Hotel Cardoso

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Av Martires de Moeda 707, Maputo, Mozambique

Amenities:

Air Conditioning, Airport Transportation, Bar/Lounge, Business Center, Concierge, Dry Cleaning, Family Rooms, Fishing, Fitness Center, Free Breakfast, Free High-Speed Internet, Free Parking, Golf Course, Internet, Laundry Service, Meeting Rooms, Non-Smoking, Parking, Restaurant, Room Service, Safety Deposit Boxes, Satellite TV, Shuttle Bus Service, Suites, Swimming Pool, Tennis Court, Tours, Wheelchair Access, Wifi

Price:

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REVIEWS

4.0 rating based on 2 ratings
2 Reviews

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Rating Summary

Location
4.5 rating based on 2 ratings
Service
4.5 rating based on 2 ratings
Sleep Quality
4.5 rating based on 2 ratings
Value
3.0 rating based on 2 ratings
Rooms
3.5 rating based on 2 ratings
Cleanliness
4.0 rating based on 2 ratings
  1. Expert Review

    4.0 rating based on 1 rating
    Jan 1970 · Kate Thomas

    Maputo is brimming with architectural gems, and the stunning, four-star Hotel Cardoso is among them. With every creature comfort imaginable,...

    Maputo is brimming with architectural gems, and the stunning, four-star Hotel Cardoso is among them. With every creature comfort imaginable, plus a sleek bar and gorgeous garden, this is undoubtedly our favorite place to stay in Maputo. The service is friendly, sleek, and ultra-efficient, while the rooms are lovely and steeped in history. There are also two fabulous places to eat within the grounds of the hotel. Plus, it’s located in a central spot, right opposite the quirky Museu da Historia Natural, with its playful garden and world famous collection.

    Set atop a high ridge and overlooking the downtown Baixa area, this hotel is shaped like a giant ship. From the beautiful back garden, you can sip sundowners, look out over the Indian Ocean and pretend you’re standing on the dock, watching an elegant, multi-tiered vessel slip out to sea. Prices start at $240 for standard doubles, rising for junior suites and presidential rooms. All rooms come with complimentary Wi-Fi access and guests receive a doggy bag containing, among other things, a nice Mozambican cookery book, and a USB key.

    The double rooms suited us just fine; they come with cotton linen, duvets to sink into, and spacious en-suite bathrooms. Opt for an ocean view room (they’re slightly pricier) and you’ll be able to watch the sun go down over the gardens and the sea from your private balcony. The junior suites come with romantic, Mozambican place names such as Baia de Sofala, while the two presidential rooms have three rooms filled with stylish sofas, inviting bathtubs and even an exercise bike; it’s no wonder that the Cardoso is a hit with couples beginning their honeymoon in Maputo.

    Downstairs, the excellent restaurant (also with sea views) specializes in Italian cuisine, while the bar has a great snack and light meals menu, including mezze plates, oriental noodle salads, and pastrami rye sandwiches. You can opt to eat in the hip, light-filled lounge, or jump online in the business center (where there are laptops available for guests to use). The pool is large enough for a work-out, and is available for non-guests for $20 a swim. Next door, Acacia Cafe (owned by the same management) serves coffee and cakes in a pretty, peaceful park setting.

    But the best thing about the Hotel Cardoso is not its greenery or its creature comforts, nor its sleek style, but its curious history; the elegant stairway is lined with prints of the Maputo of yesteryear, and rumor has it that the late female patron loved the hotel so much that she spent her very last hours in one of the rooms. But fear not, there’s nothing to stop you drifting off to sleep like a baby. This is a real Maputo gem.

  2. Expert Review

    4.0 rating based on 1 rating
    Sep 2013 · Sarah Duff

    Hotel Cardoso has a fascinating history that stretches back almost a century. Built in 1917, it was taken over in...

    Hotel Cardoso has a fascinating history that stretches back almost a century. Built in 1917, it was taken over in 1925 by an Italian couple, the Sorgentinis. When her husband died Mrs Sorgentini continued to run the hotel on her own, demolishing the original building in 1938 and constructing the beautiful Art Deco building that stands today. She stayed at the hotel throughout the war – setting up a feeding scheme – and died in the 1980s. Her ghost is said to roam one of the rooms. In the run-up to the 1994 elections the hotel was used at the headquarters of Renamo, and was damaged by a grenade.

    Now owned by the Lonrho Hotel Group, the 130-room Cardoso was completely renovated a few years ago and is one of the city’s most popular business hotels, with good service, free Wi-Fi and conference facilities. Set high up on a ridge in a quiet residential area of town, the Cardoso has some of Maputo’s best views out over the harbour and downtown (tip: request a sea view room).

    While rooms are modern and comfortable the décor is a bit bland – I found myself imagining the potential of incorporating elements of the Art Deco exterior into the prints and furniture. When I visited in September 2013 all the bathrooms were undergoing refurbishment, and a new top-floor gym was being built, which promises much better views than its current ground-floor location.

    The hotel’s Acacia Café, just across the road, is a peaceful spot for tea and homemade ice cream, while the on-site restaurant, Fiamma, has a panoramic vista, great breakfast and buffet-style lunch and dinner. The real treat, however, is the wonderful garden terrace around the pool with uninterrupted views over the city – a perfect place for outdoor business meetings on tables under palm trees, or, more languid lazing on loungers with cocktails watching the sun set.

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