Galene Centre

The rest of the trip was alright, but the security issue on our last night was really disappointing. Some belongings left in the lounge were stolen even though we had locked the doors and gates and switched on the outside alarm. The owner said he saw nothing on the cameras and wouldn’t let us look at the footage with him. There are two connecting doors between our house and the owner’s, and as far as we knew only the owner and cleaner had keys. Nothing belonging to the owner was taken, and nothing outside was touched, only our things indoors. They didn’t just disappear by magic. Galene was decent enough, though it needs some upgrades. I won’t recommend it, and hope this helps the next family.

The view outside was the only part we could properly enjoy, and the place fell short of what we expected. We paid R10000 for four days, but the house had a backpacker look and feel, so we only slept in three of the rooms because the other areas seemed dodgy. The bathrooms hadn’t been cleaned, and the toilets were disgusting. We took pictures. There were dusty old curtains in every room, and it didn’t feel as well cared for as the online photos suggested. A building project was underway when we arrived, with builders moving around, using taps and mixing cement. We had expected an isolated holiday with a beach view during level 2 lockdown, and the rubble at the gate was a nightmare sight. We hadn’t been told about the construction beforehand, so we couldn’t make an informed choice to stay elsewhere. The owner lived in an adjoining section of the property, and some doors from the TV room and bathrooms led into that area, another detail we weren’t told. Cigarette smoke from the owner’s side came through the gap beneath the TV room door. We blocked it with pillows while our five and six year olds watched TV, and we could hear Patrick coughing as he smoked. This is our honest review.

We had a great stay and will definitely return. It’s a home away from home, right on the beach, with wonderful views. The house works well for groups, noise wasn’t a problem, and security was good. Thanks for having us.

We stayed for nine days and found the house clean and neat, with comfortable beds and an amazing view. You can walk down to the beach, though the main swimming beach is far enough away that you’ll need to drive. The road in is a sandy track, so take care if you’re driving a sedan. A cleaner comes daily, which was a big help, and we had no security issues using the alarm and keeping the doors locked. The place is very affordable for a wonderful holiday. There’s a backup fridge and a chest freezer, since the main refrigerator is badly worn, rusty, and barely keeps things cold. I also would have liked a washing machine or tumble dryer to dry wet towels on rainy days.