I have rarely made use of vacation rentals but now that all the siblings are out of our parents house, we have found a new fondness for family vacations and vacation rentals are definitely the best way to go for big groups.
Game of Life, which specializes in high-end vacation rentals, had a fantastic deal on Daddy’s Deals. The deal included accommodation in a holiday home on the Pezula Golf Estate in Knysna for 6-8 people for just R999. The Pezula Golf Estate is famous for the luxurious Conrad Hotel but I would have to take out a home-loan before I can enjoy a weekend there.
So, I booked the lovely House Majestic for 3 nights. House Majestic is a self-catering house. It has 3 rooms and 4 bathrooms and an outdoor pool with a large deck, It comfortably accommodates 6 adults.
The best part of the house is by far the views of the golf estate and Knysna Lagoon. There was nothing more relaxing than waking up to these views every morning.
The house is surrounded by beautiful fynbos and the most stunning (but noisy) birds. We enjoyed the tranquility. We actually didn’t see another soul other than the security the entire time we were there. Most of these very expensive houses are used as holiday homes so they are undoubtedly vacant most the year (oh, to have that much money…).
The main bedroom was comfortable with a king-size bed. When the blinds are open, you have panoramic views of the estate. Unfortunately, the blinds let in so much light that sleeping after sunrise was exceptionally difficult. Luckily I took my handy eye-mask along. Not to mention the fact that I was pretty heavily sedated with flu-meds most the weekend so I still got some good rest.
The decor in the second bedroom was a little dated. I always prefer white bedding at hotels/ rentals – that way I know (hope) it is clean.
The great thing about this house is that all three bathrooms have en suite bathrooms which is perfect for couples/ adults sharing. One en suite only had a bath so if you want a quick shower, you may find yourself knocking on your neighbour’s room door.
Other than that, the only issue that one of us complained about was getting a cold shower so best to pace everyone’s morning shower. That isn’t great when you are on holiday but unfortunately it seems to be a recurring issue in guesthouses/BnBs all over the country.
I didn’t find the house particularly luxurious. It was very comfortable. Like a home away from home and it is actually a great place to spend longer periods. The house came fully kitted with DSTV, a dishwasher, washing machine, tumble-dryer, fire-place, fancy kitchen equipment, gas-heaters, fans, weber-braai, gas-braai, etc. It basically had all the essentials one would need in their home and then some.
My, interaction with Game of Life was mostly smooth. The only time I felt uncomfortable was when they only told me a few days ahead of time that they required a R2000 breakage deposit to be paid via EFT. As I generally stay at hotels, I’m used to them reserving the charge on my credit card and reversing the charge on check-out. With this system the money is completely out of your account and you have to wait for the deposit to be returned which obviously takes more time. This annoyed me endlessly and I was worried it was a scam. Luckily, the money was deposited into my account a few days later but never-the-less, I am not fond of the system at all. Also, the fact that they did not state this upfront when I purchased the deal on Daddys Deals was totally not on. What if I didn’t have the cash to spare?
Anyway, in the end we had a lovely time with no hassles. We do love Knysna!
Game of Life
Website: http://www.gameoflife.co.za
Contact: Natisha Moodley
tel: 0117063255
email: natisha@gameoflife.co.za
Thanks for stopping by my blog. R999 for that accommodation is a real steal, thanks for the info on Game of Life, I’ll definitely try it with my friends. Great post!
Thanks for reading.It was a great base to explore the garden Route from. Let us know if you try them. XO