Sophisticated rooms with African themes, plus South African dining, daily game drives and 2 pools.
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A truly awful experience that embarrassed me as a host to international guests.
The lovely reception staff were the only redeeming feature because soon afterwards we had to deal with the surly, miserable porter who seemed visibly shocked that I didn't give him a tip after his grumpy 'service'.
Rooms are OK at best, but seemed cramped and dark for the price. Extractor fan in the bathroom didn't work and hence had a very damp smell.
We had water in our fridge on the first day, but these were never replaced. My guests had none and cleaning staff didn't bring any after I asked them for some.
The restaurant is where the true horror lies in this place. The waiting staff were mostly doing an OK job, but the chefs behind the counter were hopeless.
My kids served themselves pasta that was supposed to be heated by the staff that should have been behind the pasta counter, but they just looked on from across the room as my kids struggled to reach over for sauces to put on the cold pasta. When they complained that the pasta was cold, I went to ask the chef what was going on only to find another of my party doing the same thing while three chefs were watching on from the restaurant side and not assisting. One miserable chef then went around the back of the counter and assisted me with heating my pasta and adding the sauces. I tried all three sauces, none of which I would consider edible.
The meat selection on our first night consisted of such overcooked chickens that the dry meat from my leg was difficult to prise away from the bone. Fortunately there was a large selection of overcooked, mushy vegetables to help me get the chicken down my throat.
The beef I was told was rare, so I asked for a nice rare slice and got a tough, grey overcooked piece right from the middle of the chunk of beef. The chef seemed to think that was rare.
The chicken curry was almost edible, but on the edge. The pappadoms flopped like badly starched napkins and tasted much the same.
As for the dessert selection, mostly it looked quite good, but looks did deceive us. Almost nothing tasted as it should apart from the fresh fruit. Awful doesn't begin to describe this terrible mix of cheap ingredients that mostly tasted like packet mixes from boarding school.
I am astounded that a head chef let any of that food out of the kitchen and struggle to believe s/he actually tasted any of it. If they did taste and still let it out to the restaurant, they are definitely not fit for the job.
I assume the general manager also never eats there and again if he ever does and has done nothing to counter the this insult to food, maybe he should be replaced too.
The breakfast was equally disappointing, but the 'special' eggs Benedict advertised on the table was particularly disgusting. If you go through the trouble of printing off special flyers for something like this, surely you put a bit of effort into the product. I have never had a muffin stick to my teeth like that. I also asked for the ham version as I didn't want to risk smoked salmon in such an awful restaurant, but they brought me the salmon anyway. Disgusting is too much praise.
As for the waffle bar, again let down mostly by a lack of staff, or when we finally got one to finally assist the kids instead of just watching them wait by the counter, they seemed upset that they now had to work. In any case, awful dry waffles and pancakes. If you can't even get a pancake right, what hope has a restaurant got.
The next day's meals were the same, but I'll run out of internet if I mention it all.
I have never been so embarrassed to take a party to a hotel before and it was all made worse as it was supposed to be a treat for my son's 13th birthday.
I thought I would be OK as this is part of the Legacy Group, but it seems that is no longer a name to be relied on or held in high regard like...
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What a beautiful 4 days we've just spent at Kwa Maritane. The staff are hardworking & it shows throughout the resort. The restaurant served delicious meals, including full buffet continental & cooked breakfast along with an omlette & waffle/pancake Station in the mornings. The restaurant staff are the most attentive I've come across, with smiles & acknowledged throughout the stay. This includes the chefs who were always ready to give their opinions & advice of what foods were available. We stayed in an executive room which was cleaned to the highest of standards & they do a turm down servoce in the evening, with a little chocolate treat. There's a fridge & safe in each room along with a bath & seperate power shower. We enjoyed sitting outside on our balcony during the hot daytime heat or beside the fence, watching the animals roam around the area in the park. The rooms have a multi regional plug & fits all plugs from over the world - great touch.
The Hide is a great addition to Kwa Maritane & you can sit & watch beside the water hole without the animals knowing (unless you have inconsiderate, loud, chatty people in the next room!) The pools are great, very clean & maintained daily - along with the rest of the grounds. There's a pool table, table tennis, football table, climbing wall, tennis courts, trampoline, mini golf & an onsite conservation area so all the family have something to do.
The game drives were great & our drivers were knowledgeable & hungry to tell us all they knew about all the animals & the park. The drivers all communicate via radios & when there's a sighting of some of the more elusive animals of the park, they share the location for everyone to have their turn in seeing the animal - Cue Ferrari Safari drivers !! I'd recommend taking some long sleeve tops & a hat/snood from April/May as the breeze in the truck in the mornings & in the evening can be very nippy - even with the lap blankets they provide! Half way through the drive, you stop at a toilet area & the driver has hot drinks, beers & soft drinks with snacks, for you to enjoy. Make sure you take a walk around the rest stop areas as they are often with hidden views of some stunning landscapes sceneries you will not want to miss. Take your camera to the toilet with you & thank me later !
The onside shop has extra jumpers & scaves if you forget to pack something warm plus they hold a nice range of gifts for all age groups.
Both myself & my partner have enjoyed our stay at Kwa Martine & this is all thanks to all the staff. It truly felt like a personal experience everywhere we turned. I hope to return in the future.
Oh, I forgot to say. At the reception area, for R75 you can purchase a box of food supplement which get distributed to the less wealthier communities. This is such a worthy cause & I am proud to have contributed. Thanks Kwa...
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Great place for a relaxing getaway! I stayed in the Executive King. The staff are amazing- so genuinely friendly and helpful. We received such a warm friendly welcome and it’s always something that kicks off a good stay for me The rooms are lovely, clean and the beds and pillows are very comfortable. Our room had a coffee machine with the most divine coffee. Coffee stations are also stocked along with Hug in a Mug sachets and rusks for a yummy treat. I enjoy small touches like that.
The food is delicious! Highlights for me are their roasts i.e. roast chicken and roast pork, as well as a delicious white mousse they make for dessert. Sublime! The restaurant has both inside and outside seating; and if sitting outside you can enjoy views of buck and baboon and abundant bird life.
We had a back and neck massage at the spa- and it was phenomenal! Probably the best massage I’ve ever had! It’s a must!
The game drive I thoroughly enjoyed. Our ranger was entertaining, knowledgeable and did a sterling job of ensuring we got to see a female leopard nice and clearly! Halfway through the drive we stop for a nice little hot chocolate/ coffee break, provided by Kwa Maritane. The only complaint I have here is this. Before we set off, there was a woman on the truck who said she’s terrified of elephants and if we see one she doesn’t want the ranger to go anywhere near it! I honestly didn’t think he would entertain such rubbish; but there was a massive elephant in the middle of the road in the short distance and because this woman mentioned again she’s scared true as hell, he turns around and goes the opposite direction! I was beyond livid!! A ranger should not allow the opinion of one guest to completely dilute the experience of 18 other people. We had paid a lot to be there! She should be told to flippin stay behind or close her eyes until it’s over! Never mind the fact she had been going on game drives everyday since she had been there! Absolutely unfair! I trust the rangers and the knowledge that they have, so I expect them to exercise that right. It was actually a low point for me and a lesson learnt if I’m in that position again I’m going to open my mouth. This is the reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5
Tips: The rooms do not have 2-pin plugs, so bring your own to charge your phone Do NOT follow the GPS coordinates from booking.com- they are completely incorrect and it led us to some run down area/township 45 mins away from the place! 2 hours of a waste of our...
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