None Compliance to Covdi19 protocols and false advertising

Compliant: Mellowood House (Bed and Breakfast), 23 Thaba Moriri, Bela Bela.

I will NOT recommend this Bed and Breakfast. Don’t let the photos fool you. The Hosts are very unprofessional and what they advertise is not what you get. We were only allowed to stay in our rooms. You are not allowed to use the dining table or lounge area which are on the photos on bookings.com. When we asked about this, she immediately told us this is Booking.com advertising not hers and it’s not her problem or fault.

You are basically renting a room in their home. And you are not allowed to use the “Home area”. If she was a good host, she could have seen our dilemma and could have offered us to use her kitchen. But she just kept on telling us we did not read the fine lines.

The only positive thing was the view from our room. Other than that I will not recommend this Bed and Breakfast.

When I asked then why are the photos on Bookings.com if we are not allowed to use the facility, I was told it is Bookings.com mistake as they do false advertising and not them. The rooms only had plates, glasses, cutlery and mugs. There were no microwave or area where you can prepare you food or warm up food. We were told we are not allowed to use her kitchen or stove. Only the down stairs room are allowed to use the microwave available.

This Bed and Breakfast does not practice good principles as per the South African National Consumer Protection Act (CPA) came into effect on 1 April 2011. The Act is aimed at promoting fairness, openness and good business practice between the suppliers of goods or services and consumers of such goods and services.

But which was most concerning was that this Bed and Breakfast was also not compliant with the Disaster Management Act, 2002 and regulations. 1. NO screening was done on arrival and check-in; 2. NO Hand sanitizers were available on arrival and check-in or entering the premises or in your rooms: 3. NO masks or shields was worn; • We were told: “Please take off your masks, you are now in our house and here we don’t wear masks, if one gets Covid19 then we all get it”. Which is very inconsiderate as my girlfriend has an auto-immune disease and are very cautious where we go. 4. NO social distancing. The host did not adhere to the distance of least one and a half metres from each other as per the Department of Tourism notice 514 of 2020 5. NO display a certificate of occupancy which sets out the maximum number of persons the facility may hold. The premises were also fully booked and not at 50% capacity. This Bed and Breakfast pretend like Covid19 does not exist.