Stay Report: Le Méridien N'Fis (Marrakech - December 2011)

Stay Report: Le Meridien N'Fis
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In my continuing travels around Morocco, I was planning to visit Marrakech and was looking for a hotel that was walking distance to the main Square, but not necessarily next to the Square.  Since I was traveling with a group, I was looking for something modern and nice, but also had the Moroccan feel so I choose the Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech.  The hotel is very grand and nice on the o utside, and has beautiful gardens and landscape on the inside that provides a nice and tranquil atmosphere.  The same grandeur and niceness cannot be said about the rooms, which were not updated nor were very comfortable.

Both the exterior of the hotel as well as the entrance to the hotel are very grand and elegant; it provides a good first impression of the hotel.  The first room you encounter when you enter into the hotel is the lounge/relaxing area of the hotel.  Further ahead, to the left, is the check-in counter.  There was a hallway next to the entrance to the hotel, and this led to the hotel restaurant and meeting rooms.  On the other side of the check-in desk was the entrance to the courtyard.  I checked-in, received the keys for the 2 rooms I had booked, and proceeded to my rooms.  The rooms surrounded the courtyard and in the middle of the courtyard were gardens and a pool.  Next to the pool was the spa and fitness area. 

I had booked two rooms, each with two beds, and the rooms were laid out in a similar fashion.  As I said earlier, the rooms itself were not that great as they did not look updated nor were they very comfortable.    As you entered into the room, on the right hand side was the bathroom while on the left was the closet and storage area.  The bathrooms contained the standard facilities of a sink, tub, and toilet, and the bathroom was a decent size but looked older and needed to be updated.

Further ahead into the room, on right side were two double beds while on the left was a TV, a chest with drawers on it, and a desk.  The beds were not as comfortable as I expected, and the whole ambiance of the room did not feel updated, warm, nor welcoming.  The ambiance felt as if it was developed in the late 80’s/early 90’s and had not been updated since then.   The rooms were of decent size, not too big but not squeezed in either. 

The hotel is full-service so there are many facilities for the guest to enjoy.  There is a restaurant, a pool, spa, and complimentary wifi.  The restaurant was decent, a bit pricey, but provided a nice Moroccan experience with tajine food, a belly dancer and nice Moroccan music.  The spa was also a bit pricey and didn’t provide the greatest service.  It was decent, but not sure I would go out of my way for the spa.  The hotel also provided a bellmen and concierge services.  The bellmen were very good at hailing taxi and negotiating fare rates that were fair to both sides. 

In the end, the positives of the hotel included the nice exterior, the lovely landscape and gardens, the good customer service especially from the bellman, and the close proximity to the Square (was a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel to the Square).  The negatives include the high prices for the services plus the rooms which had not been updated.

Stay Report: Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa (Jordan - January 2012)

Stay Report: Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa
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I was travelling through Jordan and was going to stop at the Dead Sea.  There are many hotels in the area, but I am a Marriott Rewards member and had accrued enough points to have a couple of free nights and the Dead Sea Marriott Resort had availability so booked it.  Overall, the Resort is amazing and very was worth every relaxing moment.

The resort is located on the same street as many other resorts, such as the Movenpick, so the location is well-known.  The lobby is very large and open, with check-in desks on the left-hand side and a lounge/sitting area in the middle.  There are large windows straight ahead that provide spectacular views of the Dead Sea.  I checked in, received my key, and proceeded to my room.  The customer service at the hotel was very nice so check-in was quick.

The rooms at the resort are very open, spacious, and comfortable with EXTREMELY comfortable

beds.  As you enter, on the right-side are the closets with storage space as well as a safe. On left was the bathroom with standard facilities including a sink, a toilet, and bathtub as well as toiletries.  The bathroom was spacious and provided the facilities needed.  As you progressed further into the room, on the right-side of the wall was an open area to put your luggage followed by a chests with drawers on the bottom and the TV on top.  Next to the chest was the desk, which looked out onto the window.  Across the left-side wall were the two double beds and a nightstand in between.  The beds were very comfortable and relaxing, and they provided a really good night’s sleep.  The beds were not only nice feature of the room, as the room also had a balcony that faced the courtyard.  Standing outside, you could look over the resort and the many pools.

The Resort itself was a good size and had a variety of facilities available for the guests.  There were multiple pools – some for adults, some for kids, and some for families.  The pools are accessed either directly outside the lobby (on the second floor) or via the first floor with direct access to the restaurant.  The variety of pools meant that you always had access to the pools, and this was nice.  In addition to the pools, the resort also includes a really nice spa and some spa services are included in the room rate -- sauna, steam room, indoor pool, jacuzzi, and other such amenities.  Additional spa services can be booked and paid for separately – I tried the massage and it was very good, so well worth it. 

In addition to the multiple pools, the resort also had multiple restaurants to choose from.  On the first floor of the hotel, with direct access from the pool, was the hotel’s main restaurant which provided the morning breakfast buffet and nightly dinner specials.  In addition to these restaurant, in the pool area there were 2 additional restaurants – a sports bar restaurant with burgers and wings, slow service but good food; and a lounge by the pool, also very slow service but decent food.  

While the Resort provided some nice facilities, the main facility most guests came here for was the Dead Sea.  There is direct access from the hotel to the Dead Sea with a private beach and private entrance for their guests.  The private beach had access to the mud, which a lot of guests were applying to their bodies, as well as an area to go into the Dead Sea (beware of the salt, especially for cuts and bruises).

Overall, I was very impressed and enjoyed the Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa.  There were many positives including the spacious rooms, the good customer service, and the number of facilities provided to the guests.  The only negative was the slow service in the restaurant (we went to the same restaurant in the Marriott Amman and found the same slow service so that is something that should be addressed) but other than that, a great and relaxing stay at the Marriott!

Stay Report: Crowne Plaza Amman (Jordan - January 2012)

Stay Report: Crowne Plaza Amman
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photo courtesy of IHG

I was using Amman as a base while travelling through Jordan, so I was looking for a hotel that would be able to accommodate my travelling schedule, was close to sights and attractions, and also had access to transportation and services within walking distance.  Based on research, I choose the Crowne Plaza as it fit most of my criteria.  Overall, the hotel does not have the greatest curb appeal but inside the good customer service outweighs the outside appearance.  

The airport is located far away from the city center, so it takes approximately 45 minutes from the airport to the hotel.  Since I was arriving in the middle of the night, and given the distance from the airport and the hotel does not provide a shuttle, I had booked a car with the hotel for the pick-up.  When I exited the airport, there was no on there to pick us up as the hotel forgot to send someone.  This was not the greatest start to our visit, but this seemed to be the only lapse in customer service, and they tried to rectify the situation throughout the stay.  

The hotel faces the main street, but the entrance to the hotel is on the side street, connected to a mini shopping plaza on the first floor of the hotel which contains a barber shop and other small shops.  As you enter the hotel, there is a security check and scan (each time).  In the main part of the hotel, on the left is the check-in desk and straight ahead is the dining room where breakfast is served.  The hallway next to the check-in desk leads to the back of the hotel, and along the way you pass the elevators, a jewelry shop, and other small stores.  Towards the back of the hotel is another restaurant and the exit to the side of the hotel that is connected to the small shops.  As it was very early in the morning, and the hotel was overcompensating given the earlier mistake, check-in was quick and efficient.  I had booked a room on the Club Floor so included in the club floor was complimentary breakfast, tea/cocktail hour, as well as unlimited high speed internet.  

photo courtesy of IHG

The room itself was nice and comfortable, but a bit small.  As you entered the room, on the left side was the bathroom and the right hand side was the closet and storage area.  The bathroom was small, not as small as some European bathrooms but definitely smaller than American bathrooms.  The bathroom contained the standard facilities of a sink, a tub, and a toilet as well as bathroom amenities.  Beyond the bathroom were the two double beds with a night stand in the middle.  The beds were very comfortable to sleep on, but they were also very close to each other.   As the room was a smaller size, it seemed like everything was squeezed together.  Across from the beds were the TV, a chest with drawers, as well as a connected desk set against the wall.  From our side of the hotel, our view was of the parking lot, the main street, and the market across the street; on the other side the view would have been of the pool, health club, and neighborhood. 

photo courtesy of IHG

In terms of amenities, I tried the complimentary breakfast, the club floor lounge, the spa, and the fitness center.  As we had access to the Club Lounge, we could choose where to have breakfast; downstairs or in the Club Lounge.  On the first day, I ate in the club floor lounge, but the next day I decided to try downstairs where there were more options, more staff available, and more guests to interact with.  The breakfast was nice and very filling. 

The club floor lounge is located on the top floor and has some really nice views of the city from the top of the hotel.  The lounge itself looks a little dated, but is very spacious and can accommodate a large group.  Against the wall is a TV with couches in the middle, and behind this is a long table in which the food is set out.  For the tea/cocktail, in addition to drinks they also had hors-d'oeuvre available such as meat kabobs, mini sandwiches, and other small items to eat.  It was very comfortable to sit and relax as there were not many patrons when I was there.  

photo courtesy of IHG

The fitness center and sauna are located on the other side of the hotel across from the pool area.  The facility is two stories and it houses both the fitness center, which is decent, and many spa rooms.  The spa services were very nice and very affordable, and they provided a nice relaxing experience to the Crowne Plaza Amman.

Overall, it was a nice stay at the Crowne Plaza Amman.  Despite the initial issue with the hotel pick-up, the customer service at the hotel was very good (and the hotel continuously tried to compensate for their earlier mistake).  The positives included strong internet connectivity, comfortable beds, a good breakfast, and good customer service.  Negatives included the small size of the rooms.  While a bit outside the hotel district, the Crowne Plaza Amman is a good choice.

Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam, The Kiliminjaro (Tanzania - April 2018)

Stay Report: Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam
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I was going to be meeting a friend and staying in Dar Es Salaam for one day.  My friend was staying at the Hyatt Regency for work so I just stayed with them instead of booking my own place.  The hotel is located near the city center and was originally the Kempinski hotel before Hyatt took it over.  From the outside, it looks like a really nice and grand hotel, and the grandeur continues inside into the hotel.

From the outside, you enter the hotel’s parking lot and drive up to the hotel’s main entrance.  After you pass through the security, you enter into grand lobby that has lots of open space and lots of sitting areas.  The left side of the lobby contained the elevators, the check-in desks, another sitting area, and the entrance to one of the restaurants (where breakfast is served).  In the middle of the lobby is a sitting area and a walkway with water underneath which leads to the coffee shop.  To the right of the lobby is another restaurant as well as shops.  Also in the middle of the lobby is the staircase which leads to the second floor which contains the meeting rooms as well as entrance to the spa, fitness center, and pool.  My friend had left a key to the room at the check-in desk, so I went there to collect the key.  Even though I arrived in the morning, there was only one attendant behind the large check-in desks so it took some time for me to retrieve the key.  Once I had the key, I went to the elevators and went to the room.

The hotel is shaped in a block with the hallway down the middle and rooms on either side; one side of the hotel faces the parking lot and the ocean while the other side faces the city and neighborhoods.  The room that I had faced the parking lot and the ocean and generally was a nice room.  As you opened the door, on right was the bathroom while on the left was a luggage storage area next to closets.  The closet was open which meant that if you did unpack into the closet, everyone could see all your clothes.  One side of the closets contained a safe, a mini-fridge as well as a coffee maker.  The hotel also provided two complimentary bottles of water, which were placed next to the coffee maker.  Below the open-closets were drawers for additional storage space.   

The bathroom itself was quite large and contained a shower (behind one door), a toilet (behind a second door) and in the main bathroom a sink and a tub.  There were also nice bathroom toiletries provided in the storage next to the sink.  Next to the tub was a window with blinds that, if opened, opened directly into the room.  I am not sure what about Hyatt bathrooms, but none of them provide complete privacy – why would you want a window into the bathroom from the room?

Further into the room, on the right side was the bed while on the left side was a long shelf that ran across half the room and connected to the desk.  The desk was parallel to the wall so that it stuck out into the room and connected near the bed, which made it difficult for people to move across the room if you are using the desk.  The desk did have plugs and USB ports, which was a nice and welcomed gesture.  Mounted on the wall in the middle of the room was the TV and across from the TV was the bed.

This room had one queen bed and generally the bed was comfortable.  There was a nice duvet and the bed was comfortable enough for a good night’s sleep.  The only downside was that the bed was not as spacious if you are sharing it.  On both sides of the bed was a small night stand with plugs and light switches next to them, and in between the bed and the window was a couch.   Overall, the room was nice and had all the amenities needed; it wasn’t a spacious room but neither was it a tight room.

The hotel is a full-service hotel so there are many facilities for guests to enjoy.  These include a sauna, a fitness center, a spa, meeting rooms, a coffee shop, two restaurants, complimentary wifi, and complimentary bottles of water in the room.  As I was only at the hotel for a short period, I was not able to experience all the facilities.  I tried the coffee shop, one of the restaurants for breakfast, the wifi, and enjoyed the complimentary water.  The coffee shop was nice and relaxing and the service was very good; the wifi was decent speed and did not seem to limit devices, which is a good thing; the room included breakfast so went down to the restaurant, and the selection was decent but not as good as I would have thought coming from a Hyatt; and finally the complimentary bottles of water were a nice gesture.  I did know of people who tried the spa and they enjoyed the massages they received there.

 

Overall, the stay at the Hyatt Regency Dar Es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro was nice.  The hotel is a full-service hotel and has nice facilities.  The rooms are nice and a good size, the bathroom is also spacious and nice, and the beds provide a comfortable night’s sleep.  The hotel is also conveniently located within the city center and is a 10-15 minute walk to the ferry terminal. The only negatives were the following: 1) I asked for additional toiletries from the housekeeping and never received an update nor the toiletries (apparently the housekeeping service is not good at all); and 2) the window between the bathroom and the bedroom.

Stay Report: Courtyard Hong Kong (Hong Kong - June 2012)

Stay Report: Courtyard Hong Kong
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I was flying on Cathay Pacific and was stopping in Hong Kong, so I decided to extend my step and visit the city.  I had booked my stay through Cathay Pacific Holidays as they have some great deals on hotels and tours within Hong Kong.  In addition to the room, the packages for hotels include transportation to/from the airport as well as breakfast.  In looking through their list of hotels, I wanted something that was affordable and nice but also had access to transportation and services - I found all of that in the Courtyard Hong Kong.

The Courtyard Hong Kong is located on Hong Kong Island and is located near the business district and the wharf.  The hotel is walking distance to the trams that run across the island and is also walking distance to the metro station.  There are also many shops and restaurants close to the hotel.  Additionally, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to some of the business and shopping district (within a certain radius). 

photo courtesy of Marriott

The hotel itself looks modern and nice.  The entrance is located on the first floor, carved out of the building.  As you enter the lobby, on the left hand side is the small check-in desk while straight ahead is a column with the elevators.  The lobby is not that big, as the bottom floor is taking up mostly by the drive-up entrance and the tiny lobby.  There are some chairs to sit against the wall as you wait for your bus or transportation.   Check-in was efficient and I took the elevator up to my room.

My room was on a high floor, was comfortable, spacious, and had a nice view.  As you entered into the room, on the left hand side was the closet and storage space; this area also included a safe for your personal valuables.  On the right hand side was the bathroom, which was nicely decorated and was a good size (not too big but not compact).  The most interesting feature of the bathroom was the glass wall which faced out of the bathroom and into the bedroom and then into the window so you a nice view of the outside from the bathroom.  There were shades that came down in case you wanted privacy in the bathroom. 

photo courtesy of Marriott

Next to the bathroom was the king-size bed, which was comfortable and very spacious and provided a good night sleep.  On either side of the bed were nightstands.  Across from the bed was a TV with storage underneath and a desk that face towards the room.  Between the bed and the window was a chair to sit and enjoy the views from the window.   The window span across the wall and provided great views of the city down below as well as the river and the ships.  While this was a nice view, the hotel also provided black-out curtains to block out the su and noise to get a good sleep.  

I spent most of my time exploring the city so I did not get a chance to explore the hotel facilities such as the fitness center or the Café.  I did experience the wifi, which was free and a decent speed, and the complimentary breakfast.  The breakfast was in the restaurant on the 2^nd floor and it was buffet that had a nice spread that was extremely filling and delicious.  Local newspapers were also available to read. 

photo courtesy of Marriott 

Overall, the hotel provided a very nice room with modern amenities, a comfortable bed, convenient access, and an overall enjoyable stay.  What made the stay great was the customer service, as the hotel provided great overall service.  One example of the excellent service happened on the day of my departure – the bus was coming early to take me for my early flight, and this meant I would miss the complimentary breakfast.  The hotel offered to make me a breakfast/snack bag to take with me to the airport.  This was extremely thoughtful and provided the extra touch which made the stay even more pleasant.

Trip Report: Arik Air, Lagos to Calabar, Nigeria (April 2018)

Trip Report: Arik Air - Lagos to Calabar, Nigeria

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When traveling domestically in Nigeria, there are a couple of options to choose from.  Originally, Arik Air had been the leader but then over the years’ late departures, late arrivals, and cancelled flights brought their reputation down.  Meanwhile, other carriers such as AirPeace (check out that review here) came up and took Arik’s place.  Arik has recently refocused itself and started to become better so I wanted to give them a try when traveling domestically from Lagos to Calabar.

Booking a flight in Nigeria can either be done online, directly at the airport, or through ticketing agents.  I bought mine directly at the airport as it is easier regarding cash payments.  The service at the airport was extremely slow and inefficient, they did not seem in any hurry to issue the ticket.  Once the ticket was issued, they gave me a hand written receipt that included my reservation code and I received a text regarding my booking but no hard copy print out of my reservation.  Once I went home, I went online to Arik’s website to manage my booking and this is where I could see the booking but could not email the booking to myself; it was not a big deal but an unnecessary hassle.

My flight was scheduled to depart Lagos at 11:15a and arrive into Calabar at 12:45p.  The domestic terminal is divided with AirPeace on one side and Arik on the other so I went into the Arik side to check-in my bags.  The check-in counters were not busy so I went directly up to check-in my bags.  Recently, Arik acquired smaller aircraft to use on their domestic and regional services.  Maybe it was because a smaller aircraft was being used, or maybe they just wanted extra money, but Arik was being really strict about how much baggage to bring onboard and how much to check-in.  I normally travel with AirPeace, who have a fleet of bigger planes and do not worry as much, but this was my first time with Arik and they were very strict and it cost me a lot of excess baggage fees.

Boarding was supposed to commence at 10:30a, but that came and went with no announcement and no indication of boarding.  At 11am, they announced boarding for the flight.  There was no process for the boarding, passengers just came through and presented their boarding passes, went through security pat downs, and boarded the first bus/car/vehicle to take them to the airplane.  The operating aircraft was a Dash Q400 with a 2-2 seat configuration.  Once onboard, the aircraft looked clean and modern (although later one many cockroaches appeared from the bottom of the aircraft, so it wasn’t as clean as it looked).  Passengers boarded and took their seats, the boarding door was closed, manual safety demonstrations were conducted, and we taxied to the runway.  Our departure was a bit delayed because the flight attendant went by every passenger to ensure their phone was just in airplane mode, but was completely turned off; in fact, he stood there while you turned the phone off. 

The seat itself was comfortable and decent enough for the 1hr 15m flight.  The legroom was also good, not tight but definitely not substantial either.  The seat had a tray table in the middle, a pocket with the safety card on top, and another pocket for your personal items on the bottom.  In my previous domestic flights with other airlines, as soon as we passed 10,000 feet the flight attendants were up and started their inflight service.  Here, the inflight service began well into the flight even though it was the same service.  In all domestic flights, airlines pass out a snack box which contains juice, a muffin, a napkin, biscuits, and a mint.  As they are passing out the boxes, you are also offered a glass of water.  While it is not substantial, it is a nice gesture and the boxes are appreciated; however, the service was lacking as everything was conducted without smiling or being pleasant.  After the service was conducted and they came by to collect the trash, the rest of the flight was uneventful and we eventually started our descent into Calabar.  We landed and taxied to the stand behind schedule, but then again every domestic flight I have taken in Nigeria has not been on time.

Overall, it was an interesting experience with ArikAir.  I was expecting the worst, because that is what others had told me to expect.  The flight left generally on time and the overall experience was alright.  If I compare it to other domestic airlines, however, then Arik falls short.  The customer service was definitely lacking at Arik, they were very nitpicky regarding baggage and carryon, and overall their service was not as pleasant as other domestic options.  While generally they do offer more competitive rates on their tickets, it is not that much of a difference and thus not an incentive to choose them.  This coupled with their overall lack of service means that in the future I probably would not choose Arik for my domestic flight options.

Stay Report: Hyatt Casablanca (Morocco - December 2011)

Stay Report: Hyatt Casablanca
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I was visiting Morocco and when I was in Casablanca, I was looking for a hotel that was both central to many attractions as well as had easy access to various sights.  In my search, I came across the Hyatt Casablanca which is a nice full-scale hotel in the middle of Casablanca and close to many sites.  The hotel is situated in downtown Casablanca and right next to the main bazaar, so it was easy and convenient location.  Even if the cab driver was unfamiliar with the Hyatt (which was extremely rare), they all knew of the bazaar and it was a quick walk from the bazaar to the hotel.   The hotel entrance was on the main street, whereas the bazaar’s entrance was the side street. 

The hotel is very large and grandiose from the outside, but it looks a bit dated – it is not the most up-to-date hotel.   Upon entering the hotel, on the right is the taxi and car service stand while on the left is the check-in desks.  In the middle is a lounge area whose seats were very comfortable – and almost always full of people relaxing and having tea at the Hyatt.  We had tea there and the service is a bit slow, and the air a bit smoky, but it’s a nice place to relax and people watch.  The lounge chairs led into the restaurant area where a breakfast buffet was served each morning.  The breakfast buffet was not overly extensive but provided enough options for a good morning breakfast.  Right next to the check-in desk was an ATM and this was the only banking service provided in the hotel. 

Check-in was smooth and we received our key and straight passed the restaurant to the elevators to our room.  There are two sets of elevators on either side of the hotel and both lead to guest rooms.   One set of elevator is right next to the check-in desks, while the other set of elevators is on the other side of the lobby, next to the restaurant.   The set of elevators next to the lobby were usually busy so it was nice to have another set of elevators to have. 

Taking the elevators to the room, we entered a long hallway and made our way to the room.  I had booked two rooms each with two double beds.  When entering the room, on the right hand side was the closet while on the left hand side was the bathroom.   The closet was big and expansive and provided robes and a safe.  The bathroom on the other side was very big and expansive.  In addition to the standard amenities, the bathroom had a tub and a shower.  Beyond the bathroom were the two beds, which were very big and comfortable.  Across from the bed was a dresser with a TV on top of it, and next to that was a desk.  All of the furniture, both in the room and in the bathroom, was decorated in in a very museum or royal style with a lot of fancy treatments.  The main attraction of the room, in addition to the large size, was the window which faced the main street.  It was very nice to look out the window and see the city pass on buy.  The street was somewhat busy in the morning and evening but no noise was able to be heard in the room. 

The hotel is a full-service hotel so there were many facilities available for the guests.  These include a restaurant and lounge, where breakfast was served in the morning; an ATM machine within the hotel; an outdoor pool; a fitness center and spa; and complimentary wifi.  There was also a concierge available to assist with restaurant recommendations as well as connect with taxi drivers.  While all the facilities were generally good, the negative was that the hotel was not willing to negotiate with the taxi drivers.  Negotiation on prices is a common practice, especially in Morocco, and usually where this is a common practice other hotels have provide this service to their guests; this was not provided and it was not appreciated. 

Despite that, overall it was a nice stay in Casablanca.  Positives of the hotel include a nice, comfortable, and spacious room that is central in location and is well-known.  The facilities of the hotel, especially the breakfast buffet, were also nice.  Negatives of the hotel included the older façade and the lack of the concierge to negotiate with the taxis.   

Trip Report: RwandAir - Nairobi to Kigali (April 2018)

Trip Report: RwandAir - Nairobi to Kigali

         comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was flying from Nairobi to Kigali and on this route I could choose to fly with either Kenya Airways or RwandAir.  I was already flying on Kenya Airways on other sectors (check out the reviews here), and had heard a lot about RwandAir so wanted to try their product; so decided to book a flight with them.  On the route I was flying, there was no price difference between the two carriers so there was no real incentive to fly them other than time preferences and trying new airlines.  Booking the ticket was easy and quick on the RwandAir website, as it was very user friendly and efficient.  On the website, I was only able to book the flight and request a special meal, but I was not able to pre-select my seat.  I completed my booking and received the confirmation in email.

I wanted to confirm the special meal request as well as request a seat assignment, so I emailed the airline.  The airline got back to me a couple of days later and said that my meal request had been confirmed but that they could not confirm seat assignments until the day of the flight.  My flight departed Nairobi at 3:35p and was scheduled to arrive into Kigali at 4pm (the flight had originated from Entebbe and was stopping off in Nairobi before heading to Kigali).  The day before my flight, I was able to check-in online and during this process I was able to preselect my seat and receive my boarding pass.  On the day of my flight, I was stuck in Nairobi traffic so I reached out to the airline via social media to see what would happen if I missed my flight (as RwandAir has an afternoon and evening flight departure).  To this day I still have not received a response from them, but luckily I made it to the airport in time.  RwandAir provides two checked bags for free, but I only had one bag so check-in was very easy and efficient; my luggage was tagged and I received my boarding pass.

The operating aircraft for this flight was a CRJ aircraft, which generally are small and tiny.  The aircraft was parked on an aircraft stand so boarding passes were collected in the airport and then we walked to the aircraft.  The aircraft was laid out in a 2-2 seat layout and generally the seats were comfortable and the legroom was extremely good (I am tall and I had more than enough legroom).  Boarding a bit chaotic as there was no order to the process, with everyone trying to board at once and people having difficulty finding their seats.  The attendants on board were not particularly interested in helping any of the passengers nor in speeding up the boarding process.  Boarding finally completed, the door was closed, manual safety demonstrations were conducted, and we taxied to the runway.  This is another instance where the attendants were not really paying attention as the passenger sitting next to me did not understand the safety demonstrations, did not understand English, and was sitting without her seatbelt on.  I motioned twice for the flight attendants but they seemed least bothered.  It was only while doing their final safety checks did I repeat the information to the flight attendant and they finally paid attention. While the plane is taxing to the runway I was made to switch to a bulkhead seat – and even here most airlines make you put your hand-carry in the overhead compartment to keep the aisle clear.  On this flight, the attendants seemed least bothered.  After waiting for a while we finally took off for the 1hr 25m flight time.

Once we reached cruising altitude, the inflight service commenced.  The attendants came by with a drink cart and a meal cart.  Even though I had ordered a special meal and the special meal was delivered onboard, it was not marked for a particular seat assignment nor with my name.  Another passenger, who had not pre-ordered a special meal but requested one onboard was given my special meal.  When I asked for the meal, they said they only had one and it had been given away so the option was to give me the regular tray of the sides without the main meal; I passed on that option.  When the drink cart came, it was limited as it only had juice, water, and alcohol.  I asked for a soft drink and they said they did not have it nor could they get it for me so I ended just taking water.  In both the drink and meal service, the attendants attitude was a ‘take it or leave it’; they couldn’t care less. 

After the service concluded, there was not much to do for the remainder of the flight.  There were no PTV screens nor any inflight entertainment system.  The seats had compartment up top which held the airline magazine, the airsickness bag, as well as the duty free catalog.  There was also a tray table below and another holder beneath that to store other items.  There were no USB ports and I could not find any electrical outlets either.   We started our descent into Kigali and the attendants came by to do their last safety checks, and again they really did not pay attention to seatbacks being upright nor to ensure everyone had their seatbelts on.

We landed into Kigali generally on time and taxied to a stand (there are no airline bridges at Kigali International) and deplaned via the stairs.  The stairs on the plane are very narrow and can be slippery, especially when it is raining as it was in Nairobi, and because of that three passengers slipped and fell coming down the stairs.  For this reason, the airline made the passengers go down the stairs very slowly so deplaning took a while.  After deplaning we boarded the bus which took us to the arrivals hall.

 

Overall, I was disappointed with my RwandAir flight.  I was really looking forward to their flight, as I was told by others about their good service and I see how active they are on social media.  Despite my high expectations, everything the flight was a miss.  The customer service was lacking, the inflight service was poor, and the overall experience was lacking.  The only positives about the experience was the ease of booking the flight and the generous legroom.  Given this experience, I would not choose to fly RwandAir again.