Ciêla, Lusaka, a Tribute Portfolio Resort and Spa

I usually have a good time at the resort and stayed a couple of times. This time from the start, there were a few things: I had asked reception because we were going early, to have the breakfast boxes for the kids early to take at 5:30. When we got to the restaurant in the evening it took a while to be served. When we got the kids in the shower, there were no towels and when we phoned it took a while. We also phoned to ask for normal milk as my child can’t have creomora and they said they would bring but never did. Then our taxi driver let us down so I called reception to book an airport shuttle in the morning and she said she would call back but never did. Eventually after I called back, they got back to me with results. Didn’t tell me the price though. When we checked out at 5:30, they didn’t have the breakfast boxes. And told us our taxi was K400 per head! So all in all, wasn’t a great one.

As per my previous review: The most expensive place I booked during my three month trip and the most disappointing as a famous Northern English saying goes it was a bit of a case of "all fur coat and no knickers". It looked fancy, lovely looking buildings, amazing grounds, quiet location and not too far from the airport. The room service staff and food (when it was a complete order - see below) were good. The breakfast staff were also lovely and made a mean latte. However this is where the good ends, here are the long list of issues / cons first: - Only one person on reception during check in who kept answering calls during the whole process, told me nothing about the hotel / facilities / breakfast / WiFi / where to find the service directory. She was on the phone as she passed my room key card over and she barely looked up. - Breakfast hot food was cold. - The kettle handle in the first room was boiling hot and was nearly a very nasty accident. - Endless issues with WiFi and power. I had spent a lot of money on this hotel for reliable internet for work and it was atrocious - this is a capital city and I had no other problems with WiFi in Lusaka, Windhoek, Cape Town or Nairobi! - The safe in the first room was locked and closed. - The a/c was not very effective for a 4 star hotel that was this expensive. - When a neighbour checked in the room next door it was noisy so I guess the soundproofing wasn't great. - The shower in the first room had no mat and was very slippy, another near miss on the accident front. - Poor tea / coffee etc selection - The salad I ordered from room service on day 2 only had 50% of the ingredients - I had to move rooms due to the problems with the electrics and WiFi which was a total pain as I had a lot of work to do and didn't have time to pack and unpack, it took ages and endless calls and visits to get that offer and then the move wasn't quick or straightforward either. Then the lady who finally came with a key said oh you got an upgrade like they had done me a massive favour which really irritated me! - Telephone numbers for reception, room service etc on the list, phone and papers and given by reception didn't match up - Laundry lost my white vest - no big deal except for all the other issues and that I needed it to wear under my long sleeved and rather thin white shirt! All in all I don't think I'm normally a difficult , demanding or needy guest for example I never usually use housekeeping on short stays because I'm perfectly capable of making my own bed and don't need linens to be changed. I have worked and lived all over the world, travelled extensively and this hotel was absolutely not what I would expect from a 4 star city hotel and was ridiculously overpriced for what it was. I also stayed at the Taj Pamodzi on this trip to Zambia which was half the price and much better despite the slightly tired decor. Seemed to have a good range of facilities but I didn't really use any so can't comment.

Everything was just perfect ... the rooms are massive.. and the beds are very comfy. Bathroom is big aswell.. breakfast is awesome.

The members of staff are the most genuinely helpful and warm hearted I've ever come across in this industry so far... My many thankx go to Christabel, Silvia and Didi to mention but a few who all went all out to make sure our 5 days stay of training a memorable one.💞

An amazing property, well spread out and also superbly maintained. I really enjoyed the two days I spent there. The room had some issues with the bathroom door but otherwise it was quite perfect. The food was also very good and I had good options even though I am a vegetarian.

Ms T and I were in much need of a spa day,we booked in via phone and set out to the resort. We were received warmly and taken care of in record time. We enjoyed the steam,Vichy shower with a body scrub of choice and body butter that followed. The experience would have been greater with the traditional welcome spa drinks with a hot or cold towel and a farewell herbal tea and encouragement to relax post treatment in the wonderful space that is the spa. We had a late lunch at the restaurant and enjoyed our meals. Overall our experience was relaxing and we look forward to visiting again when we are back in Zambia.

1. It is unfortunate that the property did not acknowledge messages sent through ******* even though upon calling, they confirmed they not only had received but also action requests from those messages. An example is support pickup. 2. Despite confirming airport pickup by phone before travel, on arrival, there was no one waiting. Efforts to reach the property by phone upon arriving were unsuccessful (no one picked up) until we acquired a local simcard. Even then, there seems to have been poor coordination since the driver went to the domestic terminal despite having shared the flight number and airline. 3. Upon arriving at the property, the sense one got was over familiarity of staff, from reception to the spa, with guests of African descent. As a result, and based on sharing of experiences with other members of the wedding party of European descent, there was a clearly inferior service and experience. Even when we communicated dissatisfaction with service, or service failures, there was little effort to address the lapses. Most disappointing especially given that we had traveled for a beautiful event ie witnessing and celebrating the Union of a dear friend.

A beautiful property and close to the airport with a convenient shuttle. Book it ahead. Great pool. Dining options are good however many of the items on the menu are not available. The wine list is basic and their cellar air con was broken so it was warmer inside than out. All well intentioned and friendly service but training and execution are not quite where they could be.

The hotel is very green and full of fresh air. I was very happy I did not see anyone smoking around.