Ari Seirlis recently visited the Ghost Mountain Inn in KwaZulu-Natal, where he received a warm welcome. He shares his experience
Rain was belting down when I arrived at the Ghost Mountain Inn in the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal. I called the reception desk, and the moment the vehicle stopped as close to the undercover area as possible, someone was ready to assist. I knew immediately this was going to be a great stay. Within 15 minutes I was already raving about the service.
Every staff member I came across had a big smile on their face and greeted me with a friendly “Hello” or “Sawubona”. How unusual and refreshing! Situated in Mkuze, 20 km from the uMkhuze Game Reserve, Ghost Mountain Inn is about 300 km from Durban, a drive of about four-and-a-half hours with at least four toll gates. But it is worth the trip!
I had informed the inn of my need for a roll-in shower and an interleading room in advance. I was allocated Room 51, one of two accessible rooms along with Room 26. While there was no interleading room available, my caregiver was given the room nextdoor, which was close enough for my convenience.
My room was huge, with a queen size bed that could be separated into two units. The bathroom was well equipped with all the necessary accessories, such as grab rails, a shower seat and a mirror at the correct height. There was plenty of room to manoeuvre.
In addition, the room came with a television, air conditioning, a ceiling fan and a private balcony that served me well while I was doing my freakish yoga movements. These two days were going to be good.
It was easy to travel under cover from my room to the dining room, lounge, bar and veranda areas as well as wheeling independently to the swimming pool at the bottom of the property with its beautiful view over the man-made lake. The cherry on top was the timber boardwalk of more than 60 m over the lake with a sheltered boma. I’m pretty nervous on this type of structure, but I felt quite secure.
The bottom swimming pool has a spacious shallow end with very shallow steps that would make it easy for a wheelchair user to be assisted into the pool. There is also a nearby private roll-in shower for those who want to rinse themselves off after swimming.
The food is excellent, with the pizza oven always on the go! The restaurant offers extensive seating areas inside and outside that flow into the bar area, which serves a great gin-and-tonic. There is an accessible conference centre that includes an accessible bathroom. Another accessible bathroom is located near the dining room and bar.
I had no problem fitting under any of the tables in any of the areas. On checking out, the receptionist, without being prompted, came around to assist me at a lower table facility. It was thoughtful and impressive that she did so. Too often a reception desk creates a barrier that doesn’t allow for friendly interactions or easy payment.
We had the chance to engage with Craig Rutherfoord, the owner of the Ghost Mountain Inn, who is genuine about wanting to provide an equitable environment for people with disabilities. The real gem, however, is Jean Toucher, who welcomed us on arrival and made a big effort to tell us all about the establishment. She also informed us about the activities available, including game drives and boat trips on which wheelchair users can be accommodated.
In the course of our visit, Toucher seemed to pop in at just the right time and was always available. A wonderful host with a cheerful yet professional attitude. I felt like a VIP! I will be back. For more information and photos of Ghost Mountain Inn, visit www.disabledtravel.co.za.
Ari Seirlis is the former CEO of QASA, now retired. He will continue to contribute to the publication from time to time on the topics of travel, access and human rights. email: aris@iafrica.com
