Nibela Lake Lodge
Nibela Peninsula, Hluhluwe 3960 South Africa
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About
#4 of 22 lodges in Hluhluwe
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Service
Value
Nibela Lake Lodge blends seamlessly into its forest surroundings, overlooking the expansive Lake St Lucia. Eleven thatched, timber chalets are situated beneath a magnificent canopy of trees, and are connected by wooden walkways, raised high above the cool forest floor. Private and secluded, guests are able to enjoy the solitude and tranquility of Africa at its best. Our Lakeside restaurant boasts a variety of delicious homemade meals prepared daily. Activities include a tented spa overlooking the lake with various treatments available, quad biking, guided walk, nights drives, guided trips to the famous flood plains where pelicans and flamingos like to gather, star gazing, mountain biking, boat cruises, cultural tours and fishing. There are two swimming pools on the property one with a large kiddies outside play area. Nibela Lake Lodge is off the beaten track and deep in the bush but the trip is totally worth the drive. We guarantee you will leave feeling rejuvenated.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Bar / lounge
Badminton
Bicycle rental
Children's playground
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Secured parking
Public wifi
Pool / beach towels
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Plunge pool
Fence around pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Complimentary welcome drink
Kids' meals
Outdoor dining area
Snack bar
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Bicycles available
Boating
Hiking
Mini golf
Bicycle tours
Darts
Fishing
Patio
Walking tours
Board games / puzzles
Kids club
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Highchairs available
Body wrap
Facial treatments
Foot bath
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Manicure
Massage
Massage chair
Neck massage
Pedicure
BBQ facilities
Baggage storage
Concierge
Gift shop
Mosquito net
Outdoor fireplace
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Sun umbrellas
First aid kit
Umbrella
Express check-in / check-out
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Blackout curtains
Air conditioning
Desk
Housekeeping
Coffee / tea maker
Cable / satellite TV
Extra long beds
Walk-in shower
Interconnected rooms available
Private balcony
Safe
Seating area
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Iron
Laptop safe
Private bathrooms
Refrigerator
Electric kettle
Flatscreen TV
Radio
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Lake View
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Zulu
Location
Nibela Peninsula, Hluhluwe 3960 South Africa
Getting there
Car HireSee all Hluhluwe car hire
215Reviews12Q+A67Room tips
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Very disappointed with this accommodation. Started badly when we couldn’t get in the gate. There was an intercom, turns out it doesn’t work but there was no sign to tell us that it wasn’t working. Had to phone reception, they then phoned security guard to let us in. Parked car and lugged our bags all the way along a rickety boardwalk to the reception - turns out if you leave bags at car they will take them to your room. Friendly reception staff who greeted us with a welcome drink. Given key to our lodge - expected a beautiful view over the lake but disappointed to find there was very little view due to the vegetation. Room was shabby and small. You can’t drink the water so have to have the water they provide. Our room wasn’t turned down the first night so water wasn’t topped up which meant a trek to reception to get some drinking water. Menu was poor and provided in a shabby plastic folder. Food wasn’t great, reminded me of a Wetherspoons. Husband hired a mountain bike but chain kept coming off and gears didn’t work. One hour boat trip out over lake was worth doing and we saw a hippo. Staff friendly and try their best but place need an injection of money to bring it up to standard. This was the forth place we stayed on our two week trip and really disappointing.…
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
Thank you for warm welcome Staff are friendly and kind. Drive there is pleasant even saw flamingos. Rooms are perfect. Setting is great in a natural forest. Walks are great and the birding is excellent. Dinner was good breakfast great. Thanks Dave
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Not quite 4 star! Nibela Lodge unfortunately didn’t live up to the 4 star rating. We stayed at the lodge for 3 nights in July 2023. Despite the welcoming staff and warm smiles, this hotel left us wanting and disappointed. We took the breakfast and dinner option. The food was average. Well presented. But don’t expect much more. With a few exceptions, most of the food on offer is basic. Expect to wait a long time for meals - we even waited over an hour! Received mains before starters. And got chicken in a vegetarian pasta. The restaurant was out of stock of many things - including bread. The rooms although, comfortable don’t seem to be well maintained. The air conditioner didn’t work and took more than one request to get it fixed. We did not have hot water twice in a 3 night stay. The hotel does not have blankets. It was a cold and uncomfortable couple of nights. There was no wifi in the room contrary to what we were told on arrival. After reporting it to the hotel it was finally resolved, 2 days later. If you’re looking for 4 star comforts, luxuries and attention to detail, this is not the place. The place seems to be poorly managed. And perhaps staff need more training. They are well intentioned but clearly lack experience. There are onsite activities like quad biking, nature walks, nature drives, fishing and a boat ride. We did the quad biking and a boat ride. The boat ride was just around the lake, didn’t see any crocs. R500 per person for a ride around the lake for an hour. I don’t think this lodge offers value for money. Based on our family’s experience I would not recommend this resort to family and friends. Our experience overall was underwhelming. And I believe over priced for what is on offer.…
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We were fortunate enough to spend our Honeymoon at Nibela Lake Lodge. It was an unforgetable experience! The lodge is in mint condition, the staff is extremely friendly and the amenities are great. Loads of daily excursions to choose from, or if you prefer staying put, the pool and deck area is a great place to spend the day lounging in the sun. The restaurant en bar is fantastic and overall we found it affordable. Thanks to all the staff at Nibela Lake Lodge, we had an amazing time with you!
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: The road to the lodge can be sandy and a vehicle with higher clearance is recommended
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
I highly recommend that you stay here, the food was great, the employees were very accommodating and friendly, and there are beautiful views. Be sure to get the massage while you're there. You can't ask for anything more. I would happily stay here again in a heartbeat!
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
We booked the couples package It was a beautiful ferry trip to the lodge Was greeted by lovely staff with welcome cocktails . Our lodge was lovely with a du luxe king size bed overlooking the lake . Lovely canapés and snacks with tea, coffee and water in the room , couldn’t resist the outdoor tub with bubbles , just relaxed until dinner . Dinner was set up on the pool deck overlooking the beautiful lake. Next day a picnic was set up despite the rain , it was set up on our deck , lovely spread to the picnic basket with champagne . All meals was delicious . The nature walk was really good , saw some animals on the way and beautiful buffer flies . Relaxed in the jacuzzi to a lovely sundown dinner. A beautiful lodge with inviting and extremely helpful staff .
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: It’s a long drive , leave early in-order to get to the destination on time , you will come across...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Gemma Linforth, General Manager at Nibela Lake Lodge
Responded 25 Jan 2023
Dear Mandy Many thanks for taking time to complete a review on your recent holiday with us It is always a pleasure to read how much our valued guests enjoyed their stay. We look forward to welcoming you back in the near future Gemma Linforth
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
This place is actually such a lovely experience. We went there as a couple on our honeymoon as part of a trip around soth Africa and found this place on booking.com. We're so so glad we came here. The staff are really what made this place what it is. Every single person introduced themselves. Everyone was accomodating and was proactive - this is what differentiates transactional customer service with an experience that makes you feel valued and welcomed as a family member. Now, I must say that driving there should definitely consist of a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle. We made a massive mistake of driving there from richard's bay in a tiny red dishwasher of a car, in the pitch darkness. However, the staff know about these issues and actually all live locally (they even know how many hippos are in the lake!) So they came in a pick up truck to help navigate us when we got scared of the animals at night. Directions on Google are being fixed but I'd either recommend Waze or I'd recommend using the directions given by the hotel. We arrived about 20 minutes before a major storm so some activities were off the table (like visiting the wetlands as they were flooded!) For the rest of the week. Though we went on all other tours. Even when we didn't have cash to pay our driver for the big 5 safari (highly recommend) the lodge just paid it and billed us at the end, saving us yet again! When we asked to move rooms as it can get quite slippery and my wife's ankle is bad, they did it in 20 minutes. When we wanted laundry done before our next leg, they promised 24 hours and they did it in just over 12 (they were dried and pressed too!) To add to all of this, they've got board games and amazing cocktails and food to help you kill time. The food actually was a major highlight. We worked our way through the whole menu as it was so nice! The burgers are a highlight by the way! They even called us a few days prior to arrival to check our dietary requirements. While we want to explore so we'll stay at another dreams resort when we're around again, we will definitely return to say hello to everyone. You can trust these people for cleanliness, professionalism and encyclopaedic local expertise that nobody else has. Please do the village tour if you can too, as you get to really understand what's around you and some of the proceeds go back to the community (some of whom are hired by the hotel)…
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: If driving, bring a 4x4 vehicle with high clearance. Locals know the area and are friendly so you...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gemma Linforth, General Manager at Nibela Lake Lodge
Responded 09 Nov 2022
Good Day Ehab We would like to thank you for your wonderful review on your recent holiday with us. We are so grateful to have been able to exceed your expectations of Nibela and the Kwa Nibela Community. Our team always strives to do the best for all our guests and we are pleased to know that we have exceeded in creating a memorable holiday and honeymoon for you and your new wife! We would love to see you again one day! Gemma & Ryan and the Nibela Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My family (6 adults) stayed at Sobhengu Lodge for 2 nights in August. The drive to the lodge is approximately 30km on a dirt road and through rural locations, for which better signage is needed to provide assurance that you are travelling in the correct direction. The hotel and chalets overlook the St Lucia lake providing a picturesque location for a few days away from the city. We opted for a 6 sleeper self catering chalet, which was secluded with a patio and private jacuzzi from which to enjoy the scenic view. There were 3 separate bedrooms with en- suites which were comfortable and clean. My two complaints: firstly; the numerous monkeys the entire day which meant keeping all windows and doors closed, and having all meals indoors. Secondly, the electricity would switch on and off throughout the night, which did not ensure a good nights rest. We did not use too many of the facilities, rather choosing to enjoy the time to relax with family.…
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Date of stay: August 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gemma Linforth, General Manager at Nibela Lake Lodge
Responded 05 Sept 2022
Good Day Sameera Thank you for your review, it is always so rewarding to hear how much our guests enjoyed their stay with us. We do apologize on behalf of Eskom, they have a regulator that is malfunctioning on our line which is why the power was going on and off over your stay. It has been replaced. We do hope to host you again at Sobhengu and Nibela.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beautiful location overlooking the lake. We stayed in 211, a bit of a hike but worth it. Secluded with an outside bath and shower. We stayed 2 nights and had to move chalet into 203. Less secluded however still had a spectacular view and a shorter walk to the restaurant. Enjoyed a 3.5 K bird watch walk with Lucky, whose knowledge of birds, trees and flowers was outstanding. Also had a trip out on the lake with Vincent and colleague and meet hippos, at a distance! and lots of water birds. Great spot for a sundowner. Only negative was the difficulty we had trying to pay our bill as the machine was playing up and this was stressful for the staff member trying to take our payment and us trying to make the payment.
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gemma Linforth, General Manager at Nibela Lake Lodge
Responded 26 Jun 2022
Good Day Maggie Thank you so much for your wonderful review, - we are so pleased to hear how much you enjoyed Nibela and we look forward to having you back soon.. Gemma Linforth
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This past weekend my wife, Caron and I had the pleasure of spending 4 days at the Nibela Lake Lodge. It was a wonderful, relaxing experience in a beautiful part of South Africa on the banks of Lake St. Lucia. The ferry trip from Lister Point to the Lodge set the tone for the four days. The accommodation was lovely and the food very good. The staff were all excellent, thoughtful, very helpful and incredibly knowledgeable about the area, the fauna and flora and the local cultures. The trails are well marked and make for easy walking. If attention to detail, peace and quiet and good food are what you are looking for, then Nibela Lake Lodge is the place to be. Dan Henry
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Date of stay: May 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Room 203 has the best view of the lake.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Gemma Linforth, General Manager at Nibela Lake Lodge
Responded 21 Jun 2022
Good Day Dan Many thanks for taking time to complete a review on your recent holiday with us It is always a pleasure to read how much our valued guests enjoyed their stay and we look forward to welcoming you back in the near future!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$103 - US$219 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
nibela lake hotel hluhluwe
LOCATION
South AfricaKwaZulu-NatalZululandHluhluwe
NUMBER OF ROOMS
11
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Claim Your ListingNIBELA LAKE LODGE - Now R 2 155 (Was R̶ ̶4̶ ̶4̶4̶1̶) - UPDATED 2023 Reviews & Price Comparison (Hluhluwe, South Africa) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Nibela Lake Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Nibela Lake Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Nibela Lake Lodge?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Nibela Lake Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Nibela Lake Lodge?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Nibela Lake Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Nibela Lake Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Afrikaans, and Zulu.
Does Nibela Lake Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the lake view available here.
Is Nibela Lake Lodge accessible?
Yes, it offers reduced mobility rooms and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.