Never Again Will I Return!!!

I am writing to convey my profound disappointment with Tsogo Sun and the unfortunate experience we encountered during our recent stay at the Emerald Palace. My family and I chose this location to celebrate my parents' anniversary, but it quickly became clear that this decision was a regrettable one.

From the moment we arrived at the hotel, the reception staff displayed an alarming lack of professionalism and courtesy, making us feel unwelcome right from the start. After a long day of traveling, we were looking forward to enjoying a meal at The Graze restaurant. However, we were completely ignored by the staff, and after waiting an unreasonable amount of time without any acknowledgment, we decided to leave without placing an order. Feeling disheartened, we found solace at ****** Gas, where we were greeted by Karabo (KB), whose friendly demeanor and sense of humor transformed our otherwise disappointing day into a pleasant experience.

After decorating my parents' room, we opted to give The Graze restaurant another shot, hoping that the advertised curry night would redeem our earlier disappointment. To our astonishment, there was no curry to be found—only an unappealing stew. Moreover, the buffet lacked any signage, forcing us to guess what we were actually eating, which added to our frustration. Unfortunately, the service that evening was even worse than before, however, Keamo made it fun and more enjoyable. It felt as though we were being punished for choosing to celebrate such a significant milestone, turning a joyous occasion into a distressing one.

The following morning revealed more issues with customer service; the housekeeping staff appeared unwilling to clean my parents' room (at the hotel), which was left in disarray from the previous day's reconstruction had to implore them to attend to it - which they were extremely reluctant to do...It was as if the staff at this resort did not want to work. In stark contrast, when we requested room service for our chalet—giving them ample notice of an hour—the cleaner's reaction was dismissive, marked by an annoyed glare before she simply walked away.

To further add to our dissatisfaction, approximately 25% of the television channels were not functioning, leaving us with diminished expectations for the in-room entertainment.

We had dedicated significant time and effort to planning my parents' anniversary celebration, only to be met with such pervasive negativity and unwelcoming attitudes. The activities we hoped to partake in were not even available on the property, reducing Emerald Palace to merely a place to lay our heads while we sought enjoyment elsewhere.

In conclusion, this resort, despite its polished exterior and marketing hype, failed to deliver on the essential elements of hospitality. The indifferent behavior of the staff severely tarnished our experience, and it’s clear that we will not be returning to a location where we felt so unwelcome and undervalued.