AfriCamps at Gowan Valley - Glamping

This was the worst experience of our lives. Please read through before booking. We stayed about a month and a half ago at the place with the same name in Hluhluwe and really liked it. While we were there, we immediately paid through their website for the Midlands location, for the long weekend of May 1st. The bank processed the payment, a reservation number was issued, and the full amount was paid. Yesterday, we packed our luggage, did our shopping, and drove to the property with our young son. They wouldn’t let us in and said the reservation had been cancelled. We showed them our bank receipts and booking numbers. They explained that their website uses a central system, and the money first goes there before being sent to the property. They said they hadn’t received it. We told them tracking that transfer wasn’t our responsibility since we’d paid in full. They agreed we were right, but kept repeating that the booking was cancelled. I’ve travelled to different countries and cities for 15 years, and we’ve been travelling around South Africa for three years. We’ve never experienced anything like this. Two women were at reception. While we stood there shocked and trying to understand what was happening, they quietly talked and laughed among themselves. The most important part is that our money still wasn’t refunded. We’d paid almost two months ago expecting to have a holiday, and instead we were left out of pocket as well as without our booking. I’ve never seen a business like this. I also share places I visit on Instagram, and this situation caused a big reaction there too. We don’t want anyone else to go through this. If you want to gamble with your holiday money, go ahead, but I don’t consider this a reliable business. I hope we get our money back. (1 May) Update 2: (4 May) In response to the business’s reply: it’s been almost two months since the initial payment, and you acknowledge that you cancelled our reservation without refunding us. Our money still hasn’t been returned. If you cancel a booking, the refund should be processed immediately. Your business seems to have kept the payment while cancelling the reservation. We’ve dealt with cancellations before. We travel often and have stayed in hotels, and in those situations refunds are processed promptly. That’s standard practice around the world. Your technology and processes clearly need a lot of improvement. We sincerely hope our refund is processed as soon as possible. Update 3: (10 May) Nobody has called us, and our money still hasn’t been refunded. P.S. We made the payment on March 23rd. We wanted to book from May 1st to May 3rd.

The best part was unwinding in the wood-fired hot tub, even with the mist rolling in. The tents are private and well maintained, and there’s also a swimming pool and a play area for children. We did the 3km hike around the property, with lovely scenery and a canopy walk. A really relaxing weekend away, and I’d definitely go again.

The hot tub is a great extra, and the location is close to all the cool spots in the Midlands. Everything basic was provided, the rooms were clean, and the linen was fresh. The kids loved sleeping in a tent, while for the adults it didn’t really feel like a tent. Glamping at its finest!

The hot tub was the highlight for us, such a relaxing way to unwind. We had an amazing family getaway at AfriCamps at Gowan Valley, with a peaceful atmosphere and beautiful scenery all around. The tent was comfortable and well equipped, and my wife and little kids absolutely loved it. We’ll definitely be back.