Appalling service and zero standards at Hotel@Tzaneen and Crawdaddy’s

My stay at Hotel@Tzaneen was one of the most disappointing hotel experiences I’ve ever had, made worse by the shocking breakfast service at Crawdaddy’s, the restaurant the hotel uses.

To start, breakfast was a complete disaster. I ordered Sunnyside up eggs, a simple request, and waited nearly 30 minutes while the restaurant was practically empty. After asking twice, a chef finally emerged with an unconvincing excuse that they were “busy with other orders.” When the food eventually arrived, the egg whites were still raw. I sent them back, and another 20 minutes went by before they were returned. To add insult to injury, the chef tried to lecture me that the eggs were “soft,” displaying both arrogance and ignorance. Anyone with basic kitchen knowledge knows that “soft” refers to the yolk, not undercooked whites.

The incompetence didn’t stop there. We asked for housekeeping before heading out, only to return at 3 PM to find that the room hadn’t even been started. The TV didn’t work properly, and the bathroom lights were out, leaving the room in partial darkness. For a hotel that presents itself as reputable, this is completely unacceptable.

What’s worse is the complete lack of urgency, professionalism, or accountability from staff. There’s no sense that management cares about guests or the quality of service being provided. Everything feels untrained, uncoordinated, and careless, from the restaurant kitchen to hotel maintenance.

If Hotel@Tzaneen and Crawdaddy’s want to keep calling themselves part of the hospitality industry, they need to go back to basics. Right now, both establishments are an embarrassment to the town and to anyone expecting even minimal standards of service. I would strongly advise anyone considering a stay here to look elsewhere.