External Review's Review of Umngazi Hotel And Spa

TRIPADVISOR - Carel_Bohmer - 11 May 2021 - - - Guest Name: Carel & Alta Bohmer - - - Refer to e-mail dated Mon 2021/05/10 15:49 addressed to Melissa Visagie: The example of our arrival has a similar trend. It needs to be taken into account that your guest may have travelled challenging roads and are severely fatigued on arrival. Security check in with Covid protocol is fine. On the way to reception a guest in a large Toyota Fortuner blocked the road. I had to get out of the car and guide my wife who was driving past the persons car. We park our car where directed to and are shown towards reception. At reception I am not offered a drink, nor a hot towel but rather the receptionist (Lindiwe) in a robotic nature asks me to complete a form. The form passes between me and Lindiwe five times as after each request to supply information – Lindiwe remembers that more information is required. The majority of the information requested has been supplied before to Umngazi in the booking process and in completing the Covid forms ahead of our arrival. The receptionist has no friendliness or efficiency and I am expected to recall the temperatures of all members in the party, as measured at the gate (the security guard had written it down – I never expected that I would have had to memorise it). I am reminded that I must pay the balance of my account at this stage. I pay reluctantly as my reception thus far gave me a poor confidence in the investment. A porter will take our luggage to chalet 5 – we are waived away by Lindiwe. There is a single porter with a steel trolley waiting at my car. At this time I am confronted about fishing lessons – to which I politely reply – that I do not think it is the appropriate time to discuss fishing. The porter takes two bags on his trolley and my wife, daughter and I carry the rest of the luggage to chalet 5. On the way to chalet 5 we pass Jakes (Manager on Duty) he greets us friendly “Welcome to Umngazi” – he does not help us carry our luggage. We follow the porter carrying our own luggage passing a number of other Umngazi staff members. Down the hill after the restaurant the porter drops both bags off his trolley, no apology offered having dropped the luggage. At chalet 5 there is someone else’s washing on the table outside the chalet. My wife looks for a hair dryer there is none. She goes to reception to report it and is told that there is no hair dryers currently available – as soon as other guests leave one will be made available to us. (https://tinyurl.com/ujuw7ufd)