Royal Hotel Ladysmith

There’s a lot of history here, much like the town, and I had a really good stay. The buffet meals at breakfast and dinner were tasty and varied, with a welcoming, dedicated team serving them. Checking in was fast, and the staff were friendly. My room was clean and spacious, and there’s plenty of parking inside, though the entrance is tucked away on the town’s busiest street and easy to miss. A few things could use attention: the aircon was old and noisy, there was no bar fridge, and the bathroom towels were green. The carpet in the corridor needs a proper clean. Still, I’d recommend giving this hotel a try if you’re in Ladysmith or nearby.

The prayer room won me over. They let me use it to run a webinar, and having a dedicated space for prayer really touched me. I’ll be back whenever work or a visit brings me to Ladysmith. I stayed for two nights and liked the hotel’s old design and look. Service was great, especially from the lovely woman with glasses in the dining area, who was always smiling and so helpful. They’ve gained a loyal customer.

The meals were a highlight, with a really good buffet at breakfast and dinner. The chef even made special vegan food for me, which I appreciated a lot. Staff were friendly and helpful, and someone kindly washed my car without me asking. There were scratches on it afterwards, though, and I suspect the person drying it hadn’t used a clean chamois. I was there for work. The room was clean and comfortable, the bathroom was spacious, and the water stayed hot. My room faced the main road, so it was noisy. A nice hotel for a short stay.

The staff were friendly, but I was disappointed with my first booking here. From outside the hotel looked promising. When I tried to use the aircon to warm the room, it took about 20 minutes to heat up, then started blowing cold air. The weather was ridiculously cold, so I ended up using both blankets in the room.