Nightmare at Rhodes Manor, 1 Suther Close, Hout Bay

I booked this venue for a Memorial Service for my recently deceased husband. I also booked accommodation for myself, family and friends. On inspecting the venue prior to confirmation we noticed it was dirty and cluttered - full of old furniture, boxes, junk piled high. The owner, Suzie, explained that she was renovating a friends kitchen and using the venue as storage, but that all would be clear the following week when our Memorial would be held. I accepted her explanation in good faith and paid a hefty deposit although she had not invoiced me. I and 2 out-of-town friends arrived 3 days early so that we could relax together, I would take them sightseeing and we would prepare a presentation and music for the Memorial service.

On arrival we were horrified to find the place still cluttered to the rafters, old furniture, exercise bicycles, all kinds of junk thick with dust piled to the rafters. This was in the main venue as well as the adjoining entrance hall which we were also supposed to use. The passages leading to rooms we had rented were just as cluttered. A real Hoarders Paradise.

The owner Suzie was not concerned. It will be clean by Sunday she said on Thursday. Friday, nothing.... We started cleaning and moving furniture. On Saturday I hired a cleaning lady to come in and scrub grime and filth stuck to the walls and floors. My friends and I, instead of being able to relax and prepare for the Memorial, worked like dogs. The dust lay thick. Both my friends developed double-pneumonia and were unable to attend the Memorial while they lay sick in a nearby bed. I collapsed with Bronchitis the day after the Memorial. I never got around to doing the audio-visual presentation I had planned for my husband's memorial day.

On the day of the Memorial Suzie insisted I allow her staff to be present. I caught her staff member Amos brazenly lounging at the catering table drinking our guests' alcohol. He later confessed to eating our expensive catering as well. The Memorial was well supp**** with food and beverages however the morning after the service we could not find one single bottle of beverage anywhere. Suzie had removed everything and gave no comment when I asked where our left over beverages were.

In the early hours of the morning after the Memorial, I walked into the venue and 2 of Suzie's long-term tenants/friends, ****pered across the room as I unexpectedly switched on the light. They had no reason to be there. It was creepy, like insects scattering in the light.

One of the rooms allocated to my friends had the cupboards stuffed full of junk, the room having being ooccupied by Suzie's friends prior, and quickly cleared for our rental.

In the Pool Cottage which I shared with my friends, our sewerage was blocked, leaving the most disgusting smell wafting through the cottage and forcing us to use a bucket for flushing the 2nd loo.

Suzie remains unperturbed and actually charged me a Cleaning bill! She refuses to give any discount for our distressing, dirty and disgusing stay.

My advice is STAY AWAY from this dirty place with its creepy inhabitants. The owner comes across as friendly and caring but really doesnt give a damn. She is also quite crafty. When I said I would report her to Air B n B she quickly rep**** 'You cant, because you didnt book through them'. So, although I found her on Air B n B, she invited me to make a private booking - hence no report on Air B n B although I will definitely contact them and hopefully this place is removed from their platform.