Etienne S.
Google
I have not stayed at Blue Waters Hotel, and based on my recent experience, I have no intention of doing so.
My concern is not about the rooms, location, or facilities, but about how this hotel handles personal information.
My phone number was added to an unnamed WhatsApp group without my consent. The group appeared to be promoting a scheme where people are paid (R50) to like and follow the hotel on Trip.com and other travel platforms. I never agreed to be contacted, never opted into marketing, and was never told how my number was obtained.
This is a clear breach of South Africa’s POPI Act, which requires lawful, transparent, and consent-based processing of personal information.
If a hotel shows this level of disregard for privacy before someone has even stayed there, it raises serious questions about how guest data is handled during and after a stay.
No matter how nice a property may be, trust matters. Based on this experience alone, I cannot recommend this hotel.