The Horror🤨

I had a reservation with Aloe Lifestyle Hotel from the 17th until the 19th December 2022. A day before my arrival, I called to enquire if I could check in early, as my flight was landing at King Shaka International Airport in the morning and I had to rush to a wedding. I informed the gentleman that I would be arriving at the hotel at 10am. The gentleman said that because I’m already scheduled to check in on that day, it will not be a problem. I enquired if I would not be met with any difficulties upon my arrival and he assured me that he would be the one checking me in, so I should not worry.

On the day of my arrival, about 30 minutes before I reached the hotel, I received a call from the said gentleman informing me I would be required to pay an extra fee for each hour that I would have checked in prior to their normal checkin-in time. One can imagine the shock because this is the same gentleman that assured me that all is well, the day before. Be-that-as-it-may, I paid part of this extra charge on the principle that this was never communicated.

I checked in and went about my day. Later that night (at around mid-night) upon my return to the hotel, there was a full-on party a few meters away from the guest rooms. The noise was unbearable and I called the reception to enquire. I was told that they “normally have events every weekend and they switch off the sound at around 2am” - the horror😳 I asked them what their policy is on noise levels and where in their website or publications have they informed their guests about this so-called normality. They could not give me an answer. How are paying guests supposed to accept noise levels after midnight at a hotel and no-one is able to do anything about it?

Then there was breakfast the following morning… The restaurant is connected to what I assume is a club and at 8:30am, they are already playing loud music; then there’s the rotten attitude from one of the ladies dishing out food, to waiting long for food. What a waste of my time and energy. The food is dry and could do with a revamp.

Their only saving grace is that the hotel is well-maintained and is looks better than other establishments in the area. Would I come back? NO!