Villa Simonne Boutique Hotel — Hotel in Gauteng

My husband and I go away for special occasions. I chose Villa Simonne based on their website where they mention: 'historic suburb of Houghton, home to late former President Nelson Mandela, Villa Simonne offers a completely unique experience'. The way the website is worded is completely misleading marketing. I believed this was Mandela's old home. I hence booked the most expensive room, anticipating this may have been his personal bedroom. Little did I know.

From driving in, seeing faded red awnings and welcome carpets, to the very old fashioned home with black granite all around, the facility is old, run down and should be fully renovated before inviting guests, at that price, to book in. I tried to stay optimistic.

The very welcoming receptionist told us it wasn’t Mandela’s home. She also said that there has been confusion in the past. Complete disappointment set in for us.

The room we checked into smelt musty upon entry. The duvet is very thin in 1 degree cold Johannesburg. I asked for another cover, so they brought up a blanket which smelt disgusting, I was unable to use it.

We were told the air conditioner didn’t work. The inverter couldn’t last to service us as a guest. We had to resort to a gas heater at the price of R3700 for a night.

If one removed the curtain tie backs from the curtains, they literally stand up by themselves, they are so dirty. The furniture is dirty, with a rug thrown over the chaise longue to hide the worn out fabric.

The carpet feels sticky under your feet it is so dirty.

The flooring in the jacuzzi room is raw concrete (not to create a modern feel, but simply due to lack of floor tiling), the WIFI kept cutting out, so they had to bring us another router. The room phone didn’t work to reception during load shedding, so I had to walk up and down the stairs multiple times to get some service. There is also no room bar.

The dining room looked so cold and unwelcoming that we cancelled our dinner and went out elsewhere. We also cancelled our breakfast which we had booked for 12 people to celebrate. This also was because it was so unpleasant, we didn’t feel that our guests would enjoy the experience.

This is the worst experience we have ever had in Gauteng. I wanted to leave but my husband didn’t want me to make a fuss on the night, his 70th birthday. I spent R3700 for the worst night ever.

I have never reviewed a facility like this, ever. I sent the review twice to Villa Simonne, to receive no response. This is why I am reviewing online.

The only compliment is to the front desk co-ordinator who was very professional from the very first moment.

The reviews on google and on their website must be fake. There is no way that those could possibly be real.

I strongly discourage anyone from booking at this hotel. To have stayed at home would have been a far better experience.

EDIT 22 August 2023: Thank you very much to the owner for reverting on the above matter. He has promised to action and amend the issues which I feel very happy about. I look forward to seeing the upgrade as I know that in business things can go wrong from time to time. It is how you fix things up that makes all of the difference. I am sure Dimitri will stick to his commitment and will ensure that all future patrons are very happy with their stay. I wish Villa Simonne well...

I have never been so DISGUSTED in a hotel in my life. We booked 11 rooms from the presidential to the standard rooms months in advance for some wedding guests to stay with us over night and enjoy breakfast with us.

The presidential suite was obviously something I was so looking forward to on my wedding night and was just completely disappointed. The ceiling was falling apart, the jacuzzi didn't have water in, the bathroom heater didn't work, steam room didn't work, cigarette burns everywhere, mould and filthy bath, the TV didn't work and neither did the airconditioning. I understand there was loadshedding from 8pm - 10pm but we didn't have power all night. The receptionist kept coming into my room without permission as well as calling the phone once I had kept the key in the door to keep it locked. After telling her multiple times that she needed to wait for my husband to get to the hotel as I did not feel comfortable dealing with her. The handle to the patio door fell out in my hand thank goodness I stopped the door before being locked outside with a handle that didn't work. One of our guests stayed in a cottage filled with mould, leaking ceiling, no power AT ALL and they were refused extra blankets and told they could have a free can of coke instead.

Now I could go on for ages about everything wrong with this place and why I WILL NEVER BE BACK.

Here's what made my decision set in stone. When speaking to the manager and I presume owner. They had told me that I needed to understand that the load shedding had destroyed their DB box (a completely different story to what the electrician told me). We needed to understand that is was a freak accident and has never happened before but now going through other reviews I see this is yet again another lie. I also do not understand how mould can be blamed on loadshedding? I'm sure if any health inspector was there they would be horrified.

Villa Simonne your hotel is disgusting, your staff is unsettling and your management needs to be...

Dear Maria and the entire team at Villa Simonne

I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you for making my 40th Birthday one I will never forget!

I'm so glad I came across your little hidden gem. My overall experience at your hotel exceeded all expectations, making it an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The hotel's elegant ambiance, coupled with impeccable service, ensured that every moment was enjoyable and relaxing.

From day one of enquiring about my birthday, Maria has been extremely helpful, friendly and so professional in all her communication. Planning my birthday was an absolute breeze and she catered to everything I wanted and met my expectations.

From check-in to check-out, the staff demonstrated professionalism and hospitality, catering to every need promptly and courteously. The rooms were not only impeccably clean but also tastefully decorated, offering breathtaking themes and ambiance. The comfortable bed and luxurious amenities provided a perfect stay over for my entire family.

Moreover, my birthday party in the evening was an absolute highlight. The venue was stunning and well-equipped, with seamless organization and attention to detail. The event staff were proactive and accommodating, ensuring that everything ran smoothly. We had an absolute blast!

Overall, I cannot recommend Villa Simonne highly enough for both accommodation and event hosting. Whether for business or leisure, this establishment promises a truly exceptional experience. I look forward to returning soon for another delightful stay.

See you...