Outdoor pool, open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, sun loungers
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Reviews of Whalesong Hotel & Spa

4 out of 5
Whalesong Hotel & Spa
Marine Drive, Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape

Reviews

7.6

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 15 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 27 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 10 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 60 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 60 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

7.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

6/10 Okay

michael

Traveled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
In general the hotel is very run down. Things falling apart and dysfunctional, including pool area and umbrellas and gardens. The resort is in desperate need of serious maintenance. Also, no wi fi in rooms for a 4 star hotel is not really acceptable. Poor conditions somewhat compensated for by the first class and much appreciated service from Petrus and some of his staff -especially chef and Thabisa.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely location
Enjoyed whalesong. Location within easy access to the beach
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Response from Milanie S on Feb 20, 2020
Dear Guest, We would like to thank you for taking the time to rate your recent stay with us. We are delighted to read that you thoroughly enjoyed your experience with us and especially the location of our hotel. Please come and visit us again soon at the beautiful "Gem of the Garden Route". Kind regards The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team

8/10 Good

Rozanne

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2019
Response from The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team on Sep 25, 2019
Dear Rozanne, Thank you for your wonderful review of Whalesong Hotel & Spa. We are absolutely delighted to see that you had such a wonderful overall experience with us. We look forward to welcoming you again soon! Kind regards

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Convenient location, quite run down rooms but friendly staff and excellent restaurant with an outdoor terrace and an amazing view.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2018
Response from The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team on Sep 25, 2019
Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to rate & review your experience of Whalesong Hotel & Spa. We are thrilled to let you know that the rooms have been renovated and a couple of changes has certainly improved the overall feel of our hotel. We look forward to welcoming you again soon! Kind regards

8/10 Good

Edward

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Need to fix the phones
Frustrated because I tried calling hitel to reach my daughter. No one ever picked up the phone at the front desk.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
Response from The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team on Sep 25, 2019
Dear Edward, We would like to thank you for taking the time to rate & review your recent experience of Whalesong Hotel & Spa. Our sincerest apologies that you were not able to reach us via the telephone. We can however assure you that since various upgrades have been done and that this will not be a problem again. Kind regards

8/10 Good

Emma, Ireland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Nice hotel, good value for money and good location. The pool area could do with some updating, WiFi is only available in the reception and restaurant areas.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2018
Response from The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team on Sep 25, 2019
Dear Emma, Thank you for taking the time to rate & review your recent experience at Whalesong Hotel & Spa. We are absolutely thrilled to read that you had an incredible overall experience with us and that your expectations were met. Thank you for also providing comments for improvement! Kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
special place
Service was really good. Awesome breakfast. Comfortable bed. I enjoyed the stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018
Response from The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team on Sep 25, 2019
Dear Guest, Thank you for choosing Whalesong Hotel & Spa as preferred holiday destination! We appreciate your feedback and kind compliments on the service, breakfast and accommodation. We look forward to welcoming you again soon! Kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Ronald

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good friendly staff and excellent service.
Stayed 1 night in May 2018
Response from Bridget.V on Jun 4, 2018
Good Day, Thank you for the wonderful review. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Bridget.V on Apr 10, 2018
Good Day Thank you for the review. We do hope to welcome you back in the future.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Was a great stay. Just needs a upgrade on plumbing. All taps were leaking when switched on.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Bridget.V on Feb 20, 2018
Good day. Thank you for taking the time to review your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Spa. We are delighted to read that your overall stay was a legendary one. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

4/10 Poor

Marine

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2017
Good Day, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Hydro.

8/10 Good

Enrico

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Comfortable Room
The room was comfortable and we got an affordable rate due to low season. What's really nice is that the spa and salon is in the premises. However, the restaurant was unfortunately closed and we were not aware of this. The hotel was also very quiet. Think we were the only guests there. Recommend this hotel in the summer.
Good Day Enrico, Thank you for providing feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Hydro. We are heartened that you had a legendary stay. We look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future.

10/10 Excellent

Anna

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome stay
Good Day Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Hydro. We are thrilled to read that your overall stay was a legendary one. We look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good Day Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Hydro. We are thrilled to read that your overall stay was a legendary one. We look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future.

8/10 Good

Laura

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great value for money, especially during the Easter holidays. The beds could be a little softer and an extra pillow would be great. I will defiantly be back.
Good Day Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Hydro. We are thrilled to read that your overall stay was a legendary one. We look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future.

8/10 Good

melonann, uk

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Comfortable hotel
Good size room and beds.No wifi in room-available in reception
Response from Bridget on Apr 11, 2017
Good Day, Thank you for the feedback. Your comments about the wifi have been passed onto management

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from General Manager on Jan 9, 2017
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are delighted to read that your time with us was the Legendary experience we strive to create daily. We trust we will see you in the not too distant future, and look forward to it!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from General Manager on Jan 9, 2017
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are delighted to read that your time with us was the Legendary experience we strive to create daily. We trust we will see you in the not too distant future, and look forward to it!

10/10 Excellent

Wai Chuen, Hong Kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very comfortable stay, good value for money
Very comfortable stay, very good service and helpful staff. No wifi in room and not close to the city center, but if you are taking the buses at Shell Ultra City, it's literally 2 minutes away.
Response from General Manager on Sep 28, 2016
Dear Wai Chuen, We would like to say thank you for the high score you have given us and we wish to welcome you back again very soon in our property. Regards Audrey

6/10 Okay

Johan, Stockholm

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Average hotel with all you need for the price
Nice hotel for the price but not the best location. Service is good but not more than that.
Response from Audrey on Jun 4, 2016
Dear Johan, Thank you for your feedback, we hope that you however enjoyed your stay. Kind Regards Audrey Kendeck

10/10 Excellent

Gilford, East London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely experience
The amenities and the staff were pleasant, also the view was spectacular
Response from Audrey on Mar 30, 2016
Dear Gilford, We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and hope to welcome you back again very soon.

6/10 Okay

Colin, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Value for money but not luxury
Three nights at the end of our Garden Route trip. Hotel is adequate and value for money, but calling it a Spa is a bit of a stretch. A bit tired but clean and tidy though and if you just want a base to explore Plett it's ok.
Response from Audrey on Jun 4, 2016
Dear Colin, Thank you for your feedback, your comments have been taken up to Management and we hope that you visit us again very soon. Kind Regards Audrey Kendeck

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
High on a hill
Good views over the bay but a 20 minute walk down to the town and a taxi ride back up the hill. Good sized rooms with balcony, swimming pool and breakfast and dinner served in the restaurant.
Response from Audrey on Jun 4, 2016
Dear Anonymous, Thank you for your feedback; we hope you come again very soon. Kind Regards Audrey Kendeck

8/10 Good

Lavesh, Johannesburg

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Cosy accommodation
The hotel is close to main restaurant street and provides a cosy accommodation.

10/10 Excellent

Tirone

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

2/10 Terrible

Sven, Strand

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Sven
It was not worth the money. The resaurant was a catastrofy, the food was no good, we had to ask for sauce which didn´t taste well, a knife was filthy, the wine was no good and the corkage fee 35 Rand. There where no WIFI in the rooms, there were only 2 sport channels, the TV in reception was broken, the staff in the evening didn´t know how to operate the TV.

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan, Kent, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing. Great access to Plet and surroundings
We stayed 3 nights. Nice restaurant. Wide variety of courses. Great breakfast. Wouldn't recommend the steak. Short drive to the beaches and shops. Relaxing. Struggled with too many steps up and down (only downer). Very helpful staff especially during the load shedding! Enjoyed great swims before breakfast.

8/10 Good

Wolfgang

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Emma, Brisbane, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful view!
Nice and clean rooms though not huge. Perfect for 2 people but we had our 2 small kids with us in the room sharing the sofa bed which was quite noisy when they moved. Bed was not made up on arrival so had to wait. Was not till after dinner around 8pm that it was done. Kids were very tired by then. Restaurant service was great and food ok. Very reasonably priced.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Room comfort

4/10 Poor

aldertonhall, london

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
potential for redevelopment
What a great location--but that's the only positive--avoid this hotel--much too expensive compared to other excellent hotels. Hotel needs major upgrade

4/10 Poor

Disappointed, Cape Town

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Needs upgrade
Staff were very friendly and made our stay pleasant however the rooms are very dated and in dire need of an upgrade.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

4/10 Poor

Steven, Milton Keynes

Disliked: Staff & service
Real shame
Hello, What an odd hotel this turned out to be. The hotel has great views of Plettenberg bay and seems to have undergone a budget type revamp to modernise it and it does look good and is comfortable, but the staff and breakfast let it down. As a result we did not try the restaurant. The staff say hello but that is the extent of their courtesy, it would not be unusual to hear their mobile phones ring or to hear them all chatting and laughing in the background while you wait for service. A lady who seemed to be in charge would shout from her office to receptionists with queries while a guest would be standing there. Very odd. The breakfast is served from a hostess trolley and not replenished, and you have to ask for everything. The minibar is locked and you have to pay a deposit. When you do pay the deposit the minibar is VERY poorly stocked and not worth bothering with. The pool is also very exposed being right beside the reception lobby, so everyone coming in and out all day can have a good look! No privacy.

10/10 Excellent

kim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nyårsafton i Pettenberg Bay
Fantastisk personal och trevliga gäster som man lärde känna på Nyårsafton. Vacker placering i viken. Vi kände oss väldigt trygga på detta boende.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from MilanieS on Apr 15, 2020
Dear Kim, We would like to thank you for choosing Whalesong Hotel & Spa as your holiday destination. We appreciate your taking the time to provide us with positive feedback and a wonderful rating! Especially the compliments on the safety, the view and the team. Please stay safe & healthy! We look forward to welcoming you back again soon! Kind regards

8/10 Good

FLAVIA C

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Uma Boa Opção, Bom Custo-Benefício
Chegamos um pouco tarde para o check in, assustei porque parecia não haver ninguém na recepção, o rapaz da recepção estava alcoolizado, não achou uma caneta para assinarmos a reserva. Esse foi meu único problema na estadia. De resto os quartos são limpos e espaçosos, o restaurante é bom, e o café da manhã tb, apenas há 5 minutos do centro, como estávamos de carro isso não foi um problema.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Milanie S on Jan 3, 2020
Dear 698viniciusl We would like to thank you for choosing to spend your getaway at Whalesong Hotel & Spa. We appreciate your honest & detailed feedback! Your kind comments and compliments concerning our spacious rooms, restaurant and location is highly appreciated and we thank you for recommending our hotel to tourists travelling along the garden route. We are however saddened to read about the issues that occured upon check-in as this is certainly not standard for our team members or hotel. We can assure you that this will be investigated and that action will be taken against the staff member on duty. Again, our sincerest apologies for this! We hope to welcome you back again soon for yet another incredible stay at the Gem of the Garden Route, Whalesong Hotel & Spa.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Prima, mooi gelegen hotel met uitzicht over baai. Vlak naast N2 snelweg, maar je hoort de weg nauwelijks.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019
Response from The Whalesong Hotel & Spa Team on Sep 25, 2019
Dear Guest, Thank you for choosing Whalesong Hotel & Spa as your preferred holiday destination! We are delighted to read that you had a lovely overall experience with us and that you thoroughly enjoyed the location of the hotel. We hope to welcome you back again soon! Kind regards

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Não tem internet nos quartos, as instalações são um pouco antigas, o café da manhã não estava de incluído na diária e foi cobrado um valor maior do que o anunciado.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018
Response from Bridget.V on Apr 10, 2018
Good Day Thank you for the review. We do hope to welcome you back in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wunderschönes Hotel toller Ausblick
Sehr sehr freumdlicher Service und traumhaft schönes Hotel
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Bridget.V on Jan 24, 2018
Good Day, Thank you for the great review. We are delighted that you had a legendary experience and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Uma experiência agradável. Os quartos são amplos e aconchegantes. A equipe do hotel é bem simpática.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Bridget.V on Jan 23, 2018
Good Day, Thank you for the good review. We are delighted to read that you had a legendary experience and enjoyed the rooms and friendly staff.

10/10 Excellent

Kathinka, Dusseldorf

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fijn hotel, prachtig uitzicht van restaurant.
Het hotel ligt centraal. Heeft ruime kamers en een ruime badkamer. Mooi uitzicht vanaf het restaurant en terras. Het personeel is behulpzaam en de sfeer is heel plezierig.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Bridget.V on Jan 23, 2018
Good day, Thank you for the good review. We are delighted to read that you had an enjoyable stay and enjoyed the new gin bar and breakfast. Your comments regarding the roller blinds have been passed onto management. We do hope to welcome you back in the future.

8/10 Good

Christian

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Schöne Aussicht, gute Betten
Gutes Hotel am Hang gelegen, gute Betten, grosses gemütliches Zimmer, gutes Essen.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Good Day Thank you for the feedback on your stay at Whalesong hotel & spa, We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Kristin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Kör ba
Superfint och mysigt hotell. Rent och snyggt med bra service, inga problem alls! Rummen var stora och kändes lyxiga med barkar, balkong och myspys. Enda minuset är att det är en liten promenad ner till "centrum" men det kompenseras med fin utsikt. Rekommenderas!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2017
Good Day Thank you for the feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Spa. We are thrilled to read that you had a great stay. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Kleines Hotel in Strandnähe
saubere und funktionale Zimmer, nettes Personal und kleiner Pool vorhanden Toller Ausblick auf die Bucht
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2017
Response from bridget.v on Jul 24, 2017
Good day Saubere Zimmer, Thank you for sharing your feedback on your stay at Whalesong Hotel & Hydro. We are heartened to read you enjoyed your stay and look forward to welcoming you back in the not too distant future.

2/10 Terrible

Louis , Mainz

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Katastrophe - Buchung einfach storniert!
Ca. 2-3 Tage vor unserer Anreise in April 2017 haben wir eine Nachricht erhalten, dass das Reservierungsbüro vom Whalesong Hotel einfach unsere Buchung storniert hat. Dies obwohl ich in August 2016 bereits über Expedia gebucht und bezahlt hat. Die Stornierung seitens des Hotels wurde mit Überbuchung begründet. Wir wir später erfahren haben, hat sich eine Busreise angekündigt (die dann absagte). Nachdem ich mich bei der Reservierung beschwert habe, konnten wir dann doch gnädigerweise dort übernachten. Wir haben keine Entschuldigung vom Hotel bekommen und haben uns überhaupt nicht willkommen gefühlt. Mir wäre im Nachhinein lieber gewesen, wir hätten uns doch ein anderes Hotel ausgesucht. Ferner hat das Hotel uns enttäuscht. Es liegt an einer Hauptstraße in einer Gegend, wo wir uns nicht getraut haben, ohne Auto unterwegs zu sein.
Response from Bridget.V on Jun 6, 2017
Good day Mr Velthuis, Thank you for your review and our apologies for not responding immediately as we had responded to you via our online booking system. We have apologised and agree that the manner in which your booking was handled was not the Legendary standard we pride ourselves on and as per the email received from our head office, both members of staff have been disciplined for the manner in which your booking was handled and corrective steps taken to ensure this does not happen again. We understand your frustration at the matter and that you felt that your concerns were not dealt with at the property, despite the feedback we received from the hotel to the contrary. We apologise that your trip to our property was not the memorable experience you had hoped for.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Value for money hotel Mit schönem Ausblick
Hotel mit kleinem Pool und schönem Blick über die Bucht. Nicht luxuriös, aber sauber und funktional. Zimmer gibt es im Erdgeschoss oder Obergeschoss einzelner kleiner Häuschen auf dem Grundstück. Parkmöglichkeiten sind vorhanden. Internetzugang gibt es nur in der Lounge und auch dort nur langsam. Personal war sehr freundlich und check-in und check-out Waren sehr schnell und effizient.
Response from Bridget on Apr 11, 2017
Good Day, Thank for the good compliments bout our hotel. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Komfortables Hotel mit super Blick. Leider kann man die Restaurants nicht zu Fuß erreichen.
Response from Lize on Jan 25, 2017
Thank you for your feedback! We hope to welcome you back soon! Best regards

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from General Manager on Jan 9, 2017
Thank you for taking the time to review our resort. We are thrilled to read that your time with us was a good one and look forward to welcoming you back.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Response from General Manager on Jan 9, 2017
Thank you so much for your review! We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

8/10 Good

Justus, Karlsruhe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Schönes Hotel mit tollem Ausblick
Insgesamt hatten wir hier einen sehr gelungenen Aufenthalt. Wir hatten nichts zu bemängeln und fanden das Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis sehr gut. Abendgegessen haben wir im Hoteleigenen Restaurant, was von sehr guter Qualität war und angemessene Preise hatte.
Response from Audrey on Oct 26, 2016
Schönen Tag, Wir hoffen jedoch, dass sie bei Ihrer Reiseplanung weiterhilft. Original auf Englisch Language Weaver Bewerten Sie diese Übersetzung: Vielen Dank für Ihre Bewertung Mangelhaft Gut Wir hoffen jedoch, dass sie bei Ihrer Reiseplanung weiterhilft. Original auf Englisch Language Weaver Bewerten Sie diese Übersetzung: Vielen Dank für Ihre Bewertung Mangelhaft Gut Wir hoffen jedoch, dass sie bei Ihrer Reiseplanung weiterhilft. Grüße Audrey