Extremely disappointing and unacceptable experience.

We booked Cedar Guesthouse through Agoda on the evening of 25 September 2026. Our booking was confirmed and payment was made. We therefore travelled from home at approximately 07:00 the following morning, believing that we had secured accommodation.

While travelling to Howick, we called Cedar Guesthouse to ask what time we could check in. It was only during this call that we were told that the guesthouse was fully booked and could not accommodate us.

What is even more concerning is that we were only given an explanation after we advised them that we had a confirmed booking. We were then told via WhatsApp that another guest had extended their stay.

That explanation does not answer the obvious question: How was our booking accepted and confirmed if there was no accommodation available?

Why was the room made available for booking in the first place? Why was our booking confirmed and payment accepted? And most importantly, why did nobody from Cedar Guesthouse contact us before we travelled?

Had we not called, would we simply have arrived at the guesthouse with our family and luggage, only to be told that there was no accommodation for us?

This was not a small inconvenience. Our entire family had to turn around and travel back home that evening through a terrible storm, after having already travelled all the way towards Howick based on the reasonable expectation that our confirmed booking would be honoured.

An apology is simply not enough when a family has been put through this level of inconvenience and distress.

If a guest extends their stay, that is something the establishment needs to manage internally. It should never become the problem of a new guest who has already made and paid for a confirmed reservation.

Very disappointing experience. We expected much better communication, professionalism and accountability from an accommodation establishment.