Golden Key Guesthouse

The food at breakfast was a real concern. There was no proper spread like the online listing showed, and most of what was served seemed raw or undercooked. The room was also nothing like the pictures: it was old, dirty and poorly maintained, with a bathroom that wasn't clean and some broken cupboards. A small fan did little to cool it, and in Vredenburg air conditioning feels essential to me. There weren't even basic amenities, not a bottle of water or anything. I felt uncomfortable throughout the stay, and there was nothing luxurious about it. Experiences like this make it hard for me to support guesthouses when hotels and lodges seem preferable. I was extremely disappointed and won't be back.

The shower water was pleasantly warm, but the place felt very old-fashioned and could use some care. The toilet seat and bathroom bin lid were broken, and there was mold on the bathroom blinds. The room details weren't clear when booking, and there were extra beds we didn't need. We paid extra for breakfast but never received it, so I asked for a refund. The host didn't respond to my messages.

Lola was lovely and made us feel welcome. She seemed to be handling everything herself, from breakfast to cleaning the rooms, so it makes sense that the bedding wasn't cleaned properly and smelled bad. She did her best, but the place needs more staff.

We needed somewhere at short notice over Easter Weekend, which was also my husband's birthday. They found room for us, and Lola was fantastic. Breakfast was made extra special for his birthday too. I'd definitely recommend them.