The City Club

I checked into Hotel Bruxelles on the 29th of December and had a terrible stay. The rooms had a bedbug infestation, and I had an allergic reaction to the bites. Staff moved us to another room, saying it had been steamed and fumigated, but I saw no evidence of that. I got more bites there, so I asked for a refund and to move to a different hotel. They refused. The Operational Manager was extremely unprofessional and cut off our call, as did the desk staff.

This was the worst hospitality experience I’ve had in Cape Town, and I wouldn’t recommend the place until these problems are properly addressed. I’d booked several days but had to make unexpected changes to my plans. I’ve been unable to get hold of management or any supervisors, so sorting it out has been unnecessarily frustrating. The service during my stay was extremely poor.

The location is good, but I was embarrassed and disappointed to have stayed here. The photos on booking.com make the place look much more manicured than it is. If it’s a budget stay, they should show what guests are actually booking instead of leaving people shocked. Check-in was a nightmare. The woman was hostile and cold, didn’t show me to the room, just pointed upstairs and left me to work it out. There was no housekeeping, the building is run down and a mess, and they refused to move me. They sent someone to wipe dirt off the wall instead. If you’re OCD or a clean freak, don’t bother booking here. The room itself was grimy and badly equipped. The tea and coffee station had no spoon, there was no bar fridge, the TV didn’t work and seemed to be there for display, and there were no bedside lamps. The walls were disgusting. The shower had no door, the basin was tiny, the toilet seat was broken, there were no bath mats, and I had to ask for towels. The pillows and covers didn’t match, the sheets didn’t match, and the duvet looked like it was holding on for dear life. The windows weren’t clean, and the place was run down. The outdoor dining area they advertise was disappointing too, as my picture shows. Parking was a disaster, with very little space inside. They gave me a gate number to call when I returned, but it didn’t work. The WiFi didn’t work either. It felt like they didn’t want guests there.

We arrived and saw that the place wasn’t the same as the one shown online. It was also in an unsafe part of the city, so we decided not to stay and explained our concerns. They said they understood and would refund us. I was later told the refund would be processed, but nothing has happened and there’s been no follow-up. Being promised one thing and then ignored over customers’ money is unacceptable. I’ve tried several times to reach the manager, “Shibocansi,” left multiple messages, and was told she’d call back, but she never did. Communication was extremely poor. I’m very disappointed with the lack of professionalism and accountability, and wouldn’t recommend the place based on my experience.