L'Ermitage Franschhoek Chateau & Villas

Very, very disappointing! We stayed at this hotel in 2010 and were very impressed but it does seem that they have now "lost the plot". We were not given the accommodation we had booked until we were really insistent, and they tried to fob us off with a self-catering apartment rather than the luxury hotel room we had booked 5 months previously; there was no restaurant open due to a "staff function"; the room clearly had not had a deep clean for some time; animal excrement lay on the grass near the pool throughout our 3-day stay; lounger cushions were stained and ripped; the final straw was being kept awake for hours on a windy night due to a broken guttering banging in the wind against the wall of the bedroom. Had I not made payment in full in advance, I would certainly not have been paying for that night! We never had the private plunge pool stated on the booking, nor were there robes and slippers in the room. Will not return to this hotel or recommend it to others.

Quite a formal hotel. We stayed in one of the villas - and overall quite dark - not bright and light. Great bedrooms, plenty of room in the whole villa and good facilities. We were disappointed that the advertised deli was closed and the we had to be told twice where the swimming pool was - we had walked past it at least 10 times, but didn't recognise the dirty water feature with a fountain as a swimming pool! It wasn't like any swimming pool we had ever seen before. we were staying in October so not peak season. The Spa treatments were good. We didn't realise that breakfast was included in our deal, so wasted money and effort going out for breakfast or cooking in our villa. Didn't eat in the restaurant - much too formal to take children to.

THis hotel provides a 10/10 service. The rooms are beautiful, the location is stunning, their food is sumptious and the the staff are polite and friendly without being intrusive.