The Queen’s Hotel by BON Hotels is located in the centre of Oudtshoorn, the global Ostrich Capital. It is South Africa’s oldest four star and – impressively – the third oldest of all hotels in the country, after the Oude Werf in Stellenbosch (established 1686) and the Houw Hoek Hotel near Grabouw (built 1779). Our Oudtshoorn accommodation uninterrupted since 20 March 1880, the Queen’s Hotel by BON Hotels is – today – an oasis of olde-worlde elegance and modern-day convenience located in the centre of the picturesque semi-arid Klein Karoo (Little Dry Region).
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TGCSA - Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
HOTEL STYLE
Business
Classic
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Location
5 Baron van Reede Street, Oudtshoorn 6625 South Africa
Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
561 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
My husband and I decided to take my mom on a roadtrip, and made Oudtshoorn our second stop. We found the Queens Hotel to be filled with historic photo's which was very interesting, and found it great to know that the Queen once visited this establishment. Sadly I doubt if the Queen will choose this hotel again. The location is great with a small shopping complex, little shops and the Spur around it. It is sad to see that Covid-19 has forced this hotel to drop their staff from 40 to only 10, and it is clear to see. There was not really a porter service to mention as the guy who helped us with the luggage, was called from the Brulee restaurant to help with the bags. There was a maintenance person who also had to do a night shift at the reception desk, water the gardens, does housekeeping and had to run all over the hotel one night looking for toilet paper when we asked for some, he helps at the Brulee restaurant to set out chairs etc in the morning and seems to be the go to person to take care of anything and everything. We visited 3 four star hotels of which Queens Hotel was one of them, but you can't compare it to the other two. We've found that the curtains needed to be washed, the back of the TV in our room was very dusty, the bathroom door handle had a minor issue. The hotel's dining lounge area were clised for hotel guests as we were told there's not enough guests to have it opened. We were offered breakfast at the Brulee restaurant and had limited choices. The gardens are beautiful but we found that the pool area are not kept neat as the paving around the pool are not swept, making it impossible to walk barefoot around the pool from the twigs and seeds falling from the trees. My mom and I never saw any cleaning staff. The lady working at reception was very friendly. This hotel can be a real historic gem, but we feel that they need to look at their amount of staff to enable them to get to every little aspect.
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alie Killian, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 11 Jan 2021
Queen Elizabeth of England visited Oudtshoorn and the Queens Hotel in 1947 when she was 21 years old. Queens Hotel is the third oldest hotel in South Africa and is still operating since 1880. Sadly, a week before its 140 anniversary, the country was put under lockdown on 27 March 2020. It was the first time in its history that the hotel had to temporarily closed its doors. As soon as essential workers were allowed to travel in May 2020, we open our doors slowly but surely. Due to no income and deposits to be refunded, we had to reduce our staff by 75%. Some of the issues you mentioned is a direct result of COVID19. We are constantly striving keep our guest happy and give them a good experience.
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My first visit to Queens Hotel in Oudtshoorn and definitely not my last. What an absolute jewel. Overall service was great, staff very attentive. The rooms were quaint with almost antique looking but well maintained furnishing and the bathroom was very modern with a large walk in shower. Only thing that was lacking in the room was a bar fridge and it was sorely missed. Breakfast was very limited variety but everything was fresh and tasty. I would love to go back soon.
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alie Killian, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 06 Jan 2021
Fatima, thank your for your nice words about our staff. Bar fridges are provided in the bigger rooms. We were planning to have bar fridges also installed in the standard rooms, but then came COVID19 and we are battling to keep to doors open. Due to the very low occupancy as a result of COVID19 we must utilise our reduced staff and facilities to the maximum which resulted that we closed the Breakfast Room that served full English breakfasts and serve a basic breakfast in our Coffee Shop that is also open to the public. To compensate for this and to attract more bookings we reduced our accommodation rates substantially
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We highly recommend this hotel.The hotel is spotless, has friendly professional staff and the food is excellent. The colony restaurant has the best value prices for fine dining.The wine list is varied with good value prices too. The traditional karoo lamb neck, mussel pot or ostrich fillet is a must. Farm fresh breakfast in the victorian garden is a cool way to start the day.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alie K, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 09 Jan 2020
Thank very much for your 5 star review, it is much appreciated.
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We had high expectations, based on reviews and photographs, but this experience conjured thoughts of Faulty Towers. Our check in was odd, to say the least. When asked what time the rugby was (British Lions vs Sprigboks), the gent replied "No idea, I haven't got a TV".
We had had to pre-order our dinner - no problem with that, but bar was closed, so the gent on duty had to disappear for 5 minutes to get a list of wine available, which was very limited. We were asked what time we wanted to eat, as apparently only 1 table could be served at a time, so we were allotted a 6.30 slot.
Our room was OK, however, it had not been vacuumed after the previous guests had left, as there was rubbish lying on the floor and a row of plugs conveniently placed for charging cellphones etc, were all broken. The coffee making machine was also broken. The DSTV bouquet is limited and we were unable to watch the rugby, and was advised that only the TV in the bar could show rugby, but that was closed, even though our relaxed Level 3 allows on-site consumption until 9pm, we were told "I am sorry, but you can't go there to watch".
The shower was great, but leaked, so most of the towels had to be put on the floor to mop up water. Bathroom was modern and nicely decorated.
Dinner was tasty, but we had an entire restaurant to ourselves and most of the lights were switched off, so it lacked atmosphere and warmth. Our "receptionist" was also our waiter, night porter, pool cleaner, etc, etc and admitted that it was only him and the chef on duty.
This is definitely not 4 star service or standards and having spent the previous night at the 3 star Lord Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein, which far exceeded our expectations in every way, we couldn't wait to leave the Queens Hotel and will not consider returning.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alie Killian, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 21 Feb 2022
Noted
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I was a bit perturbed that the outer doors into the hotel were left open at night. Especially as our country's unemployment is skyrocketing. Isn't it perhaps better to tighten up this kind of security in advance rather than react when something unforeseen does occur.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: June 2022
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Elizabeth Pretorius, Marketing at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 14 Jul 2022
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback about your stay at Queens Hotel By Bon Hotels. We always appreciate hearing feedback about the experience that we provide, and your comments have been taken to heart. We hope to see you at Queens Hotel By Bon Hotels again soon! Kind regards, Queens Hotel By Bon Hotels
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The Queens looks like it's a relic of Oudtshoorn's more glorious past and the building is as lovely as the pictures on various websites.Â
The room was fine although, rather unexpectdly, a twin rather than a double with the beds bolted in place.
That said, the bathroom extractor squeaked like a strangled elephant and the room had a locked door to the neighbouring room, and I would rather have not heard them. Also, on the road side, the panes are single glazed so a bit trafffic noisy.
The staff were generally charming but a bit confused by any requests.
Breakfast was an odd affair, a small meat and cheese selection alongside yoghurt, fruits and juice. Eggs are cooked to order to go with a strange selection of dishes. Pots of spinach, something red, and something brown sit alongside some nice potatoes.
The pool is okay, a pleasant quadrangle but no real facilities, like a forgotten corner of the hotel.
It really feels like this hotel is past its best days and is benefitting from being the smartest looking in the only big town for miles.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alie K, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 26 Feb 2020
Your comments are noted.
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Spent three nights in Room 120 which is one of the biggest in the hotel and reputedly where Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret slept on a Royal Tour in 1947! The room was bright and airy with double aspect windows and a modern bathroom with tub and separate walk in shower. There is a magnificent staircase and a small lift. Staff are all lovely and we found very helpful. We dined one night in Colony restaurant (separately reported) and also had a snack lunch one day in Cafe Brule overlooking the street. Breakfast was served in the large breakfast room and was somewhat slender compared to all the other similar properties we have been staying in, no decent coffee and very limited choice with breads hard to come by. Some improvement needed there. The swimming pool area is potentially lovely but needs a massive clean up and some decent recliners, it did not seem to be used much but needs to be more inviting. All in all though this is a lovely hotel and very good value for money.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Some rooms are quite small, medium Room 120 is a good size
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Old, heritage hotel with manual keys unlike key cards. Rooms are old but clean and spacious. Location is great, very close to Pick n Pay and several other stores for shopping and restaurants for good food. There is an Austrian Lady owned souvenir shop just opposite to this property, across the road, worth visiting! They have very good staff, always with a smile on their face, passionately helping each and every guest in having a memorable stay. A flavorful breakfast awaits you in the restaurant with lot of fresh fruits and avocados. Eggs to order, sausages, bacon etc all have very good aroma and flavour, including the coffee. It's a shame that I stayed only a night here. I also had dinner in this hotel, it was a gourmet's delight, had Ostrich meat steak and Panna Cotta , perfect ending to a beautiful day!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Alie K, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 10 Mar 2020
Thank you very mush for your review. I am glad that you have enjoyed your stay with us.
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It was our first stay at this charming hotel. We had a lovely large room at the back with a small balcony overlooking the immaculately kept pool and another window looking over the rooftops on to the hills beyond. It was quiet, clean, airy, had a very comfortable large bed and modern bathroom with all the facilities…fridge, kettle etc. The hotel has some lovely traditional features of its era and is immaculately kept throughout. We missed being able to eat in the restaurant and have drinks in the bar because of low occupancy after the pandemic, but I’m sure in time there will be more people staying and hopefully a buzzing atmosphere. The staff were exceptional ….so friendly, helpful and professional. We enjoyed having a leisurely breakfast outdoors at the hotel coffee shop. It was lovely to sit there and watch Oudtshoorn come to life in the morning with a very well cooked breakfast and served with smiles. We look forward to returning next year to stay for longer and exploring this lovely town which has so much history.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â A room at the back is quiet and upgrade to get a bigger one. Secure parking at the back of the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Elizabeth Pretorius, Marketing at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 14 Jul 2022
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback about your stay at Queens Hotel By Bon Hotels. We always appreciate hearing feedback about the experience that we provide, and your comments have been taken to heart. We hope to see you at Queens Hotel By Bon Hotels again soon! Kind regards, Queens Hotel By Bon Hotels
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So disappointed in this place. Best thing about it was the two members of staff who were usually at the reception and the one lady cooking the eggs at breakfast. Other than that I cannot recommend. It had several entrances that were always open and no security to be seen. Room was bland, rundown and very uninspiring as were the grounds and the pool which was filthy. There were signs everywhere telling you to keep off the grass which was virtually non existent. Scared to use the lift as the signage about load shedding never explained when it might happen and no one else seemed to know either. Restaurant was very formal but at the same time corporate so we didn't use it. Bar area was small and we were told we could watch the rugby WC on the TV there. It could have been a good experience but the barman closed the bar at 9.45 (half time) without asking if we would like another drink and everyone went home leaving us alone. Breakfast was awful - hardly anything on offer and no attempt to replenish a thing. We asked for bread and were pointed to a few stale slices of white bread on a plate. In the meantime, a manager and handyman went into the kitchen and came out with plates of pastries and full cooked breakfast to eat at a table nearby. There was a lot wrong with the room, no working light over the bathroom (and only) mirror, no hotel information pack for room service or reception number etc, dirty walls, ripped bed sheets, the list goes on...I did end up leaving a list with reception when I checked out. Sorry but this place is not worth your money. Has a good location but that's all. Find somewhere that cares about your comfort and security.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Don't go!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tiaan Fourie, General Manager at Queen's Hotel By BON Hotels
Responded 13 Nov 2023
Good day Alibalio I am very disappointed to learn about your experience. As a hotel, we strive for excellent comfort and best customer service for our guests. Clearly, we did not deliver these standards. Not only you experienced such an inconvenience but we (our staff) was not able to assist you and resolve situation. Please accept my sincerest apologies, as this is certainly not the level of service, we would like to provide to our guests. Kind regards Hanri Odendaal General Manager
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There are more places to choose from in the Oudtshoorn area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 1,207 - RÂ 1,504 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
queens hotel oudtshoorn
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Queens Hotel
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeOudtshoorn
NUMBER OF ROOMS
40
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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