Pont de Val Boutique Hotel And Apartments

The 2 restaurant next to the Hotel are closed, you therefore have to walk to the other side for food,even for breakfast. If it rains you must-have an umbrella to walk to the other side as there no room service. This should communicated when you book. The place is well maintained and the staff were friendly.

Pont de Val itself is absolutely beautiful, which unfortunately makes the poor service even more disappointing. We stayed in one of the self-catering apartments and the accommodation exceeded our expectations. It was clean, spacious, well furnished and had everything we needed. The setting is also incredibly relaxing — being able to unwind along the banks of the Vaal River is probably the highlight of the property. Unfortunately, the service was amongst the worst I have experienced at a hotel. We ordered a pizza for lunch which took around an hour and a half to arrive. We requested additional shampoo from reception which never arrived, and breakfast the following morning was extremely disappointing. The breakfast selection was very limited, with bacon and pork bangers as the only protein options, accompanied by baked beans, mushrooms, roasted potatoes, toast and croissants. Tea and coffee were included, but a cappuccino attracted an additional charge. What concerned me most, however, was how a dietary request from another guest was handled. A guest explained that she and her husband did not eat pork and asked about an alternative. The chef/manager's response was essentially that if she made an exception for them, she would have to do so for everyone. I found this particularly disappointing. Not eating pork is hardly an unusual dietary requirement, and if pork is the only protein being served, I think it is reasonable for a hotel to offer at least one alternative. More importantly, regardless of whether an alternative was available, the request could have been handled with considerably more hospitality and empathy. Sadly, this did not feel like an isolated incident. The general standard of service throughout our stay simply didn't match the quality of the property, and I've since heard very similar feedback from friends and family who visited on separate occasions. Pont de Val has an incredible setting and excellent accommodation, and with better service it could be a truly outstanding destination. Unfortunately, based on our experience, I wouldn't return — not because of the property itself, but because the service significantly detracted from what should have been a fantastic stay.