BON Hotel Waterfront Richards Bay

The view from my room was beautiful, though keep the windows shut or a monkey might come in. The room was large and had both a tub and shower, plus a mini fridge. My AC didn't work, and the staff seemed pretty apathetic. There's a restaurant on site with vegetarian choices, but the food was mediocre, especially breakfast.

The staff made a real difference for me. They were friendly, patient, helpful, and accommodating, and lifted the place above a 2-star experience. I know others have had a poor experience with them, but mine was different. As for the hotel itself, I'd put it at 3 tourism stars at best. The rooms were clean, spacious, and air-conditioned, but the TV was small, the picture quality poor, and the channel selection terrible. The Wi-Fi was practically nonexistent, slower than a snail off the start line. Breakfast cost R235 but was very basic with little variety, worth R95 at most. The view wasn't spectacular, just a basic bay cove with a dock, so don't expect Cape Town waterfront scenery. I asked for whipped cream and got spoiled cream, and the espresso in the cappuccino tasted burnt. I was traveling with a Muslim colleague, and there was no halaal option. He had to eat boiled eggs on toast and was charged for it.

When I travel to Richard's Bay, this is the only hotel I stay at. The staff are so warm and welcoming. Khambule from maintainance is always ready to help, with a smile and plenty of patience.

I loved the oceanfront and yacht harbour views, and the hotel has spacious, modern rooms. Zula Beach restaurant is just a short walk away. But the morning noise from the cleaners was awful while we were trying to sleep. They shouted conversations across the corridor, and the cleaning trolleys squeaked as they were moved around. Our room was right beside their supply room, which made it worse. Management really needs to address it. We paid for 4-star treatment and shouldn't have been woken by that.