Ciêla, Lusaka, a Tribute Portfolio Resort and Spa

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.

Ioved my experience at Ciela Resort and Spa. The food was excellent and the staff were very professional. Particularly David Jere, he made the experience worthwhile. I am definitely coming back again! Viva CIELA!

The food too a bit long to come from main restaurant, other than that all was very good.

Nice grounds and premises, however, had a horrible check in experience. Were placed in a room opposite the house keeping services which woke us up late at night and also 7am in the morning with cackling staff who did not respect guests.. they subsequently moved us to another room and the shower leaked into the corridor and got clothes and shoes wet. Needs some attention...

Outstanding stay, everything was perfect for us from check in to check out. The drive up to the property is very tranquil and you almost forget that you are in the wonderful bustling city of Lusaka. We stayed for three nights and our stay was exceptional. With CIELA You are spoilt for choice with breakfast options. We opted to try room service on our last night and that was great. I loved my dessert, mains not so much. The hotel is stunning and thoughtfully designed. The rooms are clean and well maintained, with very comfortable beds, we had a lovely view of the grounds and the swimming pool out of our room and our space felt massive and had an airy feel. The surroundings are green, serene and beautiful with an amazing 18 hole golf course, as well as a spa, and a convention center all within a walking distance. Worth a stay when you arrive in Lusaka CIELA is very conveniently located close to the airport.