Thank you for taking the time to leave a review regarding your recent stay at our self-catering accommodation. We appreciate your feedback and would like to address the concerns you raised during your stay, which primarily revolve around two issues that occurred prior to and during your visit.
Firstly, we understand your disappointment regarding our policy of not allowing a 2-year old child as an additional guest at Friesland cottage. Our policy clearly states that Friesland cottage is rented on a per-unit, per-night basis for a maximum of 8 guests. When the booking was made, it was for 8 adults, and it was only later revealed that a child would be accompanying the group. The limitation on guest numbers is in place due to past incidents where our facilities were mishandled or damaged, resulting in significant expenses for our business. Consistency in enforcing our policies is essential to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of our cottages to the desired standards. Allowing additional guests beyond the stipulated limit puts undue strain on our facilities, leading to increased wear and tear, damages, breakages, and greater resource consumption. We did offer the availability of Ayrshire cottage to accommodate the extra guests, but unfortunately, this alternative was declined. We sincerely attempted to meet your needs within the boundaries of our policies.
Secondly, we acknowledge the incident that occurred during your stay involving unauthorized additional day visitors who were entertained by your group at the cottage and on the farm. Our Terms & Conditions clearly state that day visitors are not permitted on the farm without prior arrangements and agreement with the management. These terms and conditions, which include prohibitions on activities like hunting or riding motorcycles on the trails (obvious issues that do not require explanation but are included for clarity), were provided to you prior to your arrival. We received no communication from the guests’ end regarding the presence of these visitors. When we discovered them on the farm in the morning, we made the decision to allow them to stay but politely requested their departure in the late afternoon. It was at this point that the situation became problematic. The presence of these visitors obstructed the road leading to the cottage, causing inconvenience to the occupants of the neighboring cottage, as four vehicles were parked inappropriately. Furthermore, these visitors utilized our facilities for a private braai and social event. Unauthorized entry onto any property, particularly a farm, is unacceptable, and our cottages are not intended to serve as venues for private functions. Such behaviour is clearly inappropriate, and these visitors were, in fact, trespassing as they did not have permission to be on the farm. We indicated to your group that they could finish their braai but were required to leave as soon as possible.
We want to emphasize that we are fully committed to managing, protecting, restoring, and conserving the various areas of our farm to the best of our abilities. It is our utmost priority to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for all our guests.
We appreciate your feedback and understand the concerns you have raised. We strive to continually improve and provide the best possible experience for our guests while adhering to our policies. We regret any inconvenience caused during your stay.