us with friendly reminders of things that we needed to do all along the way. We 100% give Steve all of the credit for making this the most memorable and enjoyable holiday and honeymoon one could ever imagine! We knew nothing of any of our destinations, so it was Steve who imagined the perfect honeymoon and put us in all the best places.
We had the perfect trip and the best experiences. We owe it all to Steve, and could not have had a better or more professional planner than Steve!! His patience, demeanor, memory, and eye for detail were all tested with us and our trip, and yet he never cracked! Steve was such a pleasure to work with and was the only way we were able to make this trip a reality!!”
