Brahman Hills Gardens, Spa, Hotel & Villas (5 star) — Hotel in uMgeni Local Municipality

I would just like to share our sentiments and unfortunate experiences experienced during our much anticipated daughter's birthday and family holiday to Brahman Hills.

Over the past few years we have frequented this establishment and have become familiar with the various self catering cottages , hotel rooms along with the related standards.

Our last stay and experience however was absolutely distasteful:

Cleanliness -

Both cottages we stayed at (Fish eagle and Duiker) were in desperate need of deep cleaning, from dirty carpets to couches that constantly had us sneezing and with aggravated sinuses. The floor in Fish eagle had an Indian dot (Personal Item) stuck onto the floor after supposedly having been cleaned out from previous guests and again still after our room got flooded, which definitely indicated a lack of thorough cleaning.

There were also clumps of dust when I moved the couch to get something that fell under. The kids bathtub left in Fish eagle needed a good wash or wipe down as the outer of it had dried up black water marks.

Poor upkeep/maintenance -

Both units were in desperate need of maintenance and it's clear that overall the establishment was not aligned in terms of upkeep based on previous pristine condition which we've always admired.

Fish eagle :

Kitchen cupboards had numerous scratches which is in need of a repaint and thus looked very untidy ,

Wall behind TV was cracked and peeling which looked very unappealing,

The greatest issue was the shower drainage which caused our room to be severely flooded to such extent causing us to push water out through the room sliding door late at night.

USB port to charge devices in dresser area didn't work,

Duiker :

Dishes were not cleaned and required a 2nd rinse before use,

Carpet was stained and had a bad burn mark,

Main lounge sliding door to outside area was not working and neither was this fixed when maintenance was notified.

Braai facility had not been emptied out or cleaned from previous days heavy rain,

Jacuzzi chlorine level was too high which caused all our swimming wear to discolor and skin to and eyes to burn

Food -

During our dinner we were served a pasta with a ridiculously high amount of sugar added into this,

And thereafter when we selected another pasta containing ham and mushrooms, we were actually disgusted to find zero ham pieces contained within this pasta and not to mention supposed Mushroom pieces that were smaller than Sweetcorn pieces, which we needed to use our phone flashlight to locate this and showed to the restaurant manager Nyashe who himself was unable to provide us with a comment.

Hospitality and general ambiance -

The overall level of customer service and hospitality experienced has taken a huge dip.

In all interactions experienced from reception to management - all we experienced was rudeness with not much warmth or friendliness experience Speaking to anyone, even despite US having been inconvenienced due to the room flooding in the pouring misty rain etc. felt as if we were being done a favor and like we were staying for free when it definitely was not the case.

Mention must also be made to the fact that reception/management insisting on us moving on Sunday evening in the heavy rains and terribly misty weather conditions which we refused to as this was unreasonable!

This was escalated to the general manager of the establishment who in turn offered us a full refund for our stay. In an effort to afford Brahman Hills an opportunity to redeem itself we proposed for them to offer us a redo of the stay especially considering that a memorable family event had been ruined. This further resulted in the involvement of the CEO, Orrin who refused to honor the option given by his general manager or our proposal and instead offered a 50% refund and and chose to exercise the right of admission by refusing us future stays. This for me is absolutely unacceptable as this demonstrates how Brahman Hills deals with critiscm and customers who have had an...

This is definitely the worst accommodation available in the Midlands. We booked a two night stay in a self catering cottage. Everything was fairly average (although definitely not 4star) until we decided to take a shower! The geyser did not work. No hot water. We called for maintenance whilst we all sat around in towels and fully soaped bodies. Maintenance took a while to respond and the Manager on Duty took it upon herself to lie to me he was knocking on the door for a while. Not true. When he eventually came, he informed me the geyser was broken. But tells management that we are apparently not happy with the water. He seemed totally lost in fixing anything. The manager then decided to argue with me and talk over me by raising her voice! I was completely disgusted! No respect for guests. She should be removed from her position. Definitely not trained to be a Hotel Manager. They so proudly offered us the cottage next door to bath and move in the middle of the night in the ice cold weather (around 10.30pm) What a joke. That cottage had no bedding. Wet towels on the bed from a previous stay I presume. But we had no choice but to shower the next morning, all 7 of us in one shower in a 3 bathroom cottage! Because even in that lousy cottage 2 of the bathrooms didn’t even have hot water! We left there as fast as we could and found alternate accommodation for our second night. I must also add that the General Manager never bothered to ask me what happened or apologise until I asked him if he doesn’t care why I’m leaving. Also he gave me lame excuses about refunding me and not having cash on hand to do so for such a big establishment! He was also very rude and unhelpful. The service and staff are extremely poor and the hot water thing seems to be a common problem. It was very funny as well that while I was getting my refund, the receptionist took a booking that same day for our cottage. Poor family. Probably went through hell too. Receptionist too lacks skills as she kept answering calls whilst attending to me and other guests instead of finishing her conversation with us. This place is a joke and probably should only be open for weddings and not accommodation. Also I must add that the food is also horrible - burnt oily brown chips. Nothing for kids. Staff laughed when I asked for sauce. Stay away. Midlands offers many many more options and they actually will care about you as...

Springholm Cottages at Brahman Hills … A mid-month Midlands Escape

If you’re looking for the ultimate peaceful getaway in the heart of the Midlands, Springholm Cottages at Brahman Hills is pure perfection. From the moment you arrive, you’re swept into a world of calm, beauty, and understated luxury …it’s the kind of place that instantly makes you breathe deeper and slow down.

Set along a serene lake surrounded by rolling hills, the Springholm cottages are spacious, beautifully decorated, and thoughtfully designed to blend rustic charm with modern comfort. Each cottage offers privacy, gorgeous natural light, and breathtaking views over the water or lush countryside. Waking up to the sound of birds and the reflection of the sunrise dancing on the lake is truly magical.

Inside, the cottages are cozy and elegant with plush bedding, full bathrooms to make it feel like a home away from home. Some cottages even have private waterfront decks where you can sip your morning coffee or watch the sunset with a glass of wine. It’s an ideal setting for both romantic retreats and family escapes.

The location is another highlight. Being part of the Brahman Hills family means you have easy access to all their amenities…. the famous Brahman Hills Spa, beautiful gardens, fine dining or casual dinning and The Stables restaurant for more relaxed meals.

The Midlands Meander is right on your doorstep too, offering endless adventures, from artisanal shopping to wine-tasting and scenic drives on Nottingham Road.

Service throughout our stay was exceptional. Staff members were friendly, attentive, and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and well taken care of. Everything, from check-in to small touches in the cottages, showed an incredible attention to detail.

Whether you’re celebrating something special (my birthday and wedding anniversary) needing a break from the city, or just wanting to reconnect with nature in luxury, Springholm Cottages at Brahman Hills offer an unforgettable Midlands experience. Peaceful, elegant, and full of small joys, we left feeling completely refreshed and already dreaming about our next visit.

Highly, highly recommend! My full vlog will be up on my YouTube channel @being_dr_Awe_Murray, I would appreciate your...