Rodents in Rooms…

I had one of the worst accommodation experiences I’ve ever encountered. I stayed for three nights in late January while attending a wedding, with all pre-wedding events held at The Garden Venue. Although the booking was arranged and managed through the bride, I personally paid for my stay.

To begin with, the rooms have no air conditioning, which made getting ready in the summer heat extremely uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this was only the start of the issues.

I was initially placed in a room that smelled damp and was located opposite a noisy service area where staff were constantly moving furniture and setting up chairs. After requesting a change, we were moved to a room closer to reception—but this room was also unacceptable. The bathroom was dirty, the glass in the door was cracked and unclean, and overall hygiene standards were clearly lacking.

The worst part was discovering a rodent running through the thatch roof—twice. Debris from the roof was falling onto our bed and clothing. At that point, we refused to stay any longer. Although we were offered accommodation at a sister hotel, we had completely lost trust in the management and decided to find alternative lodging ourselves, despite it being late (around 10pm) and after an exhausting day as we had taken an early flight to attend the wedding festivities. We later learned that other guests also experienced serious issues—some had no hot water, and we overheard complaints about dirty linen. Clearly, this was not an isolated incident.

Despite paying over R5000, the standard of accommodation and service was unacceptable. The venue appears to focus on its gardens, but neglects basic hospitality standards, cleanliness, and guest comfort. It’s deeply disappointing that management has refused to take responsibility or offer refunds. This matter has been escalated to the ombudsman, and I will also be reporting it to the Department of Health with proof, as no guest should have to endure such conditions.