Agulhas Country Lodge

The view and location were the only things that made this stay worthwhile. At nearly $200 a night, I expected at least one of the basics to be done well, such as service, breakfast, or room cleanliness. Instead, the room smelled musty, the bedside lamps were dusty, and the sheets and towels had stains. I get that the place is meant to have a “rustic design,” but it felt old, worn out, and poorly cleaned. The staff weren't welcoming either. Breakfast was especially disappointing. The white bread was cheap, the ham looked as though it had been sitting out for days, and the food quality seemed questionable. You'd have to try hard to find food this poor in South Africa. It took more than 20 minutes to refill the coffee thermos, despite there being just six other guests. Reception closes at 7 p.m. We were running late and told them more than twice that we'd arrive closer to 8, but got no response. We were lucky another guest had left the main entrance open, since guests are expected to close it themselves. Otherwise we'd have been left outside in the rain. Then we had to walk around the hotel to find someone with our key. There was no help with our luggage or anything else, and the stairs are very steep.