We were supposed to stay 2 nights and only ended up staying one because our room was THAT bad. Musty, no view and low ceilings (where we bumped our heads on a few occasions) made this unbearable for another night. One check out, they didn't refund the proper amount and couldn't seem to get anything straight. They charged us twice by error but didn't even refund us the same amount. I would do some research on other places to stay and just visit for the food which was the only worthwhile part.

We decided to visit this hotel's restaurant for a celebratory so called (and advertised as such in the Cape Times) 'afternoon tea'. We had booked but were not expected. A table was hastily laid but the service was slow and eratic. The 'tea' comprised six little bites each and we struggled to make the experience last 20 minutes. The view is wonderful but do not expect anything else to match it. Very disappointing!

We drove up to the gates and it was some time before we were allowed to proceed to the car park. We said we wanted to have something to eat. The gardens are wonderful and there were roses everywhere in full bloom. The hotel is surrounded by vineyards and the views across the valley are lovely. The waiter suggested fried fresh sea bass with bouillabaisse foam. We asked for bouillabaisse sauce as sea bass tends to be dry and a good sauce is essential. We also requested boiled potatoes. The fish arrived and was excellent but the portions very small indeed and there must have been half a teaspoon of sauce on the plate. We asked for more sauce and the waiter brought a small jug which was just what we wanted. For desert the apple strudel was very good and served with ice cream and lemon cream. The chocolate tart was also good. The service was a little too casual but rather that than the off-hand service one often experiences at this kind of establishment. So full marks to the chef but the owners should not be so stingy.

The hotel grounds are spectacular and the views from the hotel's terrace, watching the sun go down are quite something. The welcome glass of champagne on arrival is also a wonderful touch. This is unfortunately where our compliments cease. Whilst we were in a standard room, which in itself was delightful with Molten Brown toiletries, the walls to these rooms were so thin we could hear the conversations of the adjacent room. Our room did suffer with the shower severely leaking and water unavailable for many hours. The offer to move rooms at 9pm when we were leaving the next day was not ideal. The water was eventually fixed after us pressing for this, as we did not wish to move rooms so late.

The hotel's restaurant Bosmans was a huge disappointment. Whilst the quality of the food was good, we could not enjoy our meal due to the stiff, formal nature created by the 'grand' room. There was no background music and felt we were required to whisper, therefore distinctly hearing diners cutlery against their plates. Stuffiness for stuffiness sake does not make a 'posh' restaurant.

A heated discussion with the Hotel Manager when checking out did result in our drinks (2 glasses of champagne and 2 glasses of red wine) and one meal being compensated but felt we had to really push for this, which in our opinion was the very least the hotel could have done for us.