The Zen Orchid

The photos online made this place look nice, but in person it was ugly and the carpet smelled. It also didn’t feel very hygienic. In the morning, the water was cold when we went to bathe, even though nobody had used it yet. The owner said the water goes cold, so everyone should bathe quickly. That was especially unpleasant in May, with winter creeping in. Choosing this place was the worst decision ever.

The Orchid guest house was peaceful, quiet, and clean, and the staff were friendly. We stayed for three days, but had a couple of issues: the mini bar fridge squeaked so loudly that we unplugged it to sleep, and the hot water turned cold after about five minutes. I showered right after my husband, so there wasn’t enough hot water for both of us. The stay was okay overall.

A great place to stay if Clarens is fully booked or too expensive. It’s clean, spacious, and the service is courteous. There’s full DStv, the malls are about 100 m away, and you’re straight onto the N5.

I stayed there last month while renovations were still underway. The room was in poor condition, and they had switched off the DSTV without telling me. I didn’t enjoy the stay at all.