Ezulwini Berg Resort

The pools, grounds and scenery are lovely. We enjoyed walking around and seeing the animals, and there’s plenty for families to do, including heated and outdoor pools, tennis, putt putt, soccer and volleyball fields, a trampoline and a kids’ jungle gym. But on our 1st-4th January stay at Ezulwini Berg Resort, the lodges and management issues took over the experience. The views couldn’t make up for the poor preparation and upkeep. On the first day, after unloading at Cabin 4, we found tiny cockroaches in the fridge, toilet pan and cupboards, on our clothes and even crawling on us. It was very uncomfortable and unacceptable. The resort already knew about the infestation, but the cabin had not been properly fumigated or maintained before we arrived. Its en-suite also had a damaged sliding shower door and toilet seat pan. When we complained, the manager made an unprofessional remark that she wouldn’t have slept there herself. The only fix offered was moving us to Cabin 7 on day two. Packing everything and relocating took around 1½ hours and held up our plans. The shower door in Cabin 7 was damaged in the same way, so the maintenance problem wasn’t limited to one unit. There were other problems too. The fridges weren’t gassed properly and couldn’t cool drinks. We got regular-sized towels rather than bath sheets, though separate pool towels were provided. In the 8-sleeper unit, there were only two 2-seater couches instead of three, so some of us had to sit on wooden chairs. The 8-seater dining table wobbled badly and didn’t feel safe. There was plenty of cutlery, dishes, glasses and utensils, but the pots were too small for a unit meant for eight. The cleaning and maintenance standards were minimal, and it seemed management wasn’t supervising the cleaning well. They did try to accommodate us after we raised issues, but appeared disorganized and even mixed us up with other guests hiring equipment. That added to the impression of poor coordination. If I’d come only for the beautiful surroundings and activities, a day visit would have made more sense than paying to stay in accommodation like this.

We stayed for one night with friends and checked in around 4 on Saturday. There was no hot water in the room, even though we hadn’t used any water since arriving. Security brought the maintenance guy after we reported it; he asked us to wait about 30 minutes. Two hours later, we still had no hot water. Before coming, we’d asked whether we could check out the room and still use the facilities, and were told yes. Nobody told us cars couldn’t be parked on the grass, or that using our own braai stand would still mean paying an extra fee. I’ve stayed here before, so this was very disappointing and unlike my earlier experience.

The staff were friendly and helpful, but the state of the facilities was poor, and this was nowhere near worth the tariff. During a long weekend, the rock pool wasn’t working. Another area was fenced off, perhaps for construction, but it wasn’t clear. The heated pool was debatable too. Outside it, the benches where you’re supposedly meant to relax were by dog poo, or something from a similar animal, right in the doorway. It looked like no one had swept or raked there in ages. There wasn’t much of a petting zoo, just a few geese and peacocks. The tennis court surface was breaking up, and the jungle gym was neglected and in a sad state. At R2000 a night, I’d spend the money elsewhere. The rooms had no ventilation. A fan was provided, but I had to take it apart to get it working. There was no mirror in the main bathroom, and when I turned on the bath’s cold water, only a drop came out. The bedside lamps felt like a fire or death hazard. Crockery was very basic, and the sleeper couch was just mattresses on the floor, though at least they were in neat zip bags. We expected much better for the price, and the stay wasn’t pleasant. This feels like bad management, not a staff problem. I wouldn’t recommend it. Maybe the resort was well kept long ago, but it hasn’t been maintained. Stay away.

We were there for one night, and the rest was fine. The resort has an amazing view, but our room’s shower had no hot water. The bath and kitchen did have hot water.