Elephant Walk Guesthouse and Backpackers — Hotel in Ba-Phalaborwa Local Municipality

I stayed at this guesthouse for about 7 weeks and I’ll rate it based on the security, shower and internet. These 3 are what I consider important whenever I look for a accommodation.

SECURITY: This place has poor security. 3 cases of theft (Tv, phone and my case) were report whilst I was there.

On 18/08/2021, I lost my laptop, ID, Passport and all that was in my laptop bag. I left my bag hidden under the bed and covered with my clothes. Locked my room and went to work at PMC around 08:00 and came back around 17:00, found my door locked. When I wanted to use my laptop to write a work report, I couldn’t find it. Went to the owner, who’s house is just next to my room (room BB4), asked him and he told that he heard people moving up and down in the street during the day. They could be the ones who have stolen it. The owner couldn’t even think of asking the garden boy or anyone who was working outside during the day.

I went to the police and reported the matter, police came, had a chat with the owner afterwards, called the garden boy, asked him and he replied that he saw a tall guy coming from my room with a black bag. Asked if he knew the guy, he says he doesn’t know him and he has never seen him before.

The police left and said the detective will follow up the case. The following day I asked the cleaner and she said she left my door unlocked after cleaning and went to the kitchen to clean my plates. When she returned from the kitchen, the garden boy told her about the tall guy who left with black bag.

Came back to Johannesburg after 2 days. After 4 days of not hearing anything from the owner or the police, I called the owner to ask him why he is so unconcerned about the matter, he replied “THE GUEST HOUSE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ITEMS LOST”. This statement did and does not make sense to me coz my items were lost not because of my negligence but coz the cleaner left my door unlocked.

Even up to day, I have not heard anything from the owner. My advise, if you will go stay there, NEVER LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE ROOM otherwise, you are better off finding another lodge or guest house with better security system.

SHOWERS: the water is either cold or hot 🤦🏽‍♂️ . Balancing those showers is a mission and after you balance, the water will be either cold or hot within 4min. I stayed in 4 different rooms within my 7 week stay and the room opposite the kitchen was the only one which had a better shower that you can balance the cold and hot water.

WiFi: the WiFi works perfectly well.

Oh the place is clean, those cleaners...

The owners are very nice people and I know they only have the guest house for 4 months.The rooms are next to the kitchen and the backpackers who have a community lounge, even thought there are notes up with no loud noise after 22h00 the owners do not have control on it as there house is further up. The TV is loud so nobody can sleep who's rooms are close to the TV.We do go and stay over a lot in the bushveld and this is the first time that we got a place with so many mosquitoes. My daughter counted over 32 just flying around in the bathroom. The windows can not close properly so even if you do fumigate your room at night they are back. Somewhere there must be a place on the property that the mosquitoes are targeting as I grew up in Phalaborwa and we always made a plan. The other problem we had was that the place is advertised as self catering but you only have a microwave and few cups. The owner said if something is short we can just go and take out the kitchen from the back packers side. The chalet was defiantly not self catering. The atmosphere is very nice, the owners are friendly and helpful but having a guest house with backpackers next to it...

The entrance of the property was wrong on Google maps to start of with. The Gate and name was also poorly lit.||Upon arrival we were shown our room, which is not like the photos on Lekkerslaap.||The cutlery, cups and plates were all dusty and we had to rinse it to use it.||The kettle was dirty inside and could not be plugged in, in the kitchen as there were no plugs. We had to move it and boil it next to the bed in the main bedroom.||The water was warm only enough for one shower then went cold again.||The main bedroom bed's matrass was poor and my wife and my self kept rolling to the middle against one onoter. I don't think I will...