Pick a Rest

The welcome was really warm, but the bathroom is across the hall, which is why I gave it 3 stars. The host also came to my room at 20h30 to ask when I wanted breakfast, even though I’d explicitly said I was turning in for the night. Then at 2h30 the sprinkler started spraying against my window and kept going. I’d only stay here if I were travelling with a bigger group.

Annelie went out of her way to make sure I was comfortable. Her care reminded me of a mother looking after her kids, and of the good old days. I felt at home straight away, like I was part of a family, and the atmosphere was peaceful. The rooms are very well equipped, even the ones with bathrooms across the hall. When I come back, I’ll book nowhere else. I’ve found my home away from home.

We had booked from the 15th till the 28th, but I cut my stay short because Pick n rest felt unprofessionally managed. When we arrived on Monday morning, the toilet in room 3, where we were booked, was blocked. We complained, but nothing was done. Hanneli was managing the guest house while the manager was on holiday. Annalie, the manager, was told about the toilet, but I felt she thought that because we were Black, she could call us to apologise the following week and expect us to wait until then. I also felt Pick n rest was a racist company with inexperienced management. On Tuesday, when they knew we were about to leave, we had to call and text to get our money back. It felt like they thought they were doing us a favour by letting us stay. Hannelie and Lilian (Manager of Clicks) came to my room and seemed to gang up on my partner, pressuring him to call Hanneli (MEVROU). They also told him he needed to be put in order, as if he were an animal who needed training.

I felt very welcome. The rooms were clean and fantastic. I had one with an ensuite bathroom; the others have a bathroom opposite the room, and it was nicely done. There’s also a lovely succulent garden with a smoking area.