Dead Valley Lodge

It feels like an oasis in the desert. The rooms have a tent feel, but they're solid brick, with powerful coolers that take the edge off the heat. Mine was spacious, with a roomy bathroom, good privacy facing the dunes, and a nice coffee tray and kettle. Service was excellent, with friendly, articulate and efficient staff. The kitchen was first class too, with generous portions and lots of variety.

The setting is excellent for visiting the dunes, and we enjoyed both sunrise and sunset. The facility is nicely designed, with a large room and air conditioning that worked well. But the service needs improvement. We arrived at 15:15 and got a very arrogant reception. They said it was too late to get anything to eat, even though lunch was included in our package. There was nowhere nearby to find food, so we had expected at least a snack. The lodge later offered a lunch box for the next day as compensation, but a luxury lodge can do better. The shower room was dark and smelled bad, and the towels were poor quality. When we left, nobody from the lodge even said goodbye. We felt completely neglected.

The scenery is beautiful and the facilities are acceptable, but the service fell short. At check-in nobody greeted us right away, and we had to wait for help. The buffet was limited and ordinary for the price. It also felt unprofessional to see staff taking food from the same buffet while guests were eating. Getting luggage between the rooms and the main lobby was frustrating. The path is sandy and difficult to navigate with bags. Golf carts are available, but after we called reception at checkout, we waited over ten minutes for one. We had to call a second time before it arrived. The location is lovely, though the service needs work.

We stayed two nights, which worked well for morning excursions and afternoons by the pool. Sossuvlei and Deadvlei are about an hour away, making this one of the closest places to stay. The hotel design is striking, and the spacious private tent rooms have good air conditioning. It was 35-42c in December, but the pool and shaded loungers made the heat manageable. Dinner was tasty, with a braai one night and a buffet with plenty of choices the next. The chef is brilliant, full of energy, and sings too. A few things could be better for the price and luxury feel. Management didn't greet us on arrival or during the stay, and service was below standard: staff often didn't greet us in shared areas, look up from their phones, replace pool towels, or show much attentiveness. After a five-hour morning excursion, a little water or a cold towel on return would have been a nice touch. We got that sort of welcome at check-in, but it would help after the dunes too. Bottled water should be complimentary by the tea and coffee station. The tents could also use glass walls so guests can see the desert all the time. At present, the outer flaps need to stay down to keep the air conditioning effective, making the rooms very dark and hiding the view from the room or bed.