Dear Jackie,
Thank you for taking the time to write a review.
The price you paid, from which a commission is then deducted, was R2500.00 per night for an 8 sleeper. If there were 8 people that is just over R300 per person, which is about what one pays for camping. Since you were 5 people, this cost R500 per person per night, since you would be paying much more at the neighboring Hotel, whose facilities were also available to you, as well as being on the beautiful Bergview Estate, which neighbors the Drakensberg world heritage site.
I will definitely be checking with my housekeeper about the towels since what I provided to be put out for our guests are extra large, fluffy bath sheets which were quite expensive, it is possible that the lighter-weight towels were used because of the drying time of the heavyweight towels in Winter. The lights are the plug-in type, since this gives flexibility in arranging beds in rooms, as opposed to lights chased into the walls with a fixed switch.
As you know we have a huge Eskom problem and even though we do provide heaters in the rooms and a wood fireplace in the open plan living/dining/kitchen area it can still be cold if the heaters are not able to be used. The same would apply to electric blankets. That is why we provide ample extra blankets and duvets as well as lap blankets in the living area, and on the couches.
The cottage is an 8 sleeper, thus provision must be made for at least 8 persons around the dining room table and in the lounge. Some people like bigger furniture and some prefer smaller seating. We have tried to aim somewhere in the middle, but none of the items are oversized, as can be seen in the photos, so I am sorry you felt squashed. I had, at one stage smaller couches and had a complaint that the guest had better couches at home, I have not had such a complaint since up-sizing the couches.
The garden is kept as natural as possible and I have tried to create a forest feel that also creates privacy from neighbours. Most of our guests have appreciated the birds that this garden attracts, but I do understand that the shadiness makes it cooler. Of course, in Summer this is a great relief.
I had a problem with another booking platform, which did not automatically change booking dates when the guests who came after you changed their dates. Hence I had a same-day change over, which normally is uncommon. In fact usually, I invite guests to leave as late as after lunch, and the housekeepers only come in the next day. It was because of this unusual circumstance that the ladies came early. They were going to clean the outside living areas and not disturb you before the check-out time at 10:00. I am sorry that you felt pressurized. Being such a remote area, they had to be dropped off in time at the taxi pick-up spot, since they live kilometers away, and cannot walk or catch other lifts once the taxi has left.
I trust my message helps clarify and makes sense to you.
Kind Regards,
Emma