We just got home from an awful experience at the Phakalane Golf Estate Easter brunch. We had been looking forward to this brunch as a nice way to celebrate Easter in a different setting from your typical Gaborone meal. The morning got off to a rocky start when we showed up at 11:40 for our 11:30 reservation, only to be told that we had to wait because the buffet was still being set up. Waiters and staff were hectically carrying tables and chairs and buffet items to the outdoor seating area, and it was apparent that the buffet would not start until at least 12:30, one hour past the start time I had been told when I made the reservation a week ago. However we did not mind this too much at first because this is Botswana and everyone is always running behind, and we were offered a nice glass of sparkling wine and took the opportunity to enjoy the view.
However, things quickly started to go downhill even further when, 20 minutes later, we asked to be shown to our table (the buffet was STILL being set up). The table that they reserved for us was probably the worst table in the entire place, with no view, far from the buffet and right in between two sets of double doors going into the lobby. I should add that we were the only ones there besides two other families and only one table in the whole place was occupied at that point. I asked to be moved to another table, and the staff were NOT HAPPY about this and grumbled amongst themselves. Finally we were shown to the other side of the balcony and were told to sit at a tiny card table that was squeezed in between three larger tables, also did not have a view, and was right next to some sort of hot grill. I asked again to be seated by the balcony so that we could enjoy the view and got more grumbling in response. At this point an extremely arrogant and snobby manager came over and told us that we could not sit by the balcony, because this would require them to redo their entire seating chart and it was too inconvenient to move a table for us. We were told that we could not sit at one of the four person tables set up by the balcony because there were only two of us. He said, "Go wait in the lobby." in an extremely rude tone, as if we were inconveniencing him greatly and then turned his back on us. There was still no one else in the restaurant besides two other families and we could not understand why it was such a problem to let us sit in a decent table, especially given that the whole place was completely empty and we had made the reservation a week in advance!
Finally we decided to just leave and spend our Easter morning elsewhere. Also, by this point it was 12:20 and the buffet still wasn't ready?!?! Craziness. on the way out, another manager approached us and tried to convince us to stay but by that point the rude attitude of the staff had already ruined the place for us. Again this was an Easter brunch we were looking forward to. We were initially impressed by the attractive setting and nice offer of a glass of sparkling wine, but I have to say that we will not go back to this place and we will also tell our friends in town not to go there unless they want to put up with arrogant and inconsiderate service. Really disappointed, there is so much potential in this place but once again, as happens too many times in Botswana, it's ruined by the terrible service.
