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Chrisbeeoxford
Oxford, United Kingdom

Budget Experience in a Make-Do-and-Mend City.

Review of Pensao Martins
3.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 02 Feb 2015
This is a budget hotel in a Maputo city culture of make-do-and-mend. Luxury comes at a heavy price in Maputo (Polana, Blu, etc) and I risked a budget hotel. It served its purpose providing a reasonably comfortable bed with a private bathroom and air-conditioning. The cement round the basin had been redone unprofessionally and one wall plug hung out from the wall. The wall safe was closed and nobody knew how to get it open.The room was a little like a village hall with a very high ceiling that had two or three damp patch marks. The floor was hard wood patterned blocks. Cleanliness was good. There is a car compound offering vital security. Breakfast is taken in a building at the rear accessed externally. One discovers the excellent swimming pool in the process. The food choice is average. The biggest problem with the hotel is the manager. The staff are evidently frightened of him. I had e-mailed him for advise and assistance before arriving and got no answer, He was always "out". When my air-conditioning control needed new batteries it took four attempts to get him to take action as the receptionists had no power to help. He never spoke a word to me and glowered.
Date of stay: January 2015
Room Tip: Go for 102 to 108 or 202 to 208, Rear rooms away from the boiler.
Trip type: Travelled solo
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
3.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
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7 - 12 of 26 reviews
Reviewed 15 January 2015

Fairly expensive for what it is, could do with a good scrub and a fresh coat of paint paint. None the less there is a bed an A/C and relatively clean sheets and a marginally fresh towel. The breakfast is not really an option so don't count on it. Very average but not too bad if you need to stay over for the night.

Date of stay: January 2015
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Sleep Quality
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
Thank Turvey N
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 12 December 2014

I do not believe that this place is rateable.
It is common knowledge that Maputo, Mozambique is way over the top with their accommodation prices. However to charge for this place around R 1050.00 per night for a room, it is totally excessive for what you get. It appears that they rate themselves 3 stars ( Mozambican standard?)
We booked two rooms and only "triple" were available.
The place looks tatty, worn and old.
The shower has a plastic curtain which does not even enclose the whole shower and you land up with wet floors. The shower floor is very slippery and despite my informing the reception ( who hardly understood English) that the cold shower tap handle kept falling off and could thus only regulate the water flow with great difficulty, this remained unattended for the two nights we spent there.
The bed mattresses are OLD and very TIRED!
Can you believe it, they have very old crinkled wire coat hangers that you get from the local dry cleaners in the cupboard.
The breakfast was so bad that we skipped this the second morning. How do you serve the following and call this breakfast for the price they charge?
Raw cooked spaghetti!!! Some rolls and white bread. Processed cheese slices, some fruit, a cooked dubiously looking sausage, corn flakes, watered down fruit juice and a little bit of yoghurt with cheap tinned coffee.
The WIFI at R 70 for 2 hours was very expensive!

Room tip: Cannot rate this.
Date of stay: December 2014
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Value
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank sothtravel2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 2 August 2014

I had tried to get acommodation at a guesthouse nearby and I was recommended to Pensão Martins as they have new suites. The suite with the kitchenette was ideal for my long stay.

I agree with some other comments that the Pensão could be cleaner but at the end of the day remember that it is a Pensao in one of Africas most expensive cities so the single room for only $60 is pretty good value. Its also the only hotel I know of in Maputo that does triple rooms (about $100).

Breakfast could be improved.

Date of stay: June 2014
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Value
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank MOzwald
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 29 May 2014

I stayed here for one night on my way back last August. It is very simple, with clean rooms and bathrooms. There are lots of cafés, restaurants, bars and bakeries within walking distance. Excellent value in a city where hotel prices have gone through the roof.

Date of stay: August 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank bengtp2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 22 March 2014

Even the suites are dirty. Hair in the basin, Old, Old towels and sheets - look like they have been used for 10 years+ Pillow cases yellowed and thin. In the second stay, there was not even water - I had to shave using water from a bottle mineral water. Breakfast, is forgetable - instant coffee and some sad tired looking items spread haphazardly on a side table. The bananas ought to be safe bet but even those have their ends cut off to expose the fruit to the open. Reception staff are very friendly.

Date of stay: March 2014
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
1  Thank 0000eric0000
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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