AA Lodge Amboseli

Unbelievably bad! The lights were broken, the bed frame was crooked, and a piece of window glass was missing—I could tolerate the hardware issues. What was outrageous was the service: my Ctrip booking clearly stated a 2 PM checkout time, but the front desk insisted it was 10 AM, despite multiple attempts by Ctrip customer service to coordinate with the hotel. Even more outrageous: 1. They harassed me at my table during dinner, demanding I check out by 10 AM the next day; 2. At 11:01 PM, a male staff member knocked on my door, and after I didn't answer, he kept calling "hello, hello" for 10 minutes; 3. At 7:19 AM the next morning, when I went out for my safari, the front desk stopped me and demanded my room key to prevent me from not checking out by 10 AM. After talking to a friend in the local tourism industry, I learned this hotel is beyond saving. They said several Chinese managers couldn't manage it, and it's been left in a state of disrepair. Therefore, reputable tour groups avoid this hotel, and independent travelers should definitely avoid it!

This hotel is absolutely outrageous; I've never stayed in such a frustrating hotel before. First, the hotel booking stated that check-out was available until 2 PM. However, upon arrival, the front desk insisted on check-out by 10 PM, with an extremely rude attitude and no room for negotiation. I complained to Ctrip customer service, but the hotel still refused to acknowledge the 2 PM check-out time stated on the booking. Multiple attempts to communicate were unsuccessful, leaving me with no choice but to check out a little after 10 PM. Second, the booking stated that three meals were included. We arrived at the hotel at 5:30 PM. When we inquired about lunch the next day, the front desk said no, only a lunch box. After further attempts, I complained to Ctrip. After several rounds of communication, they finally agreed to let us have lunch. Third, around 11 PM, after we had already turned off the lights and gone to sleep, a man suddenly knocked on the door, asking for room service. Good heavens! We hadn't requested any service from the hotel, and they knocked on our door after we had already turned off the lights and gone to sleep—it was truly terrifying in the middle of the night. Fourth, as we were packing our luggage to check out and walking down the hotel corridor, a female staff member approached us and took our room key directly from our hands without asking any questions. We were shocked. It was incredibly rude. I won't even mention the outdated hotel facilities. In short, please avoid this hotel. Many tour groups book this hotel. If you see other tour groups also booking this hotel, remember to ask them to change hotels. It's truly outrageous.

The Ctrip homepage indicated free cancellations before 11:59 PM that evening. Upon check-in, I discovered the facilities were extremely dated, smelled strongly of paint, and the food was subpar. I tried to cancel my second night's room, but the Ctrip page showed it was available for cancellation and modification, but the hotel denied my request, saying it was non-refundable. Why would they allow cancellations and modifications if they can't? This is misleading. I've appealed to the Ctrip complaint manager for a refund but to no avail, and have decided to file a complaint with the relevant authorities. Furthermore, the same price is completely different from what you'd find at Lake Naivasha. The female receptionist's expression betrayed disdain. If you're traveling independently, there's no need to book this hotel; there are many more options in town. Furthermore, once you're staying at the park entrance, getting a taxi to town is impossible, and asking for help is a drastic price hike.

Hotels in Amboseli are probably average, and each hotel has few rooms, so it is very difficult to book. The hotel is in a good location, close to Amboseli National Park. The lodge I booked feels better than a tent. The facilities are relatively old, and the sanitary environment is also average, but the service is still OK.