Bomvu Paradise

We booked a double room at Bomvu several weeks in advance before our trip through conversations with someone from Bomvu on Safarinow.com. When we arrived, first no one new about our reservations and were super confused at why we were there. Then they said they did not have enough double rooms so they use another location as their "overbook" fill in place. A place supposedly called Gogol that is about 1km away. We were taken instead to a place with no name, just a sign "rooms to let." The guy temporarily running the place did not know we were coming before the Bomvu people called him just before we walked over. He had a double room for us, however it was incredibly dirty (stains on the sheets and pillowcases, crazy bedbugs, etc.) There was no fan or mosquito net in the room and the walls/windows were not sealed off so we were eaten by mosquitoes and bedbugs all night long and had terrible bites from both. The place had a bathroom but only a bathtub and no shower and the kitchen was built into the side of a mountain which was cool except it wasn't closed off so there were bugs in there as well. It wasn't until day two when we confronted the people at Bomvu that they told us we were allowed to use the Bomvu shower facilities and all their other facilities and a complaint email I sent was responded to very inappropriately by the same girl at the Bomvu desk who was passed out at the desk during her shift. She said that maybe my standards were too high for backpackers... I've stayed at Backpackers my entire life and have never had such a bad experience and woken up with such terrible bites. I shouldn't have to be compromising basic cleanliness (changing and washing sheets after guests come and go) just because it is a backpackers - that should be standard in every type of accommodation especially when I'm paying good money for it. The bar and food places to eat at Bomvu were nice and good places to eat, and once we could use their shower that made things a bit better. It's definitely a party area which we knew and expected and the people at the desk (the three we encountered) seem more up for the party than for doing their job. I guess if you're staying in a dorm or tent you're probably better off then.

I missed my stay at Bomvu Paradise due to very bad weather in your vicinity, bad directions, people in Mthata did not know where Coffe Bay was. Maybe I would try again sometime in the near future. Thank you.

Five nights we rested in "peace" in Bomvu Paradise. The road there was rocking our exhaust, man. So much adventure that a kid will sleep tight at night while the party is the vibe!

I will never go to this place. We went that evening to another accommodation to sleep there. Just want to know if Safarai.now ever went to places before they put it on the internet. The shower of one our rooms where at the bar. The rooms are small and our reservations was not in order. NEVER NEVER NEVER.

We had to cancel our booking for two caravan stands at Bomvu - after repeatedly asking if the stands are big enough, as well as sending them photographs of the caravans, they still said Yes, we will fit! What a joke - they are obviously used to overnight campervans that do not erect any tents, and overlanders that do not mind to share the same sleeping space as their neighbours! We are still awaiting our refund - they keep on promising but do not deliver! Very disappointed!