The Blyde Riverwalk Estate

The Lagoon was the only good part of this stay. I'd never had such bad service at a hotel. The four stars don't feel deserved. On arrival, we were left waiting at the gate for ages, even though check-in time had already passed. The place is so tightly gated that Ubers can't come in to drop you off. You have to wait for a golf cart, and there's only one for all the guests, so the wait can drag on. That might be manageable with decent service, but the staff made us feel like prisoners. We waited more than 20 minutes for lunch, and had to beg the waiters to help because they kept avoiding eye contact. After we spoke with a floor manager, we could finally order, then waited another hour for the food. Nobody would help us pay, so we had to go to the counter ourselves. Back in the room, there were no towels or TV remote. We had to ask reception, and even though mistakes happen, I expected better service. Nobody at the Blyde apologized. The next day we went swimming and wanted to take photos and videos at the Lagoon. We only found out after paying for the booking that tripods aren't allowed for taking pictures of yourself there. A female security guard also told me I was wearing a G-string, which wasn't true. She made me get out of the pool to show her my behind, then said it was okay. At checkout, we weren't allowed to stay longer or leave our luggage. I've never come across that at a hotel, and I travel a lot. Even for a one-night stay, you have to leave the property right after checkout. I wish I'd seen more reviews like this, because the experience was bad from start to finish.

The room at Mint Resort The Blyde was tidy, comfortable, and clean, and the air conditioning worked properly, which isn't always true of hotels in the area. Reception was courteous and welcoming, but didn't clearly go over the many resort rules at check-in. Getting in and out can take a lot of time. Public taxis, Uber, and tour guides aren't allowed inside, so guests have to meet them at the main entrance and wait for a golf cart ride. The man-made beach looks lovely, but it's fenced off from the deck, and you can only take water bought at the on-site convenience store onto the beach. Outside drinks aren't permitted. The deck is open to the public and shared with non-guests, since it also connects to the gym, spa, restaurants, and other facilities, yet guests still can't bring any outside food or drinks there, even water. The bar and store have very few choices, and offer little to no local food, beer, or drinks. If you're hoping to try something auténtica without leaving the area, good luck. The resort is beautiful and well kept, but so many restrictions made it feel controlled instead of relaxing, which was disappointing.

The Villa and Hotel exceeded our expectations, and my team and I had a very relaxing three-day stay. We loved the restaurant and the Spa treatments. It was our first visit, and we're already looking forward to returning. The accommodation was brilliant, well priced, with great food and service. Well done to Bongani Zulu and Team, keep up the great work!

The magnificent views made this island getaway a great place to relax and recharge for the rest of the season. Service was friendly, and the staff were very welcoming. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a holiday or a break.