Beside Stillwater boutique hotel
TrustIndex
0
Ranking
#2
in Other
NPS Score
0
Recommended: Unlikely
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
<div>Terrible incident & ******** treatment received at Beside Still Waters Boutique Hotel, Glen Ashley, Durban from ++++++ who are unfit to be hotel hosts. I checked in around 6pm after driving from Joburg - 8 hour journey. There was no reception area/staff. The security guard gave me a form to sign with their Ts & Cs & gave me the keys. The form included a point about right to admission to the property which seemed standard to any property. That night I noticed the following issues but nowhere to report it immediately: 1. No TV satellite channels were working or not connecting to the aerial as stated on the TV 2. Badly stained bed spread, sheets and towels, cigarette hole in the bedding sheets 3. Window was a sliding door & burglar guard gate which had no key to lock it. It was left unlocked that night (security issue). I was on the ground floor & my unit was No. 1 situated in the parking lot! 4. Photos on booking.com for the luxury double room didn't match the actual room I got. All the room photos are in black & white but the configuration of the room it is different. I would never book a room that shows a tall fridge blocking the mounted TV 5. No telephone and hairdryer was present as stated on my booking confirmation 6. Continuously loosing wifi connection every few minutes 7. Broken toilet seat which can cause injury 8. No cellphone reception in my room at all 9. Next day, I wanted to use the pool but the pool cover was on for the whole day. 10. No reception area, you had to deal with the rude owner who lives on the property. 11. I got no sleep after a long journey as guests & staff were talking at my room constantly waking me up every hour. Upon letting the owner know about the room issues she insisted I describe it all to her & refused to come see the issues saying she is too busy & will send the manager. It seemed like she was used to these complaints & was very uninterested, defensive, accusatory & rude. When I told her about the noise at my window & how tired I was she said I need to understand this is a business & hotel which is obviously noisy all the time. She assumed I wanted another room & stated she absolutely can't give me another room as they are fully booked yet I didn't ask for that. Her attitude & body language showed how unwilling she was to rectify anything & total disregard for guests who need rest. When she heard that I was resting in the room & leaving at 13:30 she got angry again & said the rooms have to be serviced by 12 latest everyday. I never came across any accommodation who puts their rules over the comfort & rest of the guests! If I couldn't sleep with all that noise how could I have been out of the room before 12? They don't let you know the rules in advance so we can abide by them. This place is full of unforeseen rules and accusations! ++++ kept saying I booked through agoda which angered her even more. I got the impression from this incident & online reviews when you book via third parties you get this room that is in the parking lot with terrible issues as the rate is much cheaper than their normal rate of R1180 per night per person as emailed to me. I had to find the manager myself to report all these issues. As we started sorting things out, +++ came in & started causing a fight. She told the manager to leave as he has more important work in the restaurant, obviously the restaurant is their priority & not hotel guests. Ironically their restaurant is called 'Gatvol'! That is exactly how you feel when you stay at this place! When I showed her the stains on the bedding & towels, she said there is nothing she can do about that & accused me of having a visitor who stayed overnight & said we caused the stains. I have proof that's a lie. Lots of complaints online about their rules which is definitely true. They seem very paranoid. She accused me of bullying her & being abusive when all I wanted was for my room issues to be fixed so I can spend the 2nd night there in peace. She said online photos will not match the unit you get as they have many units meaning you can't trust what you see on booking.com as its misleading when you booking a specific room type. When I arrived I went into booking.com to that room type to view the photos again but the luxury double room type disappeared from the list of rooms even when I tried to reserve it 3 months in the future which is very odd. I could no longer see the luxury double room & photos! Yet the owner claims there are many units listed under the luxury double room. ++++ asked me to leave my unit unlocked when I wanted to go out yet all my belongings were in the room. When I refused saying that's a security issue she insisted she keep my keys while I go out. Very *****! Why would I do that after this outburst from her? She can't be trusted! When I refused she said she is evicting me & reserves the right of admission & pointed out the form I signed on check in. As a guest you have to keep your keys you were given if you are occupying the room. She was clearly the bully! ++++ first told me if I don't like the room I am welcome to leave & I said I didn't want to leave as I booked for 2 nights & paid in full. I told her & the manager if they don't want to fix any of the issues I will still stay the 2nd night. She then insisted I leave immediately. I told her I will not leave & if she insists she has to reimburse me the full amount for the 2nd night which I did not use. She refused & called a lady on the phone, +++++. I was only allowed to speak to ++++ on +++++'s phone while she was breathing down my neck & very intimidating. She refused to give me ++++'s number so I could sort out the refund. +++++ said I have to contact booking.com for ++++'s number or call booking.com to get a refund, both were impossible as +++++'s number is not on booking.com & there is no number listed to call booking.com! The owner sent me in circles with no solution & **** to get me to leave. I asked ++++ how much I will be reimbursed & when will I get the money back. ++++ was also very defensive, non-cooperative & rude. +++++ kept screaming at me to give back her phone preventing me from hearing what +++++ was explaining about refunds. The phone was yanked out of my hand. This behavior from a hotel owner?? Both of them had no regard for customer service or helping to sort out the situation & made things worse. Her behavior was totally uncalled for. They also expected me to wait for the manager indefinitely while my holiday time was being wasted. They say the manager has to be allocated to the complaints! What nonsense! The owner eventually gave me portion of the money owed to me & said I have get the rest back from Booking.com/agoda which was impossible & ++++ said they refuse to refund me the rest as they believed there was guest misconduct which there certainly was not! How can raising valid room issues be seen as guest misconduct? When I asked +++++ what was the misconduct specifically she never responded. +++++ called her security to force me out for no reason & didn't reimburse me in full. This is ******* and uncalled for! She had no grounds to do this! This incident wasted my time & money, ruined my holiday, caused emotional stress & finding another accommodation. I have never experienced such a bad incident at any other accommodation locally/internationally & I am a regular traveler. How is this property still operating? They also changed my booking on agoda without my consent. They make you sign a paper on arrival which is left with security so the owner doesn't get involved stating they reserve the right to admission into the property thus allowing them to kick you out at anytime. The reviews I have seen after my stay on booking.com, tripadvisor, hellopeter & google are also evidence from 3 years ago to date of people who experienced the same. Lots of complaints about her rude behavior, poorly maintained rooms & lack of care for the hotel section. The owner's responses to all the bad complaints online show her defensiveness, outrageous attitude, how unprofessional & aggressive she is towards guests & complaints. When you complain you get told to suck it up or get out so they can keep the non refundable money & save on expenses. Strangely, I am unable to post a review on booking.com. This is probably why they get away with these incidents. I did stay one night so I do have the right to post a review. See photos below</div>
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
<div>Terrible incident & ******** treatment received at Beside Still Waters Boutique Hotel, Glen Ashley, Durban from ++++++ who are unfit to be hotel hosts. I checked in around 6pm after driving from Joburg - 8 hour journey. There was no reception area/staff. The security guard gave me a form to sign with their Ts & Cs & gave me the keys. The form included a point about right to admission to the property which seemed standard to any property. That night I noticed the following issues but nowhere to report it immediately: 1. No TV satellite channels were working or not connecting to the aerial as stated on the TV 2. Badly stained bed spread, sheets and towels, cigarette hole in the bedding sheets 3. Window was a sliding door & burglar guard gate which had no key to lock it. It was left unlocked that night (security issue). I was on the ground floor & my unit was No. 1 situated in the parking lot! 4. Photos on booking.com for the luxury double room didn't match the actual room I got. All the room photos are in black & white but the configuration of the room it is different. I would never book a room that shows a tall fridge blocking the mounted TV 5. No telephone and hairdryer was present as stated on my booking confirmation 6. Continuously loosing wifi connection every few minutes 7. Broken toilet seat which can cause injury 8. No cellphone reception in my room at all 9. Next day, I wanted to use the pool but the pool cover was on for the whole day. 10. No reception area, you had to deal with the rude owner who lives on the property. 11. I got no sleep after a long journey as guests & staff were talking at my room constantly waking me up every hour. Upon letting the owner know about the room issues she insisted I describe it all to her & refused to come see the issues saying she is too busy & will send the manager. It seemed like she was used to these complaints & was very uninterested, defensive, accusatory & rude. When I told her about the noise at my window & how tired I was she said I need to understand this is a business & hotel which is obviously noisy all the time. She assumed I wanted another room & stated she absolutely can't give me another room as they are fully booked yet I didn't ask for that. Her attitude & body language showed how unwilling she was to rectify anything & total disregard for guests who need rest. When she heard that I was resting in the room & leaving at 13:30 she got angry again & said the rooms have to be serviced by 12 latest everyday. I never came across any accommodation who puts their rules over the comfort & rest of the guests! If I couldn't sleep with all that noise how could I have been out of the room before 12? They don't let you know the rules in advance so we can abide by them. This place is full of unforeseen rules and accusations! ++++ kept saying I booked through agoda which angered her even more. I got the impression from this incident & online reviews when you book via third parties you get this room that is in the parking lot with terrible issues as the rate is much cheaper than their normal rate of R1180 per night per person as emailed to me. I had to find the manager myself to report all these issues. As we started sorting things out, +++ came in & started causing a fight. She told the manager to leave as he has more important work in the restaurant, obviously the restaurant is their priority & not hotel guests. Ironically their restaurant is called 'Gatvol'! That is exactly how you feel when you stay at this place! When I showed her the stains on the bedding & towels, she said there is nothing she can do about that & accused me of having a visitor who stayed overnight & said we caused the stains. I have proof that's a lie. Lots of complaints online about their rules which is definitely true. They seem very paranoid. She accused me of bullying her & being abusive when all I wanted was for my room issues to be fixed so I can spend the 2nd night there in peace. She said online photos will not match the unit you get as they have many units meaning you can't trust what you see on booking.com as its misleading when you booking a specific room type. When I arrived I went into booking.com to that room type to view the photos again but the luxury double room type disappeared from the list of rooms even when I tried to reserve it 3 months in the future which is very odd. I could no longer see the luxury double room & photos! Yet the owner claims there are many units listed under the luxury double room. ++++ asked me to leave my unit unlocked when I wanted to go out yet all my belongings were in the room. When I refused saying that's a security issue she insisted she keep my keys while I go out. Very *****! Why would I do that after this outburst from her? She can't be trusted! When I refused she said she is evicting me & reserves the right of admission & pointed out the form I signed on check in. As a guest you have to keep your keys you were given if you are occupying the room. She was clearly the bully! ++++ first told me if I don't like the room I am welcome to leave & I said I didn't want to leave as I booked for 2 nights & paid in full. I told her & the manager if they don't want to fix any of the issues I will still stay the 2nd night. She then insisted I leave immediately. I told her I will not leave & if she insists she has to reimburse me the full amount for the 2nd night which I did not use. She refused & called a lady on the phone, +++++. I was only allowed to speak to ++++ on +++++'s phone while she was breathing down my neck & very intimidating. She refused to give me ++++'s number so I could sort out the refund. +++++ said I have to contact booking.com for ++++'s number or call booking.com to get a refund, both were impossible as +++++'s number is not on booking.com & there is no number listed to call booking.com! The owner sent me in circles with no solution & **** to get me to leave. I asked ++++ how much I will be reimbursed & when will I get the money back. ++++ was also very defensive, non-cooperative & rude. +++++ kept screaming at me to give back her phone preventing me from hearing what +++++ was explaining about refunds. The phone was yanked out of my hand. This behavior from a hotel owner?? Both of them had no regard for customer service or helping to sort out the situation & made things worse. Her behavior was totally uncalled for. They also expected me to wait for the manager indefinitely while my holiday time was being wasted. They say the manager has to be allocated to the complaints! What nonsense! The owner eventually gave me portion of the money owed to me & said I have get the rest back from Booking.com/agoda which was impossible & ++++ said they refuse to refund me the rest as they believed there was guest misconduct which there certainly was not! How can raising valid room issues be seen as guest misconduct? When I asked +++++ what was the misconduct specifically she never responded. +++++ called her security to force me out for no reason & didn't reimburse me in full. This is ******* and uncalled for! She had no grounds to do this! This incident wasted my time & money, ruined my holiday, caused emotional stress & finding another accommodation. I have never experienced such a bad incident at any other accommodation locally/internationally & I am a regular traveler. How is this property still operating? They also changed my booking on agoda without my consent. They make you sign a paper on arrival which is left with security so the owner doesn't get involved stating they reserve the right to admission into the property thus allowing them to kick you out at anytime. The reviews I have seen after my stay on booking.com, tripadvisor, hellopeter & google are also evidence from 3 years ago to date of people who experienced the same. Lots of complaints about her rude behavior, poorly maintained rooms & lack of care for the hotel section. The owner's responses to all the bad complaints online show her defensiveness, outrageous attitude, how unprofessional & aggressive she is towards guests & complaints. When you complain you get told to suck it up or get out so they can keep the non refundable money & save on expenses. Strangely, I am unable to post a review on booking.com. This is probably why they get away with these incidents. I did stay one night so I do have the right to post a review. See photos below</div>
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
<div>SO WE BOOKED THE HOTEL ONLINE AND CHECKED IN ON THE 1ST OF APRIL FRIDAY AND CHECKED OUT THE ON SUNDAY THEREAFTER WE WROTE THE REVIEW WHICH WAS HONEST, SO WE FORGOT SOME STUFF IN OUR ROOM AND THEN THE MANAGER EMAILED ME ABOUT THE STUFF I FORGOT, SO WHEN I SENT MY BROTHER TO FETCH MY THINGS THE MANAGER SWORE AT ME AND CURSED MY FAMILY AND MY NEXT GENERATIONS TO COME AND REFUSE TO GIVE MY STUFF BECAUSE WE WROTE AN HONEST AND FAIR REVIEW ABOUT OUR STAY WITH THEM WHERE AS THE SERVICE WAS OKAY BUT THE CONDITIONS WE GOT THE ROOM IN WAS NOT, I ARRANGED FOR MY BROTHER TO COLLECT THE STUFF IVE LEFT AS SINCE IM ON ANOTHER PROVINCE AND THE RESPONSE HE GETS THERE IS THAT HE CANT TAKE THE STUFF ONLY GOD KNOWS WHY, FIRSTLY ***** KEPT MY BROTHER WAITING ON THE RAIN, SECONDLY SHE SWORE AT ME AND INVOLVE MY KIDS.. FOR WHAT AN HONEST REVIEW? I REALLLY NEED MY STUFF AND APOLOGY FROM THE LADY BECAUSE SHE REALLY DISTURBED ME PSYCHOLOGICALLY BY SWEARING AND ALSO NOT GIVING MY BROTHER THE THINGS SHE EMAILED ME ABOUT!!! I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SHE SENDS MY STUFF VIA COURIER BECUASE I REALLY DID ATTEMPT TO COLLECT AND I ONLY GOT BAD ATTITUDE AND LEARNT HOW STUPID I AM FROM THE MANAER!</div>
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
<div>SO WE BOOKED THE HOTEL ONLINE AND CHECKED IN ON THE 1ST OF APRIL FRIDAY AND CHECKED OUT THE ON SUNDAY THEREAFTER WE WROTE THE REVIEW WHICH WAS HONEST, SO WE FORGOT SOME STUFF IN OUR ROOM AND THEN THE MANAGER EMAILED ME ABOUT THE STUFF I FORGOT, SO WHEN I SENT MY BROTHER TO FETCH MY THINGS THE MANAGER SWORE AT ME AND CURSED MY FAMILY AND MY NEXT GENERATIONS TO COME AND REFUSE TO GIVE MY STUFF BECAUSE WE WROTE AN HONEST AND FAIR REVIEW ABOUT OUR STAY WITH THEM WHERE AS THE SERVICE WAS OKAY BUT THE CONDITIONS WE GOT THE ROOM IN WAS NOT, I ARRANGED FOR MY BROTHER TO COLLECT THE STUFF IVE LEFT AS SINCE IM ON ANOTHER PROVINCE AND THE RESPONSE HE GETS THERE IS THAT HE CANT TAKE THE STUFF ONLY GOD KNOWS WHY, FIRSTLY ***** KEPT MY BROTHER WAITING ON THE RAIN, SECONDLY SHE SWORE AT ME AND INVOLVE MY KIDS.. FOR WHAT AN HONEST REVIEW? I REALLLY NEED MY STUFF AND APOLOGY FROM THE LADY BECAUSE SHE REALLY DISTURBED ME PSYCHOLOGICALLY BY SWEARING AND ALSO NOT GIVING MY BROTHER THE THINGS SHE EMAILED ME ABOUT!!! I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT SHE SENDS MY STUFF VIA COURIER BECUASE I REALLY DID ATTEMPT TO COLLECT AND I ONLY GOT BAD ATTITUDE AND LEARNT HOW STUPID I AM FROM THE MANAER!</div>
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Beside Still Waters, Candace and her "chucker" (what a joke) need to change the name of their "hotel" from boutique hotel to lousy hotel. Upon arrival the chef was manning the security post. Once Candace took the time to talk to us we could see that Candace is a bit of an uncooth fishwife. So we decided that we don't want to make a room booking, and elected to leave. But that's when they started to harass us as we're walking away to get to our car, walking and shouting after us as we are attempting to leave in peace. Then started acting as if they are now chucking us out and they don't want our business and we better leave or else. Candace kept coming closer and closer to my wife as she was waiting for me to pull my car out. The partner/chucker put his finger in my wife's face and intimidated her while I rushed to get the car to my wife. Once I got the car to my wife they started shouting profanities at us as we waited for their excuse for a "security" gate to be opened. Then tried to punch me through the car window as we managed to escape their property. Running after me into the street even as I tried to reverse and get my wife to safety. Slamming his hands on our car's bonnet. Clearly, it's a couple of low-life scum of the earth characters that run this hotel who have their friends write reviews for them on travel websites, they're a pair of unprofessional and backward characters, their facility is subpar. Even the area the hotel is in feels a bit scummy. But it fits the type who operate there. Unsuspecting travelers. stay away!
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Beside Still Waters, Candace and her "chucker" (what a joke) need to change the name of their "hotel" from boutique hotel to lousy hotel. Upon arrival the chef was manning the security post. Once Candace took the time to talk to us we could see that Candace is a bit of an uncooth fishwife. So we decided that we don't want to make a room booking, and elected to leave. But that's when they started to harass us as we're walking away to get to our car, walking and shouting after us as we are attempting to leave in peace. Then started acting as if they are now chucking us out and they don't want our business and we better leave or else. Candace kept coming closer and closer to my wife as she was waiting for me to pull my car out. The partner/chucker put his finger in my wife's face and intimidated her while I rushed to get the car to my wife. Once I got the car to my wife they started shouting profanities at us as we waited for their excuse for a "security" gate to be opened. Then tried to punch me through the car window as we managed to escape their property. Running after me into the street even as I tried to reverse and get my wife to safety. Slamming his hands on our car's bonnet. Clearly, it's a couple of low-life scum of the earth characters that run this hotel who have their friends write reviews for them on travel websites, they're a pair of unprofessional and backward characters, their facility is subpar. Even the area the hotel is in feels a bit scummy. But it fits the type who operate there. Unsuspecting travelers. stay away!
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I have booked the hotel over the internet on the 16 March 2021,on the internet the hotel was stated as the self catering hotel since we needed self catering we have taken it as all the facilities were listed like refrigerators and braai place, fortunately I have taken the screen shot of what the internet has given me, I paid R6017 straight to the hotel through booking. Com,. To my surprise when we reached the place there was no self catering but the hotel and we were bringing all our food because we were the team of colleagues. When we talked to the manager she gave us a bad attitude and we ended up booking another self catering hotel, after few days we have seen that they have updated their system and wrote non self catering for their hotel. All I need is my refund because they wrote a misleading information on their website because they want to scam people, I need my money back from that company before I contact my lawyers or exposeit to the media.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I have booked the hotel over the internet on the 16 March 2021,on the internet the hotel was stated as the self catering hotel since we needed self catering we have taken it as all the facilities were listed like refrigerators and braai place, fortunately I have taken the screen shot of what the internet has given me, I paid R6017 straight to the hotel through booking. Com,. To my surprise when we reached the place there was no self catering but the hotel and we were bringing all our food because we were the team of colleagues. When we talked to the manager she gave us a bad attitude and we ended up booking another self catering hotel, after few days we have seen that they have updated their system and wrote non self catering for their hotel. All I need is my refund because they wrote a misleading information on their website because they want to scam people, I need my money back from that company before I contact my lawyers or exposeit to the media.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Amidst a peak in COVID cases in the province, the place was filthy. Every surface was covered in dust. They did not change the bedding once in 6 nights. There were fleas in the beds. A footprint on the bedding. Sitting on the balcony one could also enjoy watching rats running about. They offer accommodation for a family of 4. It was tiny! Rather limit the number of guests per room than squash people in making it uncomfortable. What I particularly enjoyed was having a fridge in the room with 4 beds buzzing away at full volume all night. There are NO cooking facilities. We brought a weeks worth of meat with us and then found there was no where to cook it. A microwave. We were given 2 forks for 4 people to either eat steak with a s**** or had to play Pass the Fork. We had to request permission to braai on a daily basis. The last night they quite literally put us on the back of the property in an alley way. I managed to, cut my foot climbing to aforementioned spot. We were made to feel like criminals on a daily basis for requesting permission to prepare our food. We observe certain dietary laws which made it difficult for us to eat out daily, never mind expensive. They do not allow braaing as people get raucous? On the last night we found the restaurant fully lit and music blaring out the properties speakers. The swimming pool was green upon arrival but as the place started filling up an effort was made to actually clean it. If you are perhaps a business man passing through the area you might be able to make it work for you. But this place should not offer holiday accommodation for a family of 4 people. We decided to leave a day early as the beaches had just been closed and we chose to rather lose out on the near R2000 per night fee than suffer an entire day on that property. Not that a single member of staff bothered to ask why we were leaving.
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Amidst a peak in COVID cases in the province, the place was filthy. Every surface was covered in dust. They did not change the bedding once in 6 nights. There were fleas in the beds. A footprint on the bedding. Sitting on the balcony one could also enjoy watching rats running about. They offer accommodation for a family of 4. It was tiny! Rather limit the number of guests per room than squash people in making it uncomfortable. What I particularly enjoyed was having a fridge in the room with 4 beds buzzing away at full volume all night. There are NO cooking facilities. We brought a weeks worth of meat with us and then found there was no where to cook it. A microwave. We were given 2 forks for 4 people to either eat steak with a s**** or had to play Pass the Fork. We had to request permission to braai on a daily basis. The last night they quite literally put us on the back of the property in an alley way. I managed to, cut my foot climbing to aforementioned spot. We were made to feel like criminals on a daily basis for requesting permission to prepare our food. We observe certain dietary laws which made it difficult for us to eat out daily, never mind expensive. They do not allow braaing as people get raucous? On the last night we found the restaurant fully lit and music blaring out the properties speakers. The swimming pool was green upon arrival but as the place started filling up an effort was made to actually clean it. If you are perhaps a business man passing through the area you might be able to make it work for you. But this place should not offer holiday accommodation for a family of 4 people. We decided to leave a day early as the beaches had just been closed and we chose to rather lose out on the near R2000 per night fee than suffer an entire day on that property. Not that a single member of staff bothered to ask why we were leaving.
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