‘I’d Go Back In A Heartbeat’!


As you know we love good reviews. This one was short and sweet, as too was the stay of the Guests who wrote it! I loved the end ‘I’d go back in a heartbeat’. How cute is that!

“We stayed at Chanters Lodge for one night after our overland camping trip. From the moment Richard picked us up in his air conditioned car (nice change after two weeks of hot camping) until the time we left, the experience was perfect. The rooms were clean and comfortable. Food was excellent. Service was great. Richard drove us around and arranged everything. Location was perfect. I’d go back in a heartbeat.”

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Wonderful Review!

We get very excited with good reviews on TripAdvisor and here’s one of the latest!

We loved staying at Chanters! Richard personally picked us up from the airport (and waited around for us while we withdrew the wrong amounts of local currency and tried to change it into US dollars!) which was very kind. On our first evening of staying at the lodge, he asked us if we would like to appear on his local radio show, Zambezi FM! We were surprised but of course flattered!

Our room was spacious and cool, which was exactly what we needed. We didn’t worry about leaving our belongings lying around, nor did we fret about breaking any rules as Richard told us there were no rules, just to make ourselves at home! Every member of staff was so welcoming and hospitable, they just couldn’t do enough for you! We began our holiday at Chanters and didn’t want to move on. I’d certainly recommend it to anyone I know and I hope that at some time in the not-too-distant future, I’ll have the pleasure of returning.

There’s a nice photo of the girls in the 107.7 fm Zambezi Radio studio as well!

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TNooz


Anything to do with TripAdvisor automatically catches my attention seeing that so many Guests find us through that site. This piece from Kevin May’s brilliant TNooz is worth reproducing.

“The annual interview with TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer at the PhoCusWright conference touched briefly on the various elephants in the room. First up was Facebook – the ubiquitous social network which TripAdvisor integrated with in June 2010 to create its Trip Friends tool.

But despite such collaborative efforts, Facebook is launching new features at an astonishing pace, including Facebook Places, Facebook Deals, Facebook Questions and the new messaging service, all within the space of the past six months, raising questions as to where it might head next.

Some kind of stronger presence or tools in travel? Open reviewing systems? Kaufer thinks for a moment, then says slowly: “We are not PARTICULARLY worried about Facebook.” It sounds like a very careful response.

But on Google, the other elephant stomping loudly around the fringes of the industry, Kaufer is far more direct. Google, he says, has the power to completely alter the marketplace and its recent moves should be monitored closely. Now, TripAdvisor (along with its parent company Expedia) is a member of the FairSearch coalition against the acquisition of ITA Software by Google.

But, as one delegate mutters: “There was a site about eight years ago which completely altered the hotel marketplace – but I guess that kind of disruption is okay?”

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Great Review

Wow! This was the first review of Chanters Lodge to appear on TripAdvisor after our return from annual leave last weekend. What a wonderful welcome to go with that afforded to us at Livingstone Airport from family and friends! Our ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ is in bloom too (see the picture above) but the really hot September weather is making the garden look a bit wilted. I wonder if we’ll have early rain after this early heat?

“We arrived at Chanters after losing a day travelling after a disrupted flight from Australia. With (much appreciated) assistance from Richard and Anastacia rearranging our Livingstone activities, we were immediately able to relax and settle into what turned out to be a most wonderful holiday.

The rooms are spacious, clean and comfortable. The restaurant has an indoor/outdoor aspect by the garden for ambience. The hotel is safe. The staff are friendly. It has a nice local feel. It is easy to access other Livingstone attractions/activities. Total thumbs up from me.

Richard knows the area, what is good to do and listens to what you want to do. He has a knack of giving just the right amount of advice and direction as you individually need. Thus making your stay in Livingstone as easy, comfortable, and as customised as you want it.

This is my second stay and I would stay again.”

Thanks! You’d be most welcome!

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We Are Of The Delicious And Friendly People!


We loved this review on TripAdvisor from an Italian couple living in Naples (check the photo).

“Pleasant and comfortable Lodge, situated next to Livingstone center, to alone 6 minutes drive from the Victoria Falls. Richard and all staff are of the delicious and friendly people. The evening we have always dined to the lodge, eating very well. We have organized two excursions with Richard, all perfect. We recommend this Lodge to whoever. “

Thanks!

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The Chanters Lodge Experience


It could be a title of a Guest review couldn’t it? In fact it’s the name of a weekly radio show, sponsored by Chanters Lodge on Zambezi Radio 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The full title of the show is ‘The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George Soulchild’. George and Milli Jam, famous local DJ’s, are pictured above. The show goes out live at 20.30 hours every Sunday.

The radio programme is essentially musical, featuring old pop, new pop and Zambian music. Richard Chanter, owner and manager of Chanters Lodge also features weekly on the show. A Guest from the lodge is usually invited to talk about their experiences in Zambia and at the lodge, and the music and chat are intertwined in an exciting and interesting way. Local personalities also feature on the show from time to time, and several members of staff at the lodge have guested on the show.

Last week our Guest was a retired professor of history from Australia who was interesting and entertaining. The music was good. The show featured two Zambian tracks – Exile with ‘Nganalikwe ba le’ (‘If I Had Told You’) and Afunika with ‘Darling’. (George might write more for the blog about these artists and tracks later in the week, time permitting). The show opened with ‘Candy’ by Aggro Santos ft Kimberley Wyatt. The new UK number one ‘Beautiful Monster’ by Ne-Yo featured, as well as Mary J Blige’s ‘Each Tear’. Leona Lewis’s ‘Bleeding Love’ took people back a couple of years while Professor Green’s ‘Just Be Good’ and Usher’s ‘DJ Got Us Falling In Love’ are smack up to date. The show closed with Treysongz ‘Already Taken’.

The lodge gives away a dinner for two with drinks every week. This week the prize was given to the first person to text Richard the Guest’s nationality and as usual there was a good response, showing that after more than a two year run, the show has lost none of its popularity with the local population. Zambezi 107.7 fm has a range of about 65 kms, touching as far as Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Kasane in Botswana.

Our Guest praised the staff at the lodge on air, which was good news, and the radio show has proved excellent for staff morale. We often wonder what the Chanters Girls get up to while they’re listening to the programme at the lodge! Dancing? We guess so! The staff love to hear their names mentioned weekly and feel proud that the lodge is recognised on radio.

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Chanters Lodge


This was lovely from the Gregersenblog the other day. Thanks guys!

Chanter’s Lodge
Chanter’s Lodge in Livingstone was our favorite place to relax and get refreshed. The food is fantastic and the rooms are great, but the best feature of Chanter’s Lodge is the owner Richard Chanter. He became a dear friend and helped us many times with trips to the airport, parking for our vehicle when we were out of the country, and assisting countless Namwianga guests during their sightseeing stays in Livingstone. We spent our last night in Zambia at Chanter’s Lodge.

Richard was recently interviewed and featured on Ben Reed’s travel blog. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know him through this article.

Richard is on Twitter and finds great information and quotes about Africa that we appreciate. Today’s gem is a quote: “If you only visit two continents in your lifetime – visit Africa – twice” (R. Elliot)

Chanter’s Lodge in Livingstone was our favorite place to relax and get refreshed. The food is fantastic and the rooms are great, but the best feature of Chanter’s Lodge is the owner Richard Chanter. He became a dear friend and helped us many times with trips to the airport, parking for our vehicle when we were out of the country, and assisting countless Namwianga guests during their sightseeing stays in Livingstone. We spent our last night in Zambia at Chanter’s Lodge.

Richard was recently interviewed and featured on Ben Reed‘s travel blog. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know him through this article.

Richard is on Twitter and finds great information and quotes about Africa that we appreciate. Today’s gem is a quote: “If you only visit two continents in your lifetime – visit Africa – twice” (R. Elliot)

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The Ben Reed Interview (3)


This is the last part of the feature kindly written by Ben Reed on Adventures With Ben about Chanters Lodge. Thanks Ben!

“Sunday evenings from 800-900 P.M. are dedicated to The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient Featuring George Soulchild. on 107.7 FM. It’s an outlet for him to live his dream of becoming a DJ, promote Chanters Lodge and have a little fun. On the evening he invited me as a guest, Richard gave away dinner for 2 at the lodge to local listeners. Contest applicants had to text their guess to that evening’s question to win. What was the question? What country was tonight’s guest from? I think my accent gave it away.

In an instant, Richard’s phone was buzzing with responses and well-deserved accolades on his return to radio after a brief hiatus. He’s popular among the radio station staff and the local community. A dinner for two at the lodge is a special treat for many:

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Sunny Days

Having been thoroughly pissed off for about three days for reasons I’d rather not go into, this cheered me up a lot this morning on TripAdvisor:

“My friend and I stayed here two years ago but I still feel compelled to write a review today because our stay was THAT GREAT! I would give this place 10 stars if I could. Richard Chanter is the heart & soul of the property and he made our stay very memorable and easy. During our 3-day stay, he helped us arrange microlight flights over the falls (DO IT! BEST THING EVER!) and a day safari to Chobe. Both experiences were fantastic and at prices equal to or better than we found when we shopped around. Richard also gave us good advice on what taxi rates should be (this was actually very helpful as about a third of the drivers we encountered tried to rip us off) and where to buy the best souvenirs at fair prices. He also gave us a lift to the airport to catch our flight.

Richard really goes above and beyond to make sure you’re happy. When I entered Zambia, my blackberry stopped working (even though it worked fine all over South Africa and Botswana). My boyfriend at home got nervous as I was suddenly out of touch and emailed Richard to check on us. Richard was very amused and told him we were fine, and then even let me use his own personal laptop to confirm to the BF that I was alive! 😉

Now about the property. The room itself was spacious with two double beds with mosquito nets, TV and plenty of hanging space, drawers and desks to put things (and hang things out to dry after they get soaked at the falls!) It’s nothing fancy but furnishings are perfectly functional and clean. The garden and courtyard area is very lush and green with different seating areas and a nice pool. The property is in a good location a short walk from town and a short taxi ride to the falls. Richard was very helpful in giving us directions or calling a taxi.

I was also pleasantly surprised at the restaurant, which was quite good! We ended up eating there every day. Try the Zambezi bream – it was my favorite. My friend was RAVING about the jam they have for breakfast – locally made in Zambia – and Richard offered her a jar on the house! He really is just so nice.

STAY HERE!!! You definitely won’t regret it.”

Thanks Girls!

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TripAdvisor


TripAdvisor is once again stirring up controversy! Check this from Jonathan Brown in the Independent

“They are the grubby prison cells away from home, the matchbox-size rooms with the peeling wallpaper and foetid sheets – at least according to the on-line reviews. But how bad are they really?

The hotel industry is growing increasingly concerned at the power wielded by internet sites such as TripAdvisor, on which often excoriating – yet anonymous – notices are posted that can destroy an establishment’s reputation. It comes after hoteliers reacted with fury, claiming their businesses were damaged, after being included in a list of the 10 “Dirtiest Hotels” in the UK, released to publicise the site.

Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, said hotels across Europe were seeking to persuade the EU Commission to overhaul the rules governing website reviews to ensure that they have been posted by genuine guests and not by rivals or people simply out to cause mischief. The issue surfaced during the most recent meeting of hotel chiefs in Barcelona, when industry leaders called for the rest of Europe to adopt the same standards of authentification that are already in operation in Germany.

Mr Cotton said: “Websites have a responsibility that the person has actually stayed at the hotel or dined at the restaurant. I have been having discussions in Brussels on behalf of the industry so that some sort of common sense should prevail, as it does on sites such as eBay.” He added: “You can’t ban these on-line comments – that is like de-inventing the atomic bomb – and I am in favour of all these methods of modern communication. But we need a fair crack of the whip.”

Mr Cotton said that he was aware of cases where owners had “smelt a rat”. He said: “It might be that someone has picked up some business from a competitor and the competitor wasn’t very happy and they put a whole series of comments saying how bad the visit was by the people who stayed at the hotel. It can really affect a business.”

Perhaps worst hit by the on-line review phenomenon recently was the two-star Grosvenor Hotel in Blackpool’s Albert Road, which was last week named and shamed in the Trip Advisor survey as Britain’s dirtiest establishment. Its owner, Chirag Khajuria, who has had 3,000 guests since taking over the running of the seaside hotel six months ago – garnering just 35 poor reviews – criticised the methodology. “It all seems very biased in favour of the bad reports, when some of our guests have said they would be back again to stay,” he said. Even when the Daily Mail went to poke fun at the hotel it concluded that the £26-a- night room was “no worse – and, in some cases, better – than many other hotels in Britain”.

At least one of the hotels named on the list when approached by The Independent said it was considering legal action against TripAdvisor, claiming the comments were based on out-dated observations made before a major refurbishment. Another London hotelier included on the list, who asked not to be identified, said he had received cancellations since being named.

TripAdvisor said its Dirtiest Hotels list was based on a “proprietary algorithm” which included factors other than the anonymous reviews. In a statement, it said it used “automated tools” to detect fraud, as a well as a team of moderators.”

The picture – Cape Maclear on Lake Malawi – an amazingly beautiful place! Thanks to Go2Africa

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