We chose to stay here based on the good reviews but were bitterly dissapointed. the rooms are old and dingy. the service was shocking and the food by the pool resturant was terrible. They offer Spagetti bolognaise but they cook the mince with chutney? they put chilli salt on the french fries even though they knew it was for a two year old. When you ask for towels by the pool, you are lucky if you get them before half an hour.
Every time we phoned reception to ask for something, it would be at least a 2 hour wait before our requests were met.
We were woken up every morning at 5.00 by the security guards talking outside our room - even though we repeatedly asked them to move away.
I will never stay here again

Thanks for a wonderful 5star weekend. Friendly, profesional, clean, FANTASTIC. Thanks

I went with my wife and small kids for a long weekend. A really nice getaway from Joburg. Staff were super friendly, but service was almost non existent. It may as well have been self catering. It started the moment we arrived, the porter only arrived after I had unpacked the car and loaded the trolley. They server a great breakfast, but both mornings I almost fell asleep waiting for a coffee. After my gestures to call a waiter seemed invisible, eventually I helped myself to a jug. Requesting towels from the pool took three requests and an hours wait. If you are ordering from the pool bar you are in for a long wait and they tend to forget your orders. I probably would go back again, for lack of another place on the Vaal, but it could be a 5/5 if the friendly staff just had some proper management supervision. I don't think I saw anyone who looks like a supervisor in the three days I was there - I would say the reason why the staff all work at half pace.

My husband had booked us a stay here for the weekend as we needed to be in Vereeniging for a kart race. I must confess to not even being able to pronounce the name of the town, so approached the weekend with some trepidation! What a pleasant surprise...

All the staff at the hotel were super friendly and attentive, and couldn't be more helpful in every way. The kids club opened early for our children, the bag man wheeled the kids round on a trolley keeping them amused while we checked in, and the helpful reservations lady created a family room for us from an executive suite as all the rest were booked up.

Food was good, service always excellent in the restaurant, you really felt like they were on top of their game. Well trained staff that would be a credit to a 5 star hotel anywhere.

We topped it off with a cruise down the Vaal, with smiling children gleefully towed behind the boat. Happy children = happy parents. Well done Riviera on Vaal, we shall be happy to come back another time.

Top tip...book early to get into the spa, it's busy on weekends.