Waterside Lodge CC

I spent close to a month here and had a nice stay. Reception were welcoming and helpful, and the security uncles were very friendly. There’s a restaurant where you can order food for delivery. The rooms were okay, but cleaning wasn’t always done properly. For example, I’d find the same stain on the bed for days.

I’ve stayed at several guest houses, B&Bs and hotels in and around Piet Retief, and Waterside lodge was the best. The lodge is very well managed, with the kindest staff. There’s a well-known privately owned restaurant within walking distance, and the area is very safe and well guarded. There’s also a kids’ area with safety precautions, among other things. I’ll definitely make this my regular lodge for country trips. Highly recommended.

I was left with just one hand towel during my stay. There were no room towels when I arrived because they were apparently still drying, and although I was told the cleaners would bring them, they never did. The air conditioning was so noisy I had to turn it off and put up with the cold. I was also told there was no WiFi in the rooms, which was a huge inconvenience. The website ad was very misleading, since the only WiFi was at the restaurant outside the gate. Not impressed.

The room was neat, we slept well, and the place felt very safe during our two-night stay. We even had a braai. The whole venue is lovely, with a small dam, campsite, restaurant, pub and slot machines. Thanks to the friendly staff, especially the kind and helpful lady at reception.