By the Way Guesthouse

A Heartbreaking Anniversary Experience – By the Way, We’re Disappointed My husband and I visited [Paint Pottery Place] in Clarens on Tuesday, December 12th, for what we thought would be a special and creative way to celebrate our anniversary. We spent three hours painting two coffee mugs, pouring our time, effort, and love into them. It was such a fun experience, and we were genuinely excited to see how they’d turn out. When we handed the mugs over, the cashier informed us they’d only be ready the following Monday. Since we were on vacation and wouldn’t be in Clarens by then, we asked about alternatives. She suggested couriering them, which we thought was a great solution. We paid R585 for the mugs and left with high hopes. However, the problems started once we got home. On December 17th, we realized there was no easy way to contact the business. No social media, no presence on Google—it was like they didn’t exist. After hours of searching, we found their details listed under a guesthouse called By the Way. Looking back, that name feels ironic because they clearly treated us like an afterthought. I finally called and spoke to someone who promised to WhatsApp me updates but never did. I had to follow up the next day to be told the mugs had been couriered. While this lack of communication was frustrating, we were still hopeful that the mugs would arrive intact. When the courier finally contacted us today, December 22nd, we couldn’t wait to collect our package. We were so excited to see the results of our anniversary project. But that excitement quickly turned into heartbreak. My husband’s mug was bent and damaged, but mine was in even worse condition—broken, smudged, and with the paint completely faded. These weren’t just coffee mugs; they were supposed to be meaningful keepsakes from our special day. To see them in such a state was devastating. We are beyond disappointed. The lack of care in packaging, the poor communication, and the complete disregard for how much these items meant to us have turned what could have been a wonderful memory into a painful experience. By the way, if you’re considering visiting this place, you might want to think twice. We’ll be attaching before and after photos. Feel free to spot the difference.

Great location, short walk from the main square. The room was huge and beautifully decorated. Everything you could need was there with thoughtful touches like milk for tea, salt and pepper if you were eating in and some cookies. Breakfast was well organised and had good choices. What sets this place apart is the lovely host who is great at communicating and really makes an effort to ensure a comfortable stay.