Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa

Beautiful exterior.

My girlfriend and I booked into Erinvale for New Year's Eve 2012. The place was beautiful, however, the service was absolutely shocking and an embarrassment. 1. The breakfast service on the morning of the 1st was all over the place. We sat down to a dirty table to which no one tended to us. I had to get up twice to find the manager just to ask for coffee. Waitrons were walking straight past us after we had just asked to be served. An English family next to us also started voicing their frustration with the service. It really spoilt our first meal of the new year. 2. Our rooms aircon was no longer working when we came back to our room after dinner. We did call for someone to come and fix it, but nothing could be done. We received no apology or acknowledgement of the issue the following morning. 3. Settling of the bill really was the last straw. Your employees were just as embarrassed with the system in place as they battled explaining it to us. There were foreigners checking out at the same time as us who also didn't know what was happening. As you will know, our bill was broken up into the different departments that were getting paid. Basically, it's what you would give your accountant to use for the company cashbook. Our deposit was split into 2 for some odd reason that's of no interest to me and our new years meal was split into every last detail. There was an item called 'Stationary' on our bill? I can only work out that this was for the 'complimentary' gift we received at our new years dinner. Now I know exactly how much I paid for it. Even better, there was a line item called 'Sundry'. No one wants to see that on their bill. I had my calculator out and luckily English is my first language. Can you imagine a foreigner (and there were many during our stay) trying to work out the accounts in a language that isn't their first? Our meal should have been "2 x New Years Eve Dinner @ R XXX. Not that it was my business, but the foreigners checking out next to us were asked to prove that they had paid for their meal the night before because reception had not received the slips from the day before. This was at 11am and I believe check out is at 10am. Why have the slips not been sent to reception in time for checkout so that you now have to interrogate guests about whether they have paid or not? As I have made many references to the foreigners who stayed with us, not only was I frustrated with my own stay, but also embarrassed that this is the level of service these other guests will go out and communicate about South Africa. You have a beautiful hotel in a beautiful setting and you throw your chance away to show everyone that a South African hotel can be of international standard. Really quite disappointing.

Establishment's response

Dear Miles Jacoby

Thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback. Your comments are highly appreciated and therefore we would like to sincerely apologize for the disappointing experience you had whilst staying with us.

What you have experienced during your stay is definitely not the standard which we have set for our establishment and it is most unfortunate that you have on this occasion. The concerns which you have raised have already been addressed as a matter of urgency.

The conditions surrounding breakfast on the day was out of the ordinary yet it does not give reason for your experience, this would apply to your check out at reception as well.

This is not the type of treatment that we would like either our local guests or our international guests to experience.

Measures have been set though to prevent this occurrence from taking place in the future.

When the next opportunity arises to visit us again, whether for a stay over or a meal, please let us know. We would be eager to treat you to a memorable experience which we are certain we can deliver.