Ashnil Aruba Lodge

It is difficult to make a proper assessment because it is essential to know exactly where you are! I've read some terrible reviews and some wonderful ones, perhaps it's up to each of us to really understand where you are! In the middle of nowhere!! A village built in the middle of the savannah, with animals roaming 500 meters away from you... I give an average score because it's true of the insects you encounter in the resort, full of crickets even in the room, and the absurd heat because it's not there's air conditioning, and scorpions etc etc but it's also true that they built a resort in the middle of nowhere and overall it's a success. You are on safari, in rough conditions, where the jeeps transport you for 2 days between dirt roads and fantastic animals, so much so that you seem to be in the middle of a Quark documentary, and the resort is all this... simplicity, adventure, all in all also well cared. Hygiene, sleep quality, food is all brought back to where you are. Here the difference really makes the spirit with which one approaches this type of holiday. For me it is average, and if I were to go on a safari in the same park again (Tsavo) I would definitely come back here. I don't think there could be anything better in that specific situation... I could recommend a different attention and variety to the food but overall, considering the situation, I'd say it's ok. The starry sky you can see at night is fantastic, thanks to the low lighting in the area, it seems like you can touch the sky... bring a good camera, it's definitely worth it.

Tremendous. Nauseating. Nigh**arish. An invasion of black crickets everywhere. The mosquito nets can't protect you even inside the room where we killed not me or 100 crickets. Crickets everywhere in the dining room in the rooms. Worst stay of my lifetime. The only positive note are the monkeys that are everywhere.

Decent rooms, nothing more. Swimming pool full of leaves and in full sun, with no possibility of shelter. Copious but tasteless buffet meal. I asked for breakfast + a packed lunch for the next day and I got the same thing twice (chicken, chips, bread, yogurt, fruit, juice). Wifi only in the lounge/bar.

The lodge is located in a strategic position within the Tsavo East park but some things should improve. First of all the fans in the room which are not enough once the net around the bed is closed to avoid sleeping hugged by crickets. A shovel over the bed would be enough. Food eatable but not excellent. Very poor Wi-Fi connection but it is understandable given the area. The little monkeys around the lodge are very cute. The colorful lizards and birds are also beautiful. It's really a shame for the crickets and grasshoppers that dominate and annoy us.