Blue Swallow Chalets

The location is very good, and the rooms have the facilities, but the beds were very cold in winter because their bases are made of concrete and brickwork. There’s no heater to use in winter. The swimming pool was dirty and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned for a while. I’m not sure I’d ever go back.

It’s in a beautiful area, in a clean community, just a few minutes’ drive from Graskop Gorge, and the price was very affordable. The problem was how poorly the place seemed to be maintained. The rooms smelled damp, the blankets smelled bad, there were yellow stains on the mattress and dust everywhere. They don’t tell you when the cleaners will come, they just show up and clean, so put your things away. Nothing went missing, and your belongings are safe. Just make sure to pack things up before heading out on your adventure. I didn’t take pictures because the place really wasn’t worth it.

Blue Wallows fell far below an acceptable standard, and the lack of basic hygiene made our stay extremely unpleasant. The bathroom was perhaps the most concerning part: mold covered the damp, sticky walls. There was no extractor fan, and a window marked “DO NOT OPEN THIS WINDOW” left the room stuffy and uncomfortable. The pool was murky green and clearly wasn’t being properly cleaned. Patricia assured us on our first day that it would be cleaned, but our pictures from day 4 show otherwise. When we entered the room, there was an overwhelming smell of stale cigarette smoke throughout. The blankets, kept in an old, dirty wardrobe, had the same smell.

I booked my 79-year-old mother into the lodge, and she said her stay was comfortable and peaceful. She had all the amenities she needed, and the hosts were wonderful. It was totally affordable, and they really went out of their way to accommodate us. Thank you, Nick.