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Summary of reviewsThe Estuary Hotel & Spa is celebrated for its splendid location, surrounded by the beauty of nature and offering breathtaking views, especially from the rooms and dining areas. The serene and picturesque environment makes it a perfect getaway, supported by the neat and well-maintained gardens and direct access to a private beach. Additionally, its proximity to local attractions like Mac Banana and Wild Coast Sun adds to its appeal as a convenient base for exploration.
The breakfast buffet at the hotel is largely appreciated for its variety and quality with fresh fruits, cereals, drinks and pastries frequently mentioned. However, improvement is needed in catering to specific dietary needs and ensuring consistent service. Dinner reviews are mixed; while some guests commend the buffet for its taste and variety, others express disappointment concerning the limited a la carte options and occasional lapses in food quality. The hotel excels in breakfast diversity, but dinner services could benefit from enhancements in menu variety and quality.
Comfortable and spacious rooms with stunning sea views contribute significantly to the hotel’s appeal. Guests frequently praise the cleanliness, though there are calls for updates to the decor and better maintenance to address minor issues such as blocked sinks and slight odors. The immaculate state of the property, including the clean beach access areas and soft towels, garners positive remarks, although some rooms and bathrooms require deeper cleaning and modernization.
Renowned for its friendly and attentive staff, the hotel's service is often highlighted as a key positive aspect. The dedicated and courteous team, spanning management to housekeeping, enhances the guest experience with their professionalism and welcoming nature. However, there are occasional mentions of needing better training and increased staffing in the restaurant.
The spa at The Estuary Hotel & Spa stands out as a major highlight with guests praising the fantastic treatments, skilled therapists and tranquil atmosphere. The spa treatments are highly recommended, though prospective visitors should note that the spa is closed on Mondays.
The pool area receives mixed reviews; while some guests appreciate the swimming pool and kiddies splash pool, others call for better cleanliness and maintenance. Similarly, bed comfort varies with many guests finding them comfortable while others cite issues with hardness, old mattresses or bed size.
Free wifi is advertised but often falls short in terms of reliability, particularly affected by load shedding, resulting in intermittent connectivity issues for some guests.
Overall, The Estuary Hotel & Spa is favored for its stunning location, generally high cleanliness standards, friendly staff and excellent spa services, making it a desirable retreat with room for fine-tuning in specific areas such as dining variety and consistent room maintenance. Show more
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Hotel near Golf Courses
Known as the 'Golfer’s Jewel', this hotel boasts close proximity to seven top golf courses, including Wild Coast Sun and San Lameer. The hotel also offers tailored golf packages for its guests.
Hotel with Spa
This hotel offers a spa and wellness center and is located on KwaZulu-Natal's lower south coast overlooking Silver Beach. It is ideal for romantic getaways and family holidays. It has a restaurant and offers lagoon, waterfront, and sea-facing rooms.
Family Friendly Hotel
Featuring a spa and proximity to the river, this hotel offers a relaxing environment with activities suitable for families. The hotel is located in Port Edward.
Hotel with Swimming Pool
The Estuary Hotel & Spa offers a serene escape with its beautiful setting and spa facilities. The hotel features an outdoor pool, providing guests with a relaxing environment and easy access to local attractions, making it a well-rounded vacation destination.
Outdoor Pool
Business Hotel
The Estuary Hotel & Spa offers a tranquil environment with potential for small meetings or team-building activities. The spa facilities can be beneficial for business travelers seeking relaxation.
3-Star Hotel
This hotel is recognized for its excellent comfort in rooms and the cordial approach of its staff. It performs extraordinarily well on cleanliness metrics, and its excellent location is a primary attraction for visitors. The ratio between cost and quality is generally regarded as reasonable.
Hotel with Outdoor Pool
This hotel boasts an outdoor swimming pool and a poolside bar, perfect for enjoying refreshing drinks by the water. It also offers magnificent views across the estuary and beach.
Room Types
Family RoomThis single room has a private balcony, air conditioning, satellite TV and coffee-and-tea making facilities. It includes a bath and shower.
Family RoomThis family room features a pool with a view. This air-conditioned family room is comprised of a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a private bathroom as well as a balcony with lake views. The unit has 2 beds.
Double RoomThe spacious double room provides air conditioning, a coffee machine, a seating area, a safe deposit box, as well as a TV with satellite channels. The unit offers 1 bed.
VillaThis spacious villa comprises 1 living room, 3 separate bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with a bath or a shower and free toiletries. The villa's kitchen, which has a refrigerator and a microwave, is available for cooking and storing food. This villa features air conditioning, a seating area, a TV with satellite channels and a balcony. The unit offers 3 beds.
Double RoomThe spacious air-conditioned double room offers a TV with satellite channels, a coffee machine, a seating area and a safe deposit box. The unit has 1 bed.
Family RoomThe spacious family room provides air conditioning, a seating area, a safe deposit box, a TV with satellite channels, as well as lake views. The unit offers 2 beds.
Guest Reviews
7.8
Good
Location
The Estuary Hotel & Spa stands as a jewel in a stunning location, perfect for a peaceful escape. Guests frequently rave about the breathtaking views and serene surroundings that provide a tranquil atmosphere for relaxation. The hotel's scenic setting offers direct access to a private beach, beautifully surrounded by nature and wildlife.
This ideally located hotel is within driving distance to popular local attractions such as Mac Banana and Wild Coast Sun, making it a convenient base for exploring the area. Patrons appreciate the exceptional and stunning views from the rooms and dining areas, contributing to the overall sense of serenity.
The establishment is noted for its neatness, lovely facilities and well-maintained gardens, all of which complement the beautiful beach access and the lagoon that flows through the property. The amazing scenery and perfect location make it an excellent choice for a getaway, coupled with friendly and attentive staff who are always willing to go the extra mile.
Families might find the call for more activities for kids a point to consider, yet the overall sentiment leans heavily on the stunning, peaceful and relaxing environment provided by The Estuary Hotel & Spa. With great access to the beach and an atmosphere that is both beautiful and serene, this location promises a memorable stay.
Breakfast
The Estuary Hotel & Spa boasts a notable breakfast experience that has garnered a mix of opinions from guests. Predominantly, reviews praise the buffet for its excellent variety and well-prepared food. Fresh fruits and a range of cereals, drinks and pastries are often highlighted with some guests declaring it the best they've ever had. The breakfast location and the staff's service are frequently mentioned as positives, enhancing the overall dining atmosphere.
However, a few guests pointed out shortcomings such as limited vegetarian options, the presence of small bugs in the nuts and seeds and some tasteless fruits. There were mentions of occasional service delays and a lack of variety on certain days. Despite these minor issues, most guests found the breakfast to be delightful with standout elements like the waffles and clean, fresh options.
In sum, The Estuary Hotel & Spa offers a generally favorable breakfast experience that many guests eagerly anticipate each morning, though there is room for improvement, particularly in ensuring consistency and catering to specific dietary needs.
Dinner
The dinner experience at The Estuary Hotel & Spa has been a mixed bag according to guest reviews. Many guests have praised the buffet dinner as exceptional and delicious with special mentions of the food being good, tasty and catering well to dietary requirements. The a la carte menu also received commendations for being awesome and offering a great variety to choose from.
However, several guests were disappointed with the limited options available on the a la carte menu, as well as the overall food quality of the buffet dinner, which was often described as average to poor. Complaints ranged from the standard of the food being beneath expectations, to issues with waiting times and inadequate professional support for restaurant staff. Particularly concerning were reports of food poisoning and terrible dishes, such as an awful seafood platter and a lamb curry that was far too fatty.
Vegetarian options at the buffet were notably scarce, adding to the dissatisfaction of some diners. Despite these drawbacks, a number of guests still enjoyed their dinner experience, highlighting the overall good stay they had at the hotel. Improvements in menu variety and food quality could make the dining experience at The Estuary Hotel & Spa more consistently enjoyable for all guests.
Rooms
The rooms at The Estuary Hotel & Spa are frequently praised for their spaciousness and comfort with many guests highlighting the beautiful sea views and the excellent food service. Overall cleanliness receives a mixed response with several mentions of rooms being clean, neatly maintained and free from unpleasant odors. Quality linens and helpful housekeeping staff further enhance the experience for some guests.
However, a recurring theme in the reviews is the outdated decor with some guests suggesting that the rooms could benefit from a modern upgrade. Issues such as blocked sinks, malfunctioning bathroom fittings and flickering lights seem to detract from the overall comfort. Additionally, a few rooms have been reported as damp, smelly or in need of thorough cleaning.
Despite these shortcomings, the spacious accommodations and stunning views contribute to a generally positive impression, making The Estuary Hotel & Spa a comfortable choice for those looking to enjoy the scenic surroundings. However, potential visitors might want to manage their expectations regarding the current state of the furnishings and minor maintenance issues.
Beds
The Estuary Hotel & Spa offers a mixed experience when it comes to the comfort of its beds. Many guests have praised them as comfortable, highlighting the super comfortable beds and spacious, clean rooms. The bedding itself has been noted positively in several reviews, contributing to an overall pleasant stay for many visitors.
However, not all feedback is glowing. Some guests found the beds old, hard and uncomfortable, even describing them as being hard as rock or damaged. Issues such as mattresses being springy and bedsheets sinking in the center were mentioned. A few reviews also pointed out problems like bed bugs and the beds being too small, suggesting an upgrade to Queen size could improve comfort.
Overall, while there appears to be a strong consensus on the hotel's spacious and clean rooms, the bed quality seems to vary significantly between experiences, ranging from super comfortable to less than ideal.
Cleanliness
The Estuary Hotel & Spa presents a mix of experiences with regard to cleanliness and maintenance, as gathered from guest reviews. Positively, many guests find the hotel environment generally clean with rooms often described as clean and well-spacious. Frequent compliments highlight clean facilities, friendly staff and convenient daily cleaning services. Specifically, the property itself and access areas, such as the beach, are noted for their cleanliness. Additional praise is given to the clean and soft towels and the peaceful ambiance of the environment.
However, there are notable mentions of areas requiring improvement. Several guests pointed out lapses in cleaning standards, particularly in the bathrooms and showers, which were described as grimy and in need of a proper scrub. Some reviews mentioned that the rooms and bathrooms seemed outdated and not well-maintained, leading to a perception of the hotel being old and worn. Specific issues cited include overflowing bins, dusty areas and insufficient cleaning behind furniture.
While the positive aspects of cleanliness are acknowledged, the recurrent feedback emphasizes the need for thorough and consistent upkeep to enhance the overall guest experience.
Staff
The Estuary Hotel & Spa is frequently praised for its warm and welcoming staff. Guests consistently mention the team's friendliness and helpfulness with many noting that the staff are willing to go above and beyond to ensure a pleasant stay. The positive experiences are underscored by the staff's courteous and accommodating nature, which extends from the management to housekeeping and room service.
Visitors highlight that the staff are not only friendly but also professional and well-trained. They are described as exceptionally polite, knowledgeable and attentive, which adds a comforting layer of hospitality to the establishment. Several reviews specifically commend the staff for their willingness to help and their proactive approach to guest service.
However, some reviews point out areas for improvement, such as the need for more staff in the restaurant and better training to enhance friendliness and efficiency. Despite these minor inconveniences, the majority of feedback leans heavily towards exceptional service, suggesting that the overall guest experience at The Estuary Hotel & Spa is positively enhanced by its dedicated and amiable staff.
Wi-Fi
The Estuary Hotel & Spa offers a tranquil retreat with a variety of amenities, but guest experiences regarding the wifi have been a mixed bag. While the hotel does advertise having wifi throughout the entire property, many guests have found the connection to be less than reliable. Common issues include the wifi being very poor, frequently cutting off or not working at all during their stay. It appears that load shedding has had a negative impact on the stability of the wifi signal, contributing to intermittent connectivity issues. Some guests reported no wifi available in their rooms and were unable to get online, which can be a significant inconvenience for those who need a stable connection. Overall, while the hotel offers wifi across its premises, the quality and reliability of the connection leave room for improvement.
Spa
The Estuary Hotel & Spa's spa garners high praise from its guests, frequently cited as a highlight of their stay. Descriptions of the spa treatments range from fantastic to marvelous with many guests feeling rejuvenated and relaxed afterward. Notable mentions include the skill and attentiveness of the spa therapists, who are often described as brilliant and awesome. The spa experience stands out as a favorite part of the visit with some guests specifically planning their trip around these treatments. The facilities are complimented for being really good and the inclusion of spa features in the bath tubs adds to the overall positive experience. Moreover, the scenic views from the spa enhance the overall sense of tranquility. However, future visitors might want to note that the spa is closed on Mondays, which could require some planning around their desired schedule of relaxation. Overall, the spa at The Estuary Hotel & Spa is a significant draw, lauded for its excellence and the happiness it brings to its patrons.
Pool
The pool at The Estuary Hotel & Spa has elicited mixed feedback from guests. Several reviews highlight positive experiences, complimenting the great swimming pool and kiddies splash pool. Some guests appreciated the pool as a notable aspect of their stay. However, others have expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the pool area needs an update with specific complaints about cleanliness, including instances of a dirty pool and floating debris. Some visitors did not use the pool due to its condition. Despite these differing opinions, the hotel ensures that load-shedding does not impact the overall stay of its guests.
Yes, The Estuary Hotel & Spa has pool(s) that belong to one or more of the following categories: Outdoor Pool.
Yes, a spa is available at The Estuary Hotel & Spa.
No, The Estuary Hotel & Spa doesn't allow dogs.
No, parking facilities aren't available at The Estuary Hotel & Spa.