EXTREMELY POOR HOSPITALITY SERVICE

Good day, My name is Alan Levitan. My wife and I are both pensioners and we recently booked a holiday in Kruger National Park and surrounding areas. As we are all aware our country has been through a terrible time recently with Covid-19 and we have all had our ups and downs through different stages of lockdown since March 2020. My wife and I were really looking forward to visiting our favorite destination in South Africa, Kruger National Park. My booking for this holiday was at Riverview Inn, Kruger National park, Sambonani lodge and Crocodile Bridge Safari Lodge. I was made aware when booking at Riverview Inn that there was no refund on reservations if we canceled, However our president Cyril Rhamaphosa closed down all traveling in July when we had the third wave. People were not allowed to leave the province in which they resided. Based on this instruction from our president I had no alternative but to cancel all accommodation. Every venue except for Riverview Inn gave me a credit note or allowed me to rebook for next year. No venue penalized me except for Riverview Inn. Mr. Y de Villiers, made it very clear that there is no refund due to me or a credit note, even though it was not my fault that I could not travel. I understand that if I canceled the booking I would lose my deposit. The fact that I could not travel was not a fault of my own but it was a ruling from the president of our country. Surely this is unforeseen circumstances, Mr. Y de Villiers could have given me a credit note. He has the temerity to challenge my intelligence. I find his response in extremely poor taste. A person like this should not be in the hospitality industry. He and Riverview inn can gladly keep my R800 and not refund it to me and I sincerely hope that all readers of this review do not make use of Riverview Inn and rather book elsewhere. You would think in these trying economic times when people are not traveling to holiday destinations, Riverview Inn could have been more accommodating and try and retain me as a future guest.