Umhlanga Sands

The hotel is stunning and the views are amazing. Reception staff are very friendly, but the room floors stayed dirty even after the cleaners came. The service staff in the restaurants could be very arrogant. At Milky lane, we were treated horribly by the woman there. She said they close at 9, but we arrived at 8:35, and she was already packing up and gave us the cold shoulder. If the tips aren't high, some staff get fussy with you. We experienced that at Europa, Milkylane, and Spur. They leave a box with coffee in the room, but there's only 2 and they won't refill it, so if you love coffee, bring your own. The dirty rooms and the attitude of the service staff were the only reasons for my low rating. Otherwise, it was a lovely stay.

We had a wonderful holiday, and the rooms matched what was advertised. The staff gave us exceptional service. I did wish the pools were heated, though, as I’d heard they weren’t. It would also be nice to have gowns, with their use managed the way towels are. I eat at Spur and Mugg & Bean almost every week, so having them as options made the holiday meals feel less special. The Italian restaurant was fine, but I’d have preferred somewhere unique for a holiday, or the hotel’s own dining service or buffet.

The location was great and, apart from one serious problem, we had a good stay. We found baby cockroaches in the bathroom and one room, and a colleague found some on the kitchen counter. I know this may be difficult to get under control, but it’s still unacceptable when you’re paying to stay there. Please make dealing with the cockroaches a priority.

The views are good, but that’s about all this hotel has going for it. We waited two hours for the concierge to collect our luggage, and we’re still waiting. We called three times for help. The bathrooms are tiny, too. The pool closes at certain times while games are on. I have a toddler who wants to swim, not play bingo, but we couldn’t use the pool because other people were playing.