Al Marrakesh Guest House

The setting was amazing, tucked into a gorgeous jungle with a group of about 20 monkeys visiting most mornings. The people were friendly, and my room was clean. I'd never stayed in a guesthouse before and wouldn't have chosen one if I had another option, but I'm glad I did. If I'm back in Durban, I'll skip the pretentious Fairmont and come straight here.

We felt unwelcome from the start. The owner accused us of unsavory behavior, then escorted us to our room and had us show her our belongings. We had no hot water the first night and no television signal at all during the stay. We won't return. The friendly dog on the premises was the best part.

The only things I can say in its favor are the aircon, clean bedding, and location. We were four adults booking a self-catering unit and expected two rooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen area. Instead, there was one room with a bunk bed crammed beside a double bed, and one small bathroom. The shower had no door, the toilet seat was loose, and the so-called kitchen area was a fridge, stove, kettle, and sink out on the patio. The bathroom had a curtain instead of a door, and its window connected to the kitchen. The shower walls and floor were cracked and discolored. There was a pet dog roaming freely, so guests had to keep it from getting out when opening or closing the gate and stop it entering the rooms. We were definitely overcharged. The pool was green, and the outdoor furniture was falling apart. Cleaning was advertised daily, but staff came only three times in our seven days. We had to ask for toilet paper repeatedly and ended up buying some ourselves. The towels smelled mouldy, and even the replacements still smelled mouldy. Very disappointing.

The bed felt like a station bench, and the suite's layout offered no privacy. At checkout, we were accused of damaging an iron and subjected to an interrogation that left me deeply offended. I offered to open our suitcases so they could check for any burnt clothing, but they refused and kept insisting we'd damaged it. I've never felt so insulted and degraded. The place was nowhere near what the listing promised, and it wasn't worth the money. I regret booking and would never recommend it.