Comments on: Santé: A South African Icon Returns

By: Dara B

Dara B — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:28:26 +0000

Linda M,

I would have to agree totally with your assessment. I believe that I was the first person to ever writea complaint about Chris / Whale Cottage on tripadvisor in 2006.

My comment was subsequently dismiussed by other guests but I am still down a meagre R800 since 2006. I do however note that this person/chain has become a significant issue for cape tourism since.

I really hope the issue gets resolved but unfortunately I do not think you should hold out much hope of getting your money back. Consider the loss of it an experience and walk away, I had too.

By: Linda M

Linda M — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:35:41 +0000

No one should ever go to whale cottage!

Chris stole my money and lied.
She is also a RACIST!!!!

I paid her for 2 weeks upfront and asked to postpone my date until the VISA was ready, but she didn’t care.
I eventually came to Capetown and got to the cottage but she didn’t let me in. I flew 8hrs to Capetown only for her (Chris) to tell me I have to make another booking and also make another payment.

She didn’t even have the courtesy to let me in. She didn’t even want to hear me out. She just stole the money and told me to go away.

She is a thief!

She is going down! You don’t take what isn’t yours and also make someone else sad.

By: jadrick coetzee

jadrick coetzee — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:20:40 +0000

Well, well Carlos left. The new tenants immediately paid their current levies. And further more they do talk to us. Please, this was not the clever move of the curators-they were ‘forced’ into this because they cannot close the hotel again.

So far so good. The grass is green again. All luck to them and I am convinced this time it will work.

By: jadrick coetzee

jadrick coetzee — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 14:10:15 +0000

Let me inform you all. The Sante name is ‘dead’ so is the grass around the place and the people trying to run this. I do not know how the curator Genis ginwala get hold of this Carlos Vilela ‘expert’ to run a hotel. I live on the estate and I do not see that the place will survive for long. They do not pay any levies and legal action is activated as we speak. There is no staff left and the only once left is the the few who was set up in Villas as part of the deal with curator as part of their payment.

I haven’t seen such a rubbish setup in a long time. We as homeowners will fight for this estate to get the appropriate entrepreneur to run this hotel and SPA. THIS PLACE IS A JOKE.

By: Corey

Corey — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:24:27 +0000

What a sad individual Chris von Ulmenstein is. She makes herself out to be an expert on everything. My advice would be that she spends more time and attention at her guest houses that are all falling apart and have become a laughing stock albeit a source of great embarrassment to the tourism and hospitality industry.

You only have to look on TripAdvisor and HelloPeter to get a glimpse of the standards that Von Ulmenstein applies to herself. Clearly completely different standards that she sets for others.

She is rude, obnoxious, an embarrassment to everybody who believes in good and comradeship. She thrives on drama and negative energy. A sad little person indeed.

It is difficult Sharon, but my best advice would be to ignore her.