Amakhaya Lodge

The rooms were even better than I expected, and the hosts made us feel very welcome. I’ll definitely visit again.

The family at Amakhaya Lodge are so lovely. Our room was amazing, clean, and had everything just right. I highly recommend them and would love to come back soon.

It’s a beautiful spot with lots of potential, and for one night with the door shut, a swim, and dinner out, it might be fine. But I wouldn’t choose it for a longer stay, especially if you want to cook for yourself. The kitchen was very dirty, and although guests had their own fridges in their rooms, I left groceries in the big fridge downstairs and my expensive drink was used. When I raised it, they said there were multiple guests and staff would never do that. Still, it seemed strange to use that fridge when everyone had their own, especially since nobody seemed to cook in the kitchen. Tarryn, the worker, told me at check-in to leave my door unlocked because nobody would steal anything. That felt very odd to hear as a guest. I also found cigarettes in the pool, and the house often smelled of cigarettes. I once saw Tarryn walking inside while smoking. The first morning that could have been peaceful wasn’t, either: a vacuum ran nonstop right by my door and the head of my bed at 7:30 on a Friday. Nobody handled checkout with me. Tarryn knocked at 10:40 to remind me checkout was at 11, which felt rude. If I’d been in the shower, I couldn’t have answered. I’d rather they waited until after 11. No one said goodbye, helped with my bags, let me out of the gate, or collected the keys. There was also a mistake in the payment, charging for two extra nights instead of one. The hospitality, cleanliness, organization, and facilities were not good. You also need a car, since getting an Uber there is difficult, especially for short trips like going to the supermarket unless you pay for Uber Black.

The lodge was lovely and peaceful, with tidy rooms and a magnificent view across Hout Bay from the pool terrace.