Glen Avon Lodge - Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Constantia

Our stay at Glen Avon Lodge Boutique Hotel left us with mixed feelings. A major highlight was the exceptionally kind and helpful staff, with whom we enjoyed pleasant morning conversations during breakfast. Their warmth truly added a positive touch to our experience. However, while the staff were friendly, they did not display the level of professionalism or training expected from a 5-star establishment, which the hotel claims to be.

Unfortunately, the hotel itself feels like it has seen better days. Loose tiles in various parts of the property, including by the pool, and visible wear and tear in the rooms detracted from the overall impression. Additionally, the pool was not always properly maintained, which further diminished our enjoyment of the facilities.

Breakfast, while featuring fresh products such as fruits, cheeses, and cold cuts, was monotonous and lacked healthier options – all cereals and yogurts were sweetened. A nice touch was the inclusion of mulberries picked from a tree in the hotel garden, adding a bit of local charm to the experience.

One particularly frustrating and baffling detail was that bottled water in the rooms was not included in the price and had to be purchased separately. This felt completely out of place for a hotel of this supposed caliber. Many other guests raised the same concern in their reviews, to which the owner responded by pointing out that tap water is safe to drink and bottled water is an additional charge (sic!). While this might be a unique practice in South Africa, the tap water was unpleasant in taste, leaving us no choice but to purchase bottled water. At €300 per night, this felt like an unnecessary and ungracious expense.

The quality of the coffee capsules provided in the rooms was also extremely disappointing. The coffee was virtually undrinkable, and the capsules seemed to be among the cheapest available from local supermarkets. For a hotel of this supposed quality, this lack of attention to detail was simply unacceptable.

In a place like Constantia, renowned for its wine production, it would have been a thoughtful gesture to offer guests a complimentary welcome bottle of wine. A reasonably good local wine, which is inexpensive in this region, would have added a wonderful touch to the stay. Given the high room rates, such gestures seem almost obligatory, and their absence left us with the impression of unnecessary stinginess.

A nice surprise, however, was the daily note delivered by the staff with the weather forecast for the day. Alongside the note, two small chocolates were included. Unfortunately, the chocolates were of very low quality, tasting more like a chocolate substitute, which detracted from what could have been a delightful detail. A shame, as the idea itself was excellent.

The biggest disappointment, however, was the lack of the 5-star standard we had anticipated. The price suggested a luxury experience, but the overall quality was closer to that of a 3-star hotel. We were also surprised and ultimately misled by the large number of overwhelmingly positive reviews for this hotel. Based on our experience, the reality did not align with the glowing feedback that influenced our decision to stay here.

In summary, despite the friendly staff and a few pleasant details, the outdated facilities, lack of premium touches, untrained service, and poor attention to detail left us disappointed. This is not a place we would choose...

I stayed recently for 4 nights while visiting Cape Town on business. The location is very conveniently situated in the Constantia valley, surrounded by plenty of Vineyards yet close access to the city and the coast on all sides. The shopping centres nearby cater for all needs, and there are plenty of local restaurants to enjoy. The room was very comfortable with luxury linens, and all the usual 5* amenities expected in a boutique hotel. Also a large screen streaming app tv. The full English breakfast was delicious accompanied by fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt, toast, fresh juices and filter coffee. I didn't get chance to swim or sunbathe but there is a lovely private garden and heated pool for guest use. A special thanks to all the staff, they are all very friendly and welcoming and ensured my stay was very pleasant indeed. I'll be back next...

Dieses 5 Sterne Gästehaus hat nicht 5 Sterne verdient. Vielleicht waren die 5 Sterne mal vor Jahren OK, aber heute sieht man nur noch den Glanz vergangener Tage. Abgewohnte Möbel, kaputte Badezimmer Einrichtung. Halterungen für Toiletten Papier hängen schief und werden nicht repariert. Abfalleimer sehren von außen schäbig aus und gehören ausgetauscht. Das heisse Wasser ist nur warm, egal ob Morgens, Mittags oder Abends. Das Frühstück ist auf dem Stand von vor ca. 5 - 10 Jahren. Nur Filterkaffee ist inkludiert. Der schmeckt aber nicht. Wenn man dann z.B. Cappuccino möchte, wird man freundlichst darauf hingewiesen dass der extra kostet. In welchem Jahr leben wir? Heute gibt es fast weltweit den Kaffee den man auch gerne trinken möchte inklusive. Vielleicht nicht in einem 3 Sterne Haus, aber Glen Avon bezeichnet sich selbst als 5 Sterne Haus und da sollte der Kaffee inkludiert sein den der Gast auch mag gerne mag. Erschwerend kommt hinzu dass ein Flasche Wasser auf dem Zimmer 40 Rand kostet. Das sollte ebenfalls inkludiert sein. Selbst in Restaurants kostet eine Flasche Wasser 35 Rand. Wir reisen sehr viel und wissen, dass die Hotels vor ein paar Jahren noch für Wasser auf dem Zimmer viel Geld verlangt haben. Diese Zeiten sind Gott sei Dank vorbei und man bekommt heute Wasser gratis. Nicht so im Glen Avon. Darauf angesprochen bekamen wir zur Antwort dass das Leitungswasser trinkbar sei. Er ist nicht alles schlecht im Glen Avon. Aber Kritik wird teilweise frech beantwortet und nicht ernst genommen. Eigentlich schade, denn mit Kritik sollten die Besitzer als Hinweis nehmen dass eventuell etwas schief läuft. Insgesamt hatten wir den Eindruck, das die Besitzer nur noch Geld aus dem Business ziehen aber nicht mehr reinverstieren um das Gästehaus auf einem hohen Standard zu halten. Wir haben mir anderen Gästen gesprochen die das genau so sahen. Jemand sagte uns dass es zu den Zeiten als der Vater noch das Haus managte alles viel besser war. Der Garten hätte auch gegenüber früher sehr gelitten. Schade eigentlich. Gut das wir unserer Meinung hier sagen dürfen auch wenn ich befürchte, dass die Besitzer eine böse Antort auf meine Kritik hier auf TripAdvisor einstellen. Ich würde als Besitzer diese Kritik zum Anlass nehmen und überlegen ob man nicht vielleicht in all den Jahren etwas betriebsblind geworden ist und...