Malibu Country Lodge

I booked half the rooms for my wedding weekend of 8 July, and the service was awful. On Friday the rooms had no coffee, sugar or milk. Half the air conditioners didn’t work, there were no blankets for the cold, and some rooms smelled of raw sewage. On Saturday 8 July, they gave some of my guests' rooms to new clients, even though I’d paid for them two months earlier. The owners still won’t refund me. On Sunday 9 July, there wasn’t enough food for me and my guests, despite it being paid for. Only 6 of 24 people could eat. Some guests were electrocuted while trying to open the shower handle. When we asked for the gas heaters in the dining room to be lit, we were told there was no gas. There was no Wifi/DSTV, though the website listed them as services, and the spa wasn’t operating. Calling the owner was no help, he just swore at me. Lerato, the manager, answered every issue with, “Now what do you want me to do about it?” I heard the website was taken down because so many people were posting honest reviews about the service. I’d never recommend this disastrous place.

We were a family group of about 50 and stayed at the lodge from 23-25 Sept'23. The manager and staff were excellent, and the clean rooms and bedding were very good. We were happy overall, though the water needs serious attention: some rooms had none for bathing, showering or flushing toilets. A few rooms also need their air conditioning sorted. The braai area was clean and gave us a good place to gather. The pool had to be filled while we were there, so I hope that’s been taken care of by now.

The spa date was booked ahead, yet we were left waiting while staff ran around with white sheets, even though everything had been arranged on time. The bathtub had black spots, and the whole visit was unpleasant. Dinner was overpriced for what was served, and I’m still waiting for the refund after being overcharged. Breakfast was bad too. They’ve served rice and stew for years, so surely the menu could change. They also dish up food without asking what people want. I have to wonder whether that “chef” is legit. If you’re thinking of going there now, good luck.

The staff at Malibu made my husband and me feel really looked after. We had a superior room, a surprise lunch for two on our patio, and a romantic setup in the room. Everyone was friendly and hardworking, and I’d name them all if I weren’t worried about leaving someone out. Thank you, Malibu. The chef did a great job, especially with breakfast, and we enjoyed all our meals. My husband had never had a spa treatment before and couldn’t stop talking about it. Rejoice was my masseuse and paid close attention while working her healing hands. It was an amazing stay.