The Gulls

022 451 2264
072 7311217
bantjes@esnet.co.za

Cape Villas

022 451 2059
083 460-2882
ena@capevillas.co.za

Casa Del Mare

021 794 1086
083 628 2482
burnett@mweb.co.za

Elbé

022 451 2770
082 783 0889
acc@elbeproperties.co.za

Elna Groenewald

022 451 2751
082 3634487

Kaijaiki Country Inn and Restaurant

022 451 2858
083 335 8637
info@kaijaiki.co.za

Kiewiet

022 451 2995

Lugkasteel

083-4403577

Roes in Vrede

022 451 2722

Spear Chukka Self Catering

5 Skilpad Crescent Yzerfontein
022 451 2662
082 375 3748
bookings@spearchukka.co.za

(note that reviews published below and responses to them do not reflect the views of the owners of this website - if you would like a review published email it to yzerfontein@gmail.com)

We take no view on reviews, but we do like to get both sides of a story - here is the contents of an email Graeme sent us on 9 September 2013 : "Hi, Graeme here, owner of Spear Chukka, Yzerfontein. You published a complaint on your website by Jane quite sometime ago, and this was recently brought to my attention. At the time I was very surprised because we always have very happy visitors. Spear Chukka is a unique place with luscious and peaceful gardens, each cottage having it's own private courtyard with the tranquil sounds of running water and birdlife. It appears that Jane was expecting something different and was disappointed when Spear Chukka did not compare with other types of accommodation she was used to. Our visitors love Spear Chukka for its unique, peaceful and private qualities. Jane decided not to have you publish her complaint which tells me that she may have initially overreacted. The a little while later she reported having contracted lice and of course Spear Chukka was blamed and the complaint published without consulting Spear Chukka. I feel this is very unfair and incorrect and possibly even legally infringes on our civil rights. We have definitely never had lice or any other bugs on our premises (except mosquitos), ever! Jane must have contracted the lice elsewhere on her travels.
We have never had pets of any kind inside and never will. I personally inspected the premises and the bedrooms and I even slept in the same bed she did very soon after her complaint and found everything to be perfect. Furthermore I assume that this damaging complaint has now been on your website for quite sometime which should more than satisfy Jane. I request that you please remove this damaging publication from your website."

Spear Chukka Review from 2012

2 May 2012 : Jane wrote to let us know about the rotten time her family had at Spear Chukka: "My husband, children and myself went to Yzerfontein this past week end and didn't have a very pleasant experience at the house we stayed at for two nights. We paid R1000 per night and expected accommodation in keeping with the standard that we have come to expect within that price range. The house was filthy to say the least. Sticky dust everywhere, disgusting pillows and scatter cussions in the lounge that aren't fit for my dog to sleep on. Half left renovations/maintenance. The place stank like cigarette smoke and when I walked into the bedrooms, even though the bedding seemed clean, it smelt from possibly old inners. Ie. Pillows and duvet stank like old man greasy hair sweat. My daughter and I were bitten all over by something. Hopefully fleas and not bedbugs! I would like to lodge a complaint and have the matter looked into so that some other poor unsuspecting family doesn't get swindled by the nice photos on the website and romanced by the spa bath and sauna. On the whole the place has potential but is kept in a shocking state. I am a cleanliness freak and have had a very bad experience in the past with bringing bedbugs home from holiday accommodation, that I might add seemed to be in better condition than what we just experienced. I had my life turned upside down that I almost went mental. I will be furious if this happens to me again! Getting rid of something like bedbugs is not a joke! All you need is one to come home in your luggage and you have had it! I am almost put off ever going away on holiday again. Its not worth the risk! I am not the type of person to complain, but I just felt like venting this time. Many thanks for taking the time to read my complaint. I hope that something can be done."

We wrote to Speak Chukka to hear their side of the story & they replied that "Wow, that is shocking and surprising. The rate is due to the fact that the guests in this unit have their own private sauna, spa bath, large enclosed private patio and full kitchen. The unit should therefore not be directly comparable with some other accommodation which does not have these facilities. We thoroughly clean all units and change all linen after every single stay. I suspect the problem here may be the sea air which does tent to cause a stale smell on the linen and in the cupboards if left for a while. This house was not occupied for almost one month prior to Mr & Mrs Beukes' stay and I suspect that the sea air took its toll. We will now change fresh linen prior to a stay even if it was already changed, but unused. We have zero history of any bugs or insects and do not allow pets of any kind. At times in summer there can be quite a bad mosquito problem due to the nearby vlei / pan. For this reason we supply mosquito nets and plug-in mosquito repellent bottles. We do request that guests do not smoke in the units and we unfortunately have to display prominent signs throughout the premises. A smokey smell may also come in from the patio braai area if the doors are left open and a wind is blowing. We will investigate and air it out. I cannot think of any 'half left renovations/maintenance' and would appreciate more details on this topic if possible. This is one of our better units although it is not used as frequently and I suppose it is possible for dust to collect. We normally have happy guests. In order to back this up, I would like to offer Mr & Mrs Doe a free return visit which I will communicate to them tomorrow."

At this point Jane asked us not to publish anything, but then a week later she contracted lice. "I know that you thought that you had seen the last of me but there have been some new developments. My daughter and I have contracted lice. I know for a fact that our heads were clear just before we left on holiday as we all had haircuts. We could only have caught it at Spear Chukka.  Please see attached link 'hellopeter' from a persons complaint in February. I think that you should go ahead with printing in the newsletter, as they obviously haven't learnt their lesson. It has cost me a fortune to de-louse and make sure that everything in my home is sterile! They only defended themselves, not even an apology!"

Villa Fontana

072 313 3496
villa@yzerfontein.net