Intaba Lodge

We spent six days in a villa and loved it. It was spacious, clean, and had a fantastic view. The reception and restaurant staff were lovely, and breakfast was a small, relaxed buffet that never felt crowded. The restaurant food was good too. Constantia’s wineries are nearby, though Camps Bay is about a 30-minute drive in traffic. It felt like a home away from home, and we’d happily recommend staying here.

The restaurant really stood out, with unreal food and a refined menu that never felt pretentious. We also loved the calm gardens and views, and our room was immaculate. The whole property is elegant and beautifully kept. From arrival onward, the staff were warm and professional, paid attention to the details, and kept going out of their way to make our stay feel flawless.

The room layout also meant the toilet wasn’t really separate from the bedroom, and many rooms seem to have little privacy because guests cross the veranda or patio to reach them. It’s a nice hotel, but at about 250 euros a night, the price set expectations pretty high. Around 150 euros would have felt like better value.

The setting is lovely, and Ricardo was especially kind and attentive. He handled the hot tub and told us the hotel had given him the wrong wood, which made it take even longer to heat. Even so, we were charged for that wood, which didn’t seem fair. We’d booked specifically for the jacuzzi, but nobody explained that it had to be filled by hand and heated with wood each time. It took 2-3 hours to be ready, and we only learned at checkout that using the wood would cost extra. That should have been explained upfront. The communication around other charges was frustrating too. I left a stamped postcard with reception after being told to leave it there, then got a WhatsApp message about a mailing fee only after we’d checked out and left. That could easily have been mentioned when I dropped it off or at checkout. One evening, room service took about an hour and arrived cold. We didn’t send it back, and told the front desk at checkout. They agreed to remove the charge, but a few hours later, after checkout, messaged to reverse that and put the fee back on. It felt very unprofessional and like nickel-and-diming. We were there for our honeymoon and had a pleasant time overall, but these issues left us concerned about the hotel’s communication and professionalism. The property is also about 30 minutes by Uber each way from Cape Town, so it’s a peaceful spot but inconvenient if you plan to go into the city often. Some staff, especially Ricardo, went above and beyond, and the place has potential. The undisclosed fees and changes to charges after checkout had a real impact on our stay.