Golden Horse Hotel

The place seems unchanged since I was here 15 years ago. The hotel and furniture are very dated, and the coffee and tea station could do with an upgrade. My room smelled of smoke, wasn't particularly clean, and was noisy with hooting and partying. I asked for two single beds but was given a double.

I was there for the Amashova and ended up on the ground floor right by the parking lot. The party by the cars got completely out of hand, though that's no fault of the establishment, so I'd suggest avoiding rooms near the parking area if noise bothers you. I appreciated the effort to provide breakfast for the cyclists, but when I went down early there wasn't even bread available for toast. That was a letdown, though luckily the pastries were satisfying.

Our rooms were spotless, well looked after, and elegantly designed, and the comfortable beds helped us recharge between performances. The friendly, accommodating staff made the stay easy, and the Golden Horse Hotel has a warm, inviting feel. As part of NG Promotions, led by SAFTA award-winning actor Nazli George, we were able to perform our *Stop the Bully* theatre, singing, and acting show at schools in Pietermaritzburg thanks to the Golden Horse Hotel's generous sponsorship. We're deeply grateful for their hospitality and support, which helped make our mission a success. We highly recommend the hotel to anyone visiting Pietermaritzburg.

It's a decent, clean hotel, with shops about 300m away. The restaurant serves some tasty food, though the signature dishes aren't all that distinctive. There's no fitness centre. The place has a nice atmosphere for gambling, and it gets especially pleasant when there's a horse-racing event.