We dont’t blame consumers for using these platforms because they are choosing from the alternatives available to them that meet their requirements. Its super easy and you get the ilusion that prices are better. Booking.com & Airbnb were taking the industry by storm before Covid, but the change in traveller sentiment during the pandemic has driven even more consumers to consider booking via their site than before.
However the practice is not sustainable and we need to generate a consiousness to travel sustainably. The benefit of tourim needs to filter trough to the loal communities and when more than 60% of the profit margin of the B&B goes to corperate entities like booking.com or AirBnb that are not even is South Africa it really makes me shake my head. Especially that Antbear Lodge is so hugely into sustainability this simply does not make sense.
We even offer online availability and online bookings directly off our website so its as easy as one of these larger platforms.
Antbear Lodge offers a lot to satisfy your desire to have privacy and avoid contact with other people. All our units have their own private entrances and verandas and some even have own private fenced in gardens. You can also take advantage of our contactless check in procedure. We offer a spacious retaurant where social distincing is generous but better still we offer more than 1 location to dine in so if you want to be alone we can take care of that. A top dining attraction at Antbear Lodge is our private dining option where you can dine on your deck or balcony by candlelight under the stars. Social distancing has been taken to a new level here in the Drakensberg. Lots of space to take in and mountain fresh air to breath. Antbear Lodge is one of those smaller venues where you will be with your family alone on any of the activities offered at the lodge be it hiking, mountain biking, horse trails, hot air ballooning, or the stargazing hammock camp experience.
Antbear Lodge is transparent with its rates. Our published prices are the final prices. No cleaning fees as with most AirBnbs. There are some people who believe that Airbnb or Booking.com options are cheaper than going direct. Of course, this can sometimes seem to be the case, but hidden fees and/or non included meals or non refundable deals do not offer transparency. Certainty, peace of mind and trust is what you the traveller wants. We will always honour a cheaper rate if you find a comparible rate on one of these sites so just ask us and we will match that offer.
Aditionally, our No-fee cancellation policy is your security. We take a 50% deposit up front the balance payable on departure. Way less risky. If you have to cancel because of new lockdown. There is something quite anonymous about Booking.com or Airbnb properties and while this appeals to some, it doesn’t to others purely because of the safety issue.
One of the biggest ironies of the name “Airbnb” is the fact that the second “b” is absent in most properties listed on their site. So I would like to shout loud about that we include breakfast and dinner in our rates. Our farm to fork way of perparing our meals from our organic garden, eggs from our own chickens, and milk from our own cows. We even make our own cheese and bake our own bread.
So please book direct! It is for the future of tourism.
