Total dump!

If you’re ever considering booking this place — DON’T!

This property is falling apart. It looks like an absolute dump, if you can even call it that. The pictures online and what you arrive to in reality are worlds apart. The only reason we ended up here was because one of my husband's friends had his wedding at this venue.

Upon arrival, we were absolutely shocked and horrified by the state of our room. Honestly, it felt like a ***** Pretoria CBD room — and frankly, I’m almost certain I would have been better off staying in one of those.

The room was filthy. The drinking glasses looked like they had been handled and used by a hundred people — dirty, sticky and reeking. The place was falling apart. No warm blankets in the middle of winter, it was freezing cold, one paper thin pillow per person, and there was barely enough space to move. No exaggeration — my husband and I couldn’t even get ready for the wedding in the same room. I had to go to another family member’s room just to do my makeup and get dressed.

The shower ceiling was covered in mould, there were cracks and water damage everywhere, dust thick on every surface, and even the room’s ceiling had mould. To top it off, there were empty perfume bottles and lip gloss from the previous guests still lying around — a clear indication that no one had even bothered to clean the room properly.

And it wasn’t just our room. Other family members staying at the lodge experienced the same nightmare. Some had no water at all, others only cold water. Toilets that wouldn’t flush. The wooden bridge leading to their rooms was outright dangerous — no safety rails, planks cracking underfoot, some even flying up as we walked over them.

At the wedding reception, the water issues continued. There was no water for ages. The toilets couldn’t flush, and no one could wash their hands. And don’t even get me started on the bathroom situation — the toilets are absurdly far from the reception area, down a steep, uneven embankment right next to the river. A serious hazard, especially at an event where people might be drinking and celebrating. The ladies' bathroom doors don’t close properly, the gaps between the door and the frame are so big you can literally see who’s sitting inside, and to make it worse — most of the doors don’t even lock.

Do yourself a favour and look for alternative accommodation. This is not a place you want to find yourself at, especially not at the rate of R2600 for a weekend (2 people, 2 nights). Complete rip-off for an absolutely appalling experience.

I am not leaving this with just a bad review, I have also reported them to the South African Tourism Board / Department of Tourism.