Santos Express

Really pretty and nice place with an amazing beach view! The restaurants next to the hotel are really nice too, which hold free live band shows sometimes!

Day 7 of our trip and we had a breakdown 16km from Mossel bay. When arriving at Santos Express we where greeted very friendly, we had so much stuff with us due to breakdown. Staff helped carry all our luggage to our Suite, moment that door opened I was shocked with beauty. It's really an old train room, the wood, the chairs, the decor, all of it... Train was just not moving. The view was amazing, sleeping at night and hearing the sea was a treat. Had supper at the restaurant and loads of drinks. Food and drinks was well priced and delicious. Next morning breakfast was a treat and the staff was friendly and amazing. I can not wait to go visit again, and stay for longer as it's really beautiful. I can be strict and complain that all windows didn't open, or all blinds don't go down but this is an old train and to still have all look so beautiful. I will again book a suit as it's very specious, with own toilet, bath and shower. We slept well, bed and cushions was comfortable, extra blanket which we used during the night when wind picked up but I didn't want to close the window and hear the sea all night. Highly recommend Santo Express Train

As a loyal customer, I always went to the Santos train twice a year. Now this time when I arrived, they made a mistake with my booking and blamed me, the guest, for their mistake. The admin lady, think her name is Patricia if I remember correctly, started getting extremely rude. I booked a single room and she she said that I should pay now for a twin room as the single room was not available. I told her that I was not prepared to pay for a twin room as my booking was made for a single room. She asked me if I wanted to stay for free in a twin room and that I will have to pay for the twin room now. After an arguement they offered me a single room as requested initially They never even offered half an apology. In the end after was so upset that I decided to cancel my whole booking and demanded a refund to book accomodation somewhere else. They spoiled my whole vacation with their toxic behaviour. I am very dissapointed and will never return to Santos Express again.

That was our second visit. The staff, especially Kim, was absolutely fantastic and professional, and made us feel part of the Santos family. We just booked for another stay end February. Nothing beats the absolutely glorious views!

WE WILL COME BACK ALWAYS! Mid January 2023 we had a family emergency and on our way from Cape Town to the Eastern Cape we had a vehicle breakdown. Whilst we had our car being fixed, Santos Express Train Lodge was recommended as a place to stay overnight. We found it not only a place to stay but it became a place of comfort for us. LOVE, EMPATHY and PATIENCE coupled with great SERVICE from the staff is what lead us to taking a decision that we will be back. We then made a reservation for December 2023. WOW; On arrival we were greeted with so much joy and we could feel at home again. Let me mention again that Kim at reception who gave us a warm welcome as well as Zandile at the restaurant; great people. These are people's people and you can tell that it comes natural for them to love and care and they are very consistent. A cherry on top was added to this stay when I saw my wife's excitement when we arrived at our Royal Suite A. WOW! This room was perfect for us as a couple. It has Wifi, Mini Bar fridge, a shower, a bath etc. I really can't fault anything at the moment because so far we've always been treated as a Royal family in Santos Express Train Lodge. May you all be blessed guys. "CBS is the vehicle registration for Mossel bay and that means Come Back Soon" said the lady whom we came across at the entrance on our way out, and indeed we will Come Back Soon.

Imagine jumping into an Agatha Christie novel with you room direct by the beach. At night you are lulled to sleep by the surf breaking on the beach with a feeling of travelling in the 1920's and you wake to the joyfull laughter of children playing nearby. A Full English Breakfast taken under warm skies with clear views makes this a fantastic place to just stop and enjoy. All the staff were so accomadating.

The Santos Express was a novel short stay experience. It’s located 2 minutes from the beach and the views from my cabin were amazing. The shared bathroom was not a problem in the slightest and I was there during the MossJaz Festival. Excellent location for those attending the festival or if you just want to be up close and personal to the beach. Beautiful views can be experienced from the breakfast area too. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

We (two couples) had booked a overnight stay in two oublebed compartments online. The booking process was uncomplicated and quick. We received a friendly welcome on site. The train is close to the sea - some compartments have a sea view. The compartments are quite small, as you would expect from a sleeping compartment, but the bed is but the bed is big enough for two people. Luggage can either be stored under bed or on two upper folding beds. Each carriage has two WCs and a shower. To our surprise the overnight fee included breakfast - we had probably overlooked that. The breakfast buffet was plentiful and completely sufficient for us - you could have booked a breakfast upgrade. For one night, the accommodation was perfectly fine for us and worth an adventure. However, if we come again, we will book a Honeymoon or Royal accommodation - they offer a bit more privacy for us.

We loved staying at the Santos Express. The staff were all very friendly and everything was clean. During the Ironman Weekend the restaurant might look at offering a different pasta menu for the athletes staying at the train.