Blue Marlin All-Inclusive Seascape By Dream Resorts — Hotel in uMdoni Local Municipality

What a horrible weekend. I regret spending my birthday weekend at the Blue Marlin Hotel. If you’re going to pay influencers to promote your business, make sure they’re promoting facts and not lies! A week before I booked, I called to ask if the ‘activities’ listed online were truly part of the all-inclusive package. I was told yes. Online, it says: “EXCITING ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES AT BLUE MARLIN ALL-INCLUSIVE SEASCAPE” and lists activities like archery, axe throwing, snorkeling, and dolphin swims. I saw none of this.

Two days before checking in, I called again to confirm if we needed to book any activities, as my friend and I were especially interested in the Blue Ocean Adventure. Again, I was told it was all-inclusive with no need to book. When we arrived after 14:00—check-in time was at 14:00—our room still wasn’t ready. We decided to ask about the day’s itinerary, only to be told that the Blue Ocean activities were not part of the inclusive package and required extra payment. Even after I’d confirmed twice, I was shocked. When I asked what was included, they mentioned things like bonfires and beach walks. I asked what the all-inclusive covered, and the person (likely a manager) said “the food.” I was shocked to the core.

We missed lunch because our room wasn’t ready. When we finally got into our room, there was only one charging point, which didn’t even work. Then, we went for “high tea,” which was laughable. They advertised a “3-course dinner,” but it was just a basic dinner with a disappointing dessert. They made up for it by singing to me, but that was the only nice part of the day.

The drink situation was awful. They ran out of strawberry daiquiris, and when I opted for Savanna Dry, they were out of that too. The indoor activities were mainly for kids, so I ended up looking for entertainment outside. When I’d called earlier, I was told they had a shuttle to nearby areas but was not informed that it would be at an additional cost. I asked about booking a ride to a nearby golf course, and was told it would cost R250 per person per trip. For the two of us, it would have been R1000. Furious, I booked a cab that cost R120 round-trip instead.

We came back just in time for lunch, only to find limited options. I settled for vegetarian pasta and salad. High tea later on was still lacking, and dinner was even worse. I had to eat the same vegetarian pasta again because there were hardly any other options.

After lunch, we tried the sauna and jacuzzi, which were supposedly included. The jacuzzi wasn’t cleaned properly and was disgusting. I spent the rest of my birthday night playing pool with other guests, as that was the best entertainment option.

Would you want to spend your birthday like that? I expected high standards, great food, flowing drinks, and a memorable experience. Instead, I got the complete opposite. I settled for a terrible passion fruit cocktail and was left deeply disappointed. The female staff were rude and unhelpful. I hated my weekend here and have never regretted spending my money more. This place will never see me again. What a...

@Blue Marlin Resort All Inclusive Seascape thank you for hosting us this weekend.

As a family of 5 we absolutely loved our stay!

Accommodation: The family room was expected and i love that they added a cot bed and nappy bin for baby! And upon request you can add a baby bath tub!!! Talk about convenience! This added features are 100/100 for me as a mommy.

Kids and entertainment: For younger kids, i loved that they have kids play areas, cinema, games room, jungle gym and outdoor play area. The bonus was having a dedicated baby sitter to watch your lil one while your doing other activities. Even more impressive is the fact that they have curated activities and games throughout the day to entertain your kids! Milkshake making, treasure hunt, patt patt, kraft and shooting and more! Parents get to have fun without worrying about the kids! A solid 15/10

Mangwanani Spa, having their facilities at the resort is pure genius because whether you like it or not you gotta go for pampering! Also their hospitality was top tier

Dinning and bar facilities: Well the taste is in the pudding!!! When they say all inclusive they legit mean all inclusive. Eat as you please and drink as you please. Food range was amazing and dinner time was themed Mama Mia on night 1 and Sofia Town on night 2! The staff here get a solid 100/100 for hospitality, entertainment and paying attention to details

For adults: Coconut Grove for a fun night out! Fancy a low key groove or games night??? This place is the one! I absolutely had fun here. A nursing mommy also deserves a break 🌸

Pool area and outdoor bar are family oriented, surrounded by beach loungers you can easily watch your kids in the pool area and over the slides! Simply order a cold bev at Blue Pearl and enjoy the views.

Beach: and if you fancy a walk on the beach or a young wavey splash, the resort has its own access to the beach, curated with beach laungers and umbrella. They have activities like learning how to surf and other deep water activities such as diving, shark cage diving, snorkelling, dolphin spotting! I swear a weekend was not enough 😭

And if you didn’t fly in and opted to drive, have peace of mind that your car is safe in the resort’s parking which has a 24H security. There is complimentary open parking and paid undercover parking, so the choice is yours.

Shuttle services: And depending where you wanna go, they offer shuttle services at a fee for your convenience! But the way i see it, you have no reason to set your foot outside the resort unless yoir checking out 🤣🤣🤣

There was a lot on offer so i easily could have missed something! Either way this first of its kind all inclusive seascape was everything and more than what we expected from @Dream Hotels & Resorts

From my family and I, thank you Blue Marlin for hosting us! I can absolutely recommend this resort without any...

Blue Marlin All Inclusive needs improvement in professionalism, customer care, and cleanliness.||I booked a room for an adult/couple with a 7-year-old online through their website. I selected 7 in the drop-down menus, and the system generated a quote that I accepted and paid a 50% deposit. Two days before our arrival, I received an email to do an online check-in and included the 7-year-old. Upon arrival, the front desk staff asked which agency I used, despite me using their website. She then asked if we had a child and confirmed that I had included it. She charged me an extra 1100 for the child, despite accepting the quotation with it included. A manager convinced us to accept a discounted rate of R350 per night for the child.||The meals were poor, so management improved the menus until we left after some guests complained. I hope it stayed this way. The meals are clearly cooked for a large crowd without love in the preparation. ||The rooms were not cleaned properly, and the building needed maintenance. Used dishes were left in the passages of the rooms, and the eating/dining tables were not cleaned for the next guest. I had to request that they be cleaned before I could sit, which left unpleasant views and resentment about the kitchen.||Waiters and managers visit our table daily to take orders, but only about 70% of our requests are fulfilled. We must go to the bar to order ourselves. The staff is uncaring, impersonal, and unprofessional.||The kids’ amenities are good. They have daily activities, great swimming pools, and the kids enjoyed them. This is their only strength. The daily entertainment for both kids and adults is good.||However, the place is poorly maintained. Regular cleaning is needed, and floor managers should ensure waiters consistently check tables and remove dishes. Customer orders must be attended to promptly. Hire a professional front desk manager to handle guest check-in, queries, and disputes. Otherwise, customers will leave and negative reviews will damage your reputation. Some customers come from far away and want a quality, tranquil vacation. I left as an unhappy guest and won’t return. My...