Young black families looking to vacation in Ballito, Villa royale - please reconsider

What an utterly nightmarish experience.

To begin with, the paperwork required before and upon arrival is absurdly excessive. I have never encountered such a ridiculous amount of documentation for a mere three-night stay. This should have been my first indication that we were about to endure relentless harassment throughout our visit and even after our departure.

Now, let’s discuss the aesthetics of the property. While the flat is located at a pleasant distance from the beach, accessing it is quite challenging. The building itself is extremely old and in dire need of renovation. Parking is painfully tight; maneuvering our SUV was a struggle.

The view from the seventh-floor unit is indeed breathtaking, but the balcony is a mere afterthought—less than a meter wide, barely accommodating a single chair.

Next, I must address the appalling treatment we received from the agent. Just before our arrival, she inundated us with a barrage of repetitive WhatsApp messages insisting that check-in is after 2 PM and demanding to know our arrival time. There was no opportunity to settle in before she bombarded us with more messages—her obsession was palpable.

On the morning following our first night, the cleaner arrived at the crack of dawn before we had even brushed our teeth. To make matters worse, she returned later that day to check if we had locked the door. It remains unclear whether she was inspecting the entire complex or if we were singled out.

On our second morning, after taking a shower, I was met with a flood of messages from the agent and a missed call inquiring about our whereabouts. She insists on being updated on our location at all times during our stay. Moreover, she sent us pictures of the unit showing the books our young children (ages 2 and 4) were playing with, reprimanding us for their actions. It’s crucial to highlight that we were never provided with a list of prohibited items in the unit.

This leads me to our third and final morning. We attempted to contact the agent to inquire about what to do with the unit's key but found her completely unreachable. After our departure, she sent us pictures of used towels and bedding—none of which had been changed since our arrival, by the way—demanding that we cover the cost of these items. In my experience, such items should be laundered by the staff. She expressed her displeasure at our use of these items, despite the fact that we were never informed to bring our own towels and bedding prior to our visit, nor were we given any guidelines regarding what was off-limits in the flat.

This entire ordeal ruined what should have been a relaxing holiday. It is unclear whether we were targeted due to our identity as young Black women traveling with children, but I would strongly caution other young Black families against staying here—you will be treated as if you do not belong, despite paying for your stay. Additionally, I would not recommend this property for families, as it is not child-friendly in the slightest. The agent’s texts lacked any semblance of greeting, reflecting a disturbing lack of manners and respect for guests. Prop247 must improve its staff vetting process. What a truly horrific experience.