Palmwood Guest House — Hotel in KwaZulu-Natal

DO NOT BOOK HERE – WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!

I would give zero stars if I could. This was the most fraudulent and unprofessional experience I’ve ever had with a booking.

Our check-in was cancelled on the very morning we were supposed to arrive, something we obviously didn’t see because we were traveling. Instead of having the decency to call us, they simply sent an email and expected us to somehow see it. When we arrived at the property, that’s when we found out our booking was cancelled. Their response? Blaming us for not checking emails, as if they had given us proper notice. They were rude, dismissive, and completely unprofessional.

Hoping for a resolution, we waited outside their property for nearly four hours—ignored, with no updates or assistance. And after all that time, they finally responded just to tell us to leave and “make a plan” because, according to them, they had already informed us at 11 AM that our 2 PM check-in was cancelled.

To make matters even worse, it was raining, and they left us stranded in an unfamiliar place with nowhere to go. There was zero sympathy, zero accountability, and absolute disrespect.

Eventually, we got hold of David, the owner, who assured us that we could check into another property and that he would cover the costs. Given that this happened right before Christmas (December 21st, 2024), last-minute accommodation was extremely expensive. Since he personally assured us that he would refund the cost, we trusted him and booked the alternative stay.

Now, it’s February 17 2025, and we still haven’t received a single cent. But here’s the worst part—

David claimed money from Agoda, saying they should also be liable. He told us that he had already received the refund from Agoda and was supposed to transfer the money to us. But instead of doing the right thing, he has completely ghosted us—no replies to calls, no responses to messages, just silence.

This is not just bad service—it’s dishonest and fraudulent. He knowingly had us spend way more money than planned, promised to reimburse us, and then disappeared.

David, since you’re no longer answering our calls or messages, perhaps legal action will get your attention. We will explore all possible legal avenues to ensure that you are held accountable.

To anyone considering booking this place—DON’T DO IT. The business is unreliable, dishonest, and completely untrustworthy. Stay...

We checked in on Friday 4th December on what was a very rainy, wet evening. Giselda assisted with keys to rooms 3 and 4 and did warn me of slippery tiles, however despite trying to be careful, I slipped and fell all the way down the first set of tiled stairs going downwards towards the rooms. ||||This resulted in injuries to 3 of my knuckles, blue marks along my thigh, elbow and back and a hurt head. ||Giselda did help with some plasters and the like, however this did not take away the fact that for the rest of the weekend, I was so afraid and nervous to use the stairs. I am terribly upset that I came to Durban for a quick break but ended up hurt and unable to walk without limping in pain.||||I am still in pain, 1 week and 3 days later and have had to fork out the cash to pay for medical attention. Please do something about the lack of safety measures in your property as this can lead to serious repercussions with other guests. ||||I would also like to know how I will be compensated for the incidents that occurred on your...

Nice and clean guesthouse, however I felt uneasy even before checking in, because of the way the manager spoke to me. When I made a reservation, I requested for a late check in, and it was not an issue, until the day we were to check in. The manager called asking if I know that they close at 6pm, and asked why we are arriving so late. She further went on to bash the person who was assisting with the reservation( their employee). The following day at breakfast, they had not prepared food for my 4 year old child, she had to watch us eat as they took time to prepare food. Bathroom essentials were not replenished, the manager told us that they’d go bankrupt if they replenished the soap on subsequent days, and that other guests usually bring their own soap. I don’t know how subsequent days of stay are treated differently, when we paid the same price...