Lighthouse Farm Lodge — Hotel in Observatory

When we arrived at the backpackers we were taken on a tour of the facilities. We were taken to a mixed dormitory where we interrupted what seemed to be a live-in prostitute servicing her client. In response to the disruption, she nonchalantly said to us its a backpackers, what do we expect. Because we had not figured out then that she was a prostitute we brushed it off as travelers just having fun. However, we heard her on her phone dealing with her clients. We then moved to the bathrooms where we found that it was being used to do drugs in. The complete bathroom was filled with smoke and all the cubicles were locked. We should have taken that as enough of a sign not to stay but we were desperate and so we made our way to a mixed dorm that only had two other guys in it. Everything seemed okay but when we went to sleep that night, another man made his way into the dorm. Because you need a key to get in I assumed that that was his bed. In the middle of the night I woke up to the same man having what seemed to be an epileptic seizure. The man next to him was also woken up by his fit. However, he said he could hear the fit for almost 20 minutes in his sleep. We got out of our beds and went to report it to the front desk operators (Lucy )who made a few calls and told us it was not that serious, that they suffer from epilepsy and he should be okay. On that response, we politely packed our bags and left at 2am in the morning. Altogether, this was a horrible experience. I wouldn't recommend this as a place to stay for anyone visiting Cape Town.

In Response to the owner's response below: I did not judge or condemn the man having the fit. I left the backpackers because the people running the reception chose not to take the 30 minute seizure of the man too seriously. They did not call for any medical assistance. I had a problem with their reaction to the medical emergency.

The woman was a prostitute. Her going rate was R1500 an hour. She spoke it out loud.

This was my experience of the backpackers. Perhaps its different on other...

Firstly, my bed was dirty and the linen didn't smell nice at all. Ant infested the dorm room area. I booked in the afternoon and later that evening a friend of mine stopped by to say hello. I asked the manager on duty (angy)that my friend would like to book for the night. She refused her accommodation and told my friend that they have no open beds. This was not the truth as there were 11 beds open in the dorm. I was the only person in the dorm and we confirmed with Angy that it's fine she can stay with me in the dorm. Angy still refused. It started getting late and just before 11pm the evening angy told my friend she must leave the premises. South african with covid situation that no one is allowed after 11pm out on the street or in vehicle. Angy contacted uber and found my friend a lift to her house. After refusing a woman accommodation she sent her out after 11pm risking her being locked up by saps. Then angy came to me and forces me to pay the uber amount back to her. I felt that this was malicious actions by angy. The next day I sent her boss an WhatsApp stating what happened. According the the owner angy told her that my friend was completely drunk on her arrival. This was not the case and it's a lie! I would like to know how can this be allowed. My friend is getting her attorney involved as this is discrimination against...

The place is difficult to find n when you do eventually find it is located in a very scary n semi run down village..with some old n deserted n deteriorated houses.

The receptionist Lucy was very friendly but couldn't really help with much. Further more the rooms are nothing compared to what is placed on thier pictures on the Internet..we paid 340 for and when questioned why our room looks so different we were not given s straight answer. We chose to grin n bear it since we only staying for 1 night. However the rooms havd have some mouldy smell, the hygiene especially in the toilet n bathroom needs to be improved one is to uncomfortable to even take a shower because it was so dirty with pubic hair not cleaned and on the walls.

Personally I would never return here, they know how to bandage and make excuses for everything..you can watch tv but there was no signal the whole day,they have free WiFi but it never worked.

I think I would be happy if I knew what to expect based on thier website. So rather them show the rooms as they actually are n not mislead people because even the ladies who checked in after us were shocked.

Nontheless the only positive experience for me whilst being there was leaving Monday morning and a very informative and friendly tenant...