Granny Mouse House

We loved Hogsback and would happily stay at Granny Mouse House again when we return. My wife and I spent five very enjoyable days there. The owner was friendly, approachable, and extremely helpful. Our room was clean and serviced daily, the mattress was perfectly comfortable, and the breakfasts were excellent.

We booked a night through Lekker slaap, which listed the place as able to accommodate 10 people. We tried to book for seven, but the confirmation came back for six. I admit we accidentally booked for six instead of seven. When we arrived, the host was aggressive and rude, said one of us would have to sleep in the car, and showed no interest in helping. We chose to cancel rather than stay in such an unwelcoming house. Be warned, there was no hospitality at Granny Mouse House.

The setting initially looked lovely, with a rustic feel, and we enjoyed the peace of Hogsback itself. The two dogs in the yard were the best part of our stay. But the room was dusty when we arrived, which would be a nightmare for anyone with sinusitis, and we had to air it out and clean what we could. The floor carpets were stained and looked as if they hadn’t been washed in ages. The mattress was in very poor shape, sagging so much that we could feel the springs. I told the owner, who lives on the property, and she said I was the first to complain and that it was the latest Sealy Posturepedic. When I lifted the sheets, though, the bed looked as old as Hogsback. I asked for another mattress, but was told there were none, despite numerous unoccupied units at the same residence. My partner is now getting physio because of this, and we left more tired than we arrived. We had already paid, so we felt stuck there. There was no microwave, TV, or radio in the room, and we were expected to bring our own toilet paper, which made me question the standard of the accommodation. We were told there would be daily room service, but it happened only after the first night. After that, my partner and I had to clean our unit each day and hang up wet towels ourselves because no clean ones were provided. The owner was nowhere to be seen after payment. We booked three nights at a high rate, and the owner acted as though she was doing us a favour. I wouldn’t recommend this place to couples or families. We soon found other accommodations that were cheaper and better quality. I’ll never stay at Granny Mouse House again, even if it were free. The saying “a picture tells a thousand words” is something to consider when booking there. Dear granny mouse house, this review is about our experience of your place, not a personal attack on you. It’s strange to judge your guests by saying I have champagne tastes on a beer income. Was it the colour of my skin that made you assume I had a beer income? I wonder what you say about other guests after they’ve left and filled your pockets. We made no unreasonable requests, only asked for a decent bed. I didn’t lie in my account; it’s the truth, whether you accept it or not. I left on Monday, October 1, and today is October 4. I took care in thinking through this review before writing it. It seems you’d rather sweep the dirt under the carpet than deal with the issues and accept positive criticism. Given your approach, I think it’s a good idea to forward you my partner’s medical bills.

Granny Mouse has clean, attractive accommodation, good food, and a beautiful garden with unusual plants, including rare Rhododendrons that are seldom seen thriving in S Africa. The host is interesting, caring, approachable, and extremely helpful. The peaceful ambience makes it an ideal escape from life’s stresses. If I ever make that long drive from the KZN coast to Cape Town again, this is where I’d look forward to taking a peaceful, pleasant break along the way.