Maggots and ****roaches in our bed – abandoned by staff and management

We had one of the most disturbing accommodation experiences of our lives at Olifants River Lodge by Dream.

Our bed was infested with maggots, ****roaches, and bugs. This was not a minor issue — it made the room completely unsafe and uninhabitable.

We immediately called the emergency number provided on the flyer at check-in. That number went to security (Jeffrey), who told us he did not have keys to any other rooms and could not tell us where we would be sleeping that night, despite our bed being infested.

Jeffrey then gave us the numbers of the supposed managers: • Hennie Van Staden • Gregory Allan

Neither answered their phones.

Later, security Joseph came to inspect the room, asked us to send videos, and forwarded them to the resort work group. Someone in that group said they were “coming now”. We waited over 20 minutes in pouring rain. No one arrived.

Joseph then told us to call another person, Corel. Her response was shocking. She said: • “What should I do?” • “I’m at my house, I’m not walking in this rain, I’m going to get sick” • “What do you expect me to do?”

This was said while we had maggots and ****roaches in our bed and nowhere to sleep.

She eventually said the only other room available was a dirty, blocked-off room, that we could not stay in either, again of no help to the situation. Despite repeatedly explaining that the current room was infested and unsafe, we were refused any alternative accommodation whatsoever. This goes against the consumer protection acts.

At one point, security Joseph suggested we put blankets from the cupboard over the bed and sleep on top of them, despite the infestation.

To make matters worse, it was pouring rain, there was so electricity or backup power during this time, we were in the pitch black darkness, soaking wet from the rain with no towels in the room as we didn’t receive any towels, and the lodge is accessed by a 5km dirt road, making it unsafe to leave. We were effectively trapped overnight with no assistance.

This experience violates basic hygiene standards and multiple sections of the Consumer Protection Act. A 3-star lodge should never leave guests in this situation. This lodge should be shut down with this kind of violent to its clients, by law we are entitled to a hygienic and safe place to say. We paid for an accommodation and were left without a place to stay and stranded.

Avoid this place at all costs.