Very pleasant and relaxing stay. Alex and Kay were more than accommodating and friendly, even inviting us to visit them for a drink. The lodge is clean, safe and well maintained and great value for money. The chalets are private and offer good views of the bush. Beds are comfortable and offer a great night's rest. Close to Cullinan central and other activities in Dinokeng. The pool area is lovely with sparkling water and fantastic views. Great for sundowners or just to chill by and watch the sun set over the bush. We'll definitely be visiting again.
I cannot speak for the other units at Kwathabisile Lodge, but ours (Eland) was in a state of disrepair and neglect as well as poorly equipped. And we definitely did not have the restful experience we were promised or expected. In the living room the couch was falling apart, and curtains were stained and ripped. Carpets were old, falling apart and dirty. The kitchen is poorly equipped missing bare essentials such as braai tongs, or a drying rack for dishes. Plates are chipped, table cloths are stained and covered in cigarette burns, and chairs are in a poor condition. The drying towels provided were stained and old. The cheese grater so rusted we were scared to use. The dining table has a light fitting above it with no bulb. And when we tried to use the lamps that were on the table, just to be able to see what we were eating, they had not fuses to light. The one bedroom is surrounded by exposed cables and protruding nails in the floors which are not safe at all. Especially not for a family of a 2 year old. The main bedroom has no cupboards, expect 2 small bedside tables, to unpack in. The whole unit is covered in spiders, spiderwebs and dust. Throughout the unit paint is pealing of walls. We also stated that we would be 6 guests and only received towels for 4 guests. We requested additional towels which were only provided later in the morning, when we had all finished showering. On our first night, the owners had a loud party only a few metres from our unit. Shouting, playing loud music and swearing until 12:30. And this was followed on the second night with guests on the other side of our unit playing booming music until late. The 'No music tolerance' as stated by the establishment does not seem to be true. The owners dogs (one of which is quite large) was constantly trying to get into our unit and scaring my little girl. The only good thing I can say is that the bedding was clean and comfortable. Based on what we were charged for the weekend, we do not believe that KwaThabisile is good value for money. And the photos online are not a true reflection of the place we stayed at. We will not be back, and we would not recommend this lodge to anyone else.…
KwaThabisile Game Lodge From the main city centres, a short trip along the main road and down a dirt road brings you to Kwathabisile, nestled amongst big shady trees and the low rolling hills of Dinokeng. Upon arrival, you are directed to your accommodation unit and eager hands are there to assist with unloading your vehicle. The seven accommodation units are arranged in a semi-circle and interlinked with walkways that criss-cross underneath one of the huge trees. A sparkling pool with relaxing furniture is located close-by. The surrounding gardens are well kept and maintained. The unit we occupied was comfortably furnished with a sufficiently stocked kitchenette, catering for your basic needs. Although the units are located in close proximity to each other, they still provide enough privacy. An ample supply of firewood is supplied at a small charge. Alex and Kai, the hosts, are friendly and engaging and keen to assist with any requests that might arise. Their friendly dogs often come to visit and make sure that everything is still in order! Kwathabisile provides the ideal venue to unwind and de-stress. In addition to this, it also caters for family get-togethers, team-building exercises and small conferences.…
We went to this great little place for my parents 37th anniversary and my mother's birthday. We stayed in the Bush baby house that was really great. Lots of space to move around and great feather down duvets :) Shower door is broken, just to let you know, but was not a major issue. Would also recommend some ice as the ice trays were all empty. Everything was clean and tidy. Prince welcomed us at the gate on arrival and checked on us a couple of times which was really great. Boma is really great, but would really suggest shade netting or an umbrella or something as it is impossible to use that whole area from 10:30 till before sun set, which makes it kind of useless.as you have to sit in front and have no privacy. Pool was very nice and clean. All our requests were met by Alex and her amazing staff, especially the bougainvilla flower heart on the bed. Thank you so much! I personally would book the Anthelope house next time as it has a huge covered stoep and has more privacy.Thanks again for everything, we will definetly be back soon! O and we actually heard a lion in the early hours of the morning...is that possible...wow!…
No manager in sight throughout our stay. Not even a phone call to "welcome" us at least. Only two staff members were available, who were alright. I am just surprised that the two units which we occupied were not serviced. Self catering does require one to wash their own dishes and tidy up, but I did not expect a total neglect of basic service. The place needs a lot of TLC, broken shower doors, patched up ceilings, bed resting on bricks, faulty ceiling fans and stove .... etc, etc! The place looks like it was decent many, many years ago. Would I recommend KwaThabisile - NO!
The accommodation really was top class and was in an awesome environment where you can hear lion as well as other animals. Unfortunately the inside of the thatched rooms were a bit dark but other than that it was an awesome 10 day stay.
A bit nervous when we first arrived - it's out in the middle of nowhere off a dirt road. But this turned out to be a good thing, as it was so secluded and peaceful with no city noises. Quite empty when we arrived, took a bit longer than I would've liked for someone to come and meet us - except the four boisterous dogs, which were running around our vehicles as soon as we got in the gate. This was fine for me because I love dogs and they were all very friendly and docile, but Max in particular is a big fellow, and could easily intimdate people unfamiliar or not partial to dogs - a warning when booking, at least, would be good for people to know. These dgos roam loose around the property, which became a problem when they invited themselves into our units. They've even figured out how to open the closed sliding doors! Also a bit of a pain during outside braais, with four dogs around your feet begging for scraps. Our group rented several of the units - they were all similar, but we did find that many of the lights didn't work. One of the kitchens had absolutely no lights working, and no windows, so was in darkness all the time. The ceiling fan in this kitchen also looked in danger of falling off, didn't want to stand directly under it. Fridges all worked, but a couple of them needed their seals replaced. Freezers kept frozen things frozen, but didn't freeze things from room temperature very well (ie, a tray of ice took a day and a half to freeze totally). Bedrooms were comfortable, clean and tidy. Our mosquito net had several holes in it. None of the doors or windows had screens on them, so it got very hot inside. Bathrooms were clean and tidy, bit of mould on some of the ceilings though. The communal braai area outside was fanastic, with torches and a fire pit. The swimming pool and patio was also a favourite area for a great deal of the day. The staff were all helpful, but at times difficult to find. It's quite a large property though, so that's understandable.…
Another wonderful break at KwaThabasili. We just love spending time there with the dogs. The sunsets are incredible and the stars at night awesome. If you have bikes take them along otherwise take a walk with the pooches-they love the exercise.
We have stayed twice, as we transferred from Durban to Jo'berg when flying long haul; once in June, and once in April. When flying in from Europe where I work, it was so nice to be met at the airport, and to spend a couple of days in peace and quiet, unwinding and relaxing before going off for a hectic trip of reunions and visits. I like the way it is decorated and furnished; the houses have character, and Alex is original in her decor and selection of furniture. The first time we came, it was unfenced and the game wandered across the lawn; since then the fence has gone up and it has lost that feel of being part of the bush. The bush is still there, and the game is still there, and my own interest in botany is content with walking around to explore. The children loved the pool, and the dogs, and the area. We found Alex convivial, helpful and friendly. Next time we return to RSA we will stay again; for the peace and quiet, and handy proximity to Pretoria/Jo'berg/airport. The transfer driver knew exactly where to go, so it was good to be alble to relax about that as well. It was just so nice and peaceful.…
We booked kwa Thabisile having visited Safarinow then directly at kwa Thabisile's website for a group of 7 European friends-English,Italian and German with a couple of SA local guests-after our visit to Zambia,wanting to be somewhere driveable from JNB airport at a late hour and after a sad bereavement which brought us to Africa in the first place.We managed this in a mere 1 1/2 hours on well sign-posted roads and c/o satnav/GPS.We were reassured by the initial security presence as we entered Leeuwkloof Valley in darkness and throughout our entire stay.Charming Maria greeted us and showed us to our delightful comfortable accomodation, Antelope and Bushbaby,each room of a distinctive African style,which have interconnecting dividers-perfect for a group of 7 of all ages and differing needs.We opted for self-catering throughout as the joys of the braai in the evening were the high point of our stay.Not forgetting our drives to charming Cullinan (very good Spar supermarket for essentials and more),Ludwigs Rose Garden and Dinokeng National Park (only 2 of the Big 5 but more planned in the foreseeable future).Whilst at kwa Thabisile from our veranda we watched Water Buffalo,Kudu and Bush Pigs/ Warthogs at close quarters in the nearby grounds on many occassions and saw these at close sight when we did a dawn walk,all the time with Vervet monkeys chattering in the trees.And relaxing by the pool in the late afternoon was just idyllic for us.We hope to return at our earliest opportunity with more than 7 persons next time round.…
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