Caledon Hotel and Spa

Wow, to say I am disappointed, is an understatement.

We got there’s 2:20pm to check in and they could not find my payment I made online to secure my booking. I booked a Valentines Special. This included a R350 dinner voucher and R400 Spa Treatment voucher.

Took them 10min to determine which room was ours. Off we went while they looked for my payment. Rooms were dated but clean and comfortable. There was no tea or coffee in the room.

We went directly to the Spa to check what’s on offer and book our treatment. We were told that they were fully booked and that we could not have any of the treatments. We could however redeem our voucher with facial products ( which are all seriously overpriced ). We asked if we could swap our voucher for a food voucher then. No. Could we use it at a later stage? No. So the voucher was a no go.

In the pools, one of the other people staying there suggested we go and place our order for our dinner right then and there, as it is crazy in the evenings with massive lines etc. we were doing to eat in our room anyway. We went and placed our order and said we would like it ready at 8pm. We went to fetch our food as room service ( that is advertised ) was not available. We took our food to our room, to discover that they had given us styrofoam containers and 2 plastic forks. We were having steak. Sauces were missing. So back I went to get the sauces and ask for plates and proper cutlery. We were given plates after I had to beg and was given 2 plastic knives. I had to beg and explain that we ordered steak and could not eat it without proper cutlery. The sauce we requested was not available. The sauce they gave us was off and sour ( cheese sauce ). By the time I got back to the room, our food was ice cold. We ordered our steaks to be medium to well done. It was raw. The wife and I had our cold chips and a few pieces of steak from the edge that was kind of edible. I was too disappointed and tired to complain again. We left it and went to sleep. Suddenly our room phone started ringing. It was 10:30pm. I didn’t answer. There were kids and people running up and down the hallways and banging doors till past 11. Now the wife and I are turning 40, so in no ways are we old folks or fuddyduddies. However this was not a relaxing evening as we had planned.

The next morning we went for a last swim in the spa pools ( very green and slimy with algae ), but we didn’t mind.

We went to check out and we were presented with a bill. They had found my online payment but said they put me in a room that was R218 more than the room I booked online. I never asked for another room or was told that the room they are putting us in, was going to cost more. I of course said that it was ridiculous. They plainly ignored me and waited for me to pay. By that time I had had enough and just wanted to leave. I paid them and left. They did not refund of the R400 for 2 pool towels. They will pay that into our bank account during the week. I am not holding my breath that we will receive that.

There were no porters or anyone to assist you outside the hotel itself.

Very very bad service and not a nice time at all.