Hulala Lakeside Lodge

Hulala Lakeside Lodge

La tranquillità del luogo
Traveller (144)
Habitación
Room & Suite (13)
Salón con salida a la piscina
Pool & Beach (12)

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About

#4 of 8 hotels in White River
4.4 of 5 bubbles
Location
3.9 of 5 bubbles
Rooms
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Value
4.1 of 5 bubbles
Cleanliness
4.1 of 5 bubbles
Service
4.3 of 5 bubbles
Sleep Quality
Hulala Lakeside Lodge is situated on the da Gama Dam surrounded by a Forrest of Indigenous Trees and is the ideal place to relax and unwind. Enjoy our daily Cruise around the Dam and take in the peace and tranquility while experiencing the extensive Bird life.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Bar / lounge
Canoeing
Hiking
Babysitting
Shuttle bus service
Secured parking
Pool / beach towels
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the room
Kids' meals
Special diet menus
Poolside bar
Fishing
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Baggage storage
Chapel / shrine
Currency exchange
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Shops
Sun terrace
Ironing service
Room features
Safe
Seating area
Coffee / tea maker
Bath / shower
Room types
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
4.0 of 5 stars
HOTEL STYLE
Lake View
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Xhosa

Location

Farm Etna R40, White River 1240 South Africa
Getting there
Kruger Mpumalanga Intl Airport
27.6 km
See all flights
Ulusaba Airport
53.6 km
See all flights
Traveller rating
  • 90
  • 109
  • 55
  • 15
  • 13
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
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  • English
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Detailed Reviews
288mzwandilem wrote a review Jan 2020
Eswatini (Swaziland)
5.0 of 5 bubbles
What a stunner in the midst of lush greens. We had come for the boat ride and had great service from the reception and captain. Relaxing ride on the dam, perfect day. A ride is a mere R80 for 1 hour, pretty nothing compared to the views and overall helpful people.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip 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.
hoprab wrote a review Mar 2020
White River, South Africa
5.0 of 5 bubbles
The place, the service, the food, the activities were great. The only disappointment was how the room was cleaned. The cleaner did not clean the glasses, spoons that we used the previous night. The cleaner also did not make the bed properly; there was still dust particles on the bed when we slept at night. We also noted that the shower is not cleaned thoroughly otherwise we enjoyed our stay and we are planning to come back.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
4.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
3.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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.
Response from SeanL2836, General Manager at Hulala Lakeside Lodge
Responded 09 Mar 2020
Good day thank you for your review on Hulala Lakeside Lodge thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention, we will make every effort to rectify them We look forward to welcoming you back soon kind regards Sean Light General Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
DesertSands_12 wrote a review Apr 2015
Johannesburg, South Africa
3.0 of 5 bubbles
A lovely country setting by a lake. A bit tired looking and the welcome was hardly enthusiastic. Disappointing! We were not told about anything except where to park and no mention of the lake cruise that was supposed to be included in the stay. We found the staff were mostly ignorant of what goes on there and are without basic training. We had to ask for information. The evening meal in the restaurant we had a waitress who was on her first day and could not understand even the simplest of orders or what we were asking for. She fled to the kitchen never to be seen again! Please train staff in hospitality principles before releasing them on the general public. I was glad we only stayed one night - more than that would have been hard to bear.
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Date of stay: April 2015
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
3.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
2.0 of 5 bubblesService
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: By the lake
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.
waterlilly1304 wrote a review Feb 2015
Johannesburg, Michigan
1.0 of 5 bubbles
We really hoped to visit but we have been so greatly disappointed.
My husband looked on the Valentines tab on Groupon and he called to book for Valentine's weekend. 'Fortunate a reservationist' at Hulala made a provisional booking for him. She sent confirmation of the booking but the price was not the same as on Groupon. We paid Groupon and forwarded the voucher as proof of payment to which Fortunate replied saying 'We do not take Groupon bookings on the 14th of February'. We called and asked her why? as this was advertised on Groupon for Valentines Day. She could not answer. Fortunate put us through to the manager Diane who rudely said that they can not assist as this is their busy time and that the allocation for Groupon was full. This was contradictory to the email received from Fortunate that said that they did not do Groupon bookings for Valentines Day.

Diane the manager on duty did not allow us to speak or discuss this with her as she shouted at us like we were children. She said that Fortunate is not from an English background and hence conveyed the incorrect information. She did not even ask us to send the email we received from Fortunate to see what was said. I did try explaining that if her staff made a mistake, why should the client be made unhappy. She consistently lied and said that they were full for the Groupon allocation and that Fortunate can not speak English that well hence the miscommunication that Groupon bookings were not allowed. She said that if it made us happy, we can post our experience on facebook, Trip Advisor and Hello Peter, She Does Not Care!

We called Groupon and they apologized about this as they said that the deal is valid for the Valentines weekend. Hulala Should honor the deal. If it excluded Valentines, they would have said so in their terms and conditions and if they were full for this period the voucher would not have been sold. The terms only mentioned that the deal was not valid for public holidays and long weekends. Groupon wanted to know if we still wanted the vacation or a refund. We requested a refund as the start of a wonderful break started off on a very disappointing note. Diane certainly needs to be trained and had she spoke to me in a professional manner, I would have still considered going there.
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Date of stay: February 2015
1.0 of 5 bubblesService
Trip 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.
henriZA wrote a review Apr 2015
Johannesburg, South Africa
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Visit Hulala's website and under their logo you'll see four stars, VERY misleading as I have stayed in MUCH better three star guesthouses, all around the country. If you want to book using the Groupon special, rather use that money and go to Kruger and do self-catering in the Park's chalets.

We booked for three nights and only stayed one. Checked into our room, you can hear your neigbour watching TV/kids crying etc. Bathroom was not clean, and it seemed as though they have never done any revamp since the place was built however long ago. No fridge in the room. Bath, shower, bathroomdoor needs replacing. Moldy smell and mold marks on door. Bath and shower wasn't clean. Website says room has a fireplace but in the room there is a sign at the fireplace that says no indoor fires are allowed.

Hesitantly, off to dinner we went. Ordered the first two courses when it became apparent that they were pre-prepared - waiter back within seconds of us placing our order. Main meal of fish (wasn't bad) and rump steak (more like minute steak), waiter didn't bother to ask me how I would like it done. One part was well done, the other end medium. There are rock hard napkins on the table folded in this funny cone shape. We literally had to pull the folded ends from each other as they were stuck together.

Just know that this is what you're in for!
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Date of stay: March 2015
1.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
1.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
Trip 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.
Julia M wrote a review Dec 2014
1.0 of 5 bubbles
It is very sad that we had to try and get as far away from the Lodge as possible, for us to enjoy our Wedding Anniversary. Our disappointments ranged from:
- No responses to emails
- Very incorrect prices given for activities
- No bookings made after repeated requests
- Rude receptionist
- Room that smelt of DAMP and MOULD
- Chef that did not know there was coconut in a COCONUT BISCUIT which I am extremely allergic to, ending up in a trip to the pharmacy to try get my reaction sorted.
- Getting billed for the activity that was never booked or done!

My husband and I had not been on a holiday in over 2 years and were very excited for this trip, however it was the surrounding Lodges that made our holiday worth while. I had at least expected an email or phone call to apologise for the rude receptionist, however I am still waiting... For a 4 **** Lodge, I would have thought the owner/manager would want to know how they can improve.
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Date of stay: December 2014
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
2.0 of 5 bubblesService
1.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip 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.
ChrisiOS wrote a review Aug 2010
Maputo, Mozambique
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Unfortunately, I must disagree with the fellow reviewers for this hotel as a great location does not yet make a good hotel. If you have very low expectations in regards to value for money, service, and professionalism of hotel management, then this is your place! We opted to spend a night in this lodge on a weekend trip to the Hazyview area and Kruger. The area is full of lodges and small hotels advertising with four or five stars as romantic getaways with luxurious ambience. The Hulala Lakeside Lodge, truly placed in a wonderful location at a lake about 45 minutes from Kruger, promises the same. Arriving by passing two security checkpoints that require to fill out registration papers that nobody will ever read adds to the feeling of being somewhere special.
When arriving to the place, we were delighted by the fact that we would have our own fireplace. The rooms are rather basic and definitely worn out. Two single and thin mattresses are pushed together to form the double bed. Bedding is basic and the furniture is cheap and old. There is tea and coffee in the room, to be prepared by an old plastic water heater destined to heat water for the cheapest brands of "three roses" and some nescafe stuff.
A visit to the hotel bar reminded me of a break at a gas station somewhere in the middle of Europe. A big white freezer visibly placed in the back, together with a rack of ready packed nuts for sale, and a t.v. entertaining with some sports channel. There is a wine list, which led me to ask the barkeeper a question about a red wine. "Can you recommend this wine?" "I do not like it," he responded. "Why? And what wine would you recommend?" - "I don't know, I never drank it." In the meantime, we had to witness one of the managers rudely addressing the barkeeper by proudly showing off that she obviously can treat the staff poorly. Her job is basically to make him refill the wine for the dinner guests into these cheap all purpose glasses that make no noise whatsoever when toasting. Two of which we asked to take to our room together with the bottle of wine. We promised to give feedback on its taste. The reason for our visit to the bar was that the rooms are not equipped with any kind of minibar. In reality, we wanted to enjoy some Amarula later that evening, when cuddling in front of the fire place. As it turns out, we could have taken a bottle of Amarula to our rooms only for the price of the equivalent 30 shots that were listed on the worn out bar menue. We felt that this must be a joke. So did the barkeeper, when we asked for a bottle of Amarula in the first place, which made him ignore us for a bit.
We were happy that, when led to our room, we were offered that the staff would start the fire for us as we decided to have dinner at another restaurant, where we had made a reservation. How nice would that be, returning from a nice dinner and finding the room cozy and warm, the fire providing the right atmosphere despite the poor furnishing. However, when we arrived back to the lodge, we found nothing but some wood in the fireplace with no matches to be seen. Matches that we had located in the room before. As it was just around 10:30 pm, we were sure that with a short walk to the reception, we could reclaim the matches. But all we found was that the entire hotel was locked up, nobody was anywhere to be seen and the entire place was vacated by the staff. No bell, no sign, no nothing... As there are no means of communication in the rooms to call some kind of service in this four star lodge, we ended up starting the fire by using the cigarette lighter of my car (don't ask...).
A fire, as it turns out, that we really needed as the night turned out to be so cold that we decided to sleep with sweaters and using quite a few swear words for the poor insulation of this room. The thin blankets of the beds certainly did not help. Exhausted, but happy and always keeping our humour, we decided to skip breakfast and leave the place in the next morning. Hence, I can say little about the food at the Hulala Lakeside View Lodge.
Oh, and be prepared that your car will be washed by the friendly support staff at the premises, patiently waiting to receive tip for this non-official service. Do I bother? Not really, apart from the fact that my car was already spotlessly clean at our arrival and that the old cloths used are probably not the dream of car owners who are particular about their cars.
Needless to say that I do nto recommend the Hulala Lakeside View Lodge and really do not understand the previous reviews. I have no idea, where they take the four stars from as there are minimum requirements for such ratings. It must be self given. Therefore the place should be prepared for a very bad review as it should be measured with the quality that they promise and expect guests to pay four star prices.
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Date of stay: July 2010
2.0 of 5 bubblesValue
2.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
4.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
2.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
1.0 of 5 bubblesService
1.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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.
darv95 wrote a review Sept 2015
Kempton Park, South Africa
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Originally booked for two nights and stayed only one night, leaving after breakfast the next morning. We found the room to be very ordinary and damp smelling, and were disappointed with the quality of food dished up for dinner and breakfast. Truly sorry we wasted our time going there.
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Date of stay: September 2015
2.0 of 5 bubblesValue
2.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
Trip 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.
Kidwell M wrote a review Jul 2015
Patong, Thailand
4.0 of 5 bubbles
I've just returned from a well deserved vacation at Hulala Lakeside Lodge. I must say I really enjoyed my stay in this beautiful lodge. The place is just magnificent and indeed a well deserving 4 star lodge. The staff were very friendly and helpful - the garden staff even offer to wash your car because the road from the main highway (R40) to the lodge (less than 4 km) is a dusty gravel road so cars get really dirty. The restaurant serves very tasty food - I enjoyed their lamb dishes. The 4 course dinner included a starter (a soup was always on the menu, a good idea for the cold winter evenings). I stayed in a suite located closer to the main building where the restaurant & bar are located. The unit has a fire place and you are provided with firewood every day. There's no wifi in the rooms but you can access it at the main building (who needs wifi when on holiday :-)). I took advantage of the beauty spa on site and it was worth every cent.
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Date of stay: July 2015
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.
Margie K wrote a review Mar 2013
1.0 of 5 bubbles
We stayed at Hulala Lodge on 23 March '13 as overnight guests for a wedding. We were booked into room 26, please ensure that you specifically request to NOT stay in that pokey room. A 4 star resort with a 2 star room at a 4 star price. We filled out the guest questionnaire and have had no response. Very disappointing and a very expensive night in an under-whelming room.
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Date of stay: March 2013Trip 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.
SL52 asked a question Jan 2019
Rome, Italy1 contribution2 helpful votes
quando la struttura deciderà di risolvere il danno derivante dal furto in camera?
AGM asked a question Nov 2016
Campo Grande, MS83 contributions75 helpful votes
Gostaria de saber se tem wi-fi nos quartos?
Answer from Ligia552015
Brasilia, DF69 contributions21 helpful votes
Olha, só conseguíamos wi fi nos quartos próximos à recepção do hotel. É porque tem quartos dentro da sede e chalés ao longo do lodge, estes mais afastados, (quando digo afastados não é lonnnge, é perto) mas o wi fi não funcionava, tínhamos que ir para a recepção do hotel. Mas nada que atrapalhe a estadia. Nada que tire o brilho do lugar.
Franco A asked a question Jun 2016
Scafa, Italy55 contributions31 helpful votes
C'è il Wifi? Ci sono gli asciugamani per la doccia ed il Phon? Vengono messi a disposizione i teli da mare?
Answer from Gabriella1943
Macerata, Italy34 contributions26 helpful votes
In camera, e non nel bagno, c'è il Phon che però funziona solo co l'adattatore da richiedere in portineria. Nel bagno ci sono diversi asciugamani ma non teli da mare La struttura è dotata di Wifi.
chiara_fra asked a question Oct 2015
Gorizia, Italy136 contributions42 helpful votes
ciao in camera come sono le spine della corrente per caricare telefoni e macchine fotografiche serve l'adattatore?
Answer from CapitanAvenA
Milan, Italy170 contributions33 helpful votes
Ciao. In camera ti serve l'adattatore tripolare per il Sud Africa. Lo prendi in aeroporto per circa 100 rand o in giro a molto meno. Il voltaggio è lo stesso dell'Italia.
rvm2018 wrote a tip Aug 2018
4 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
"Lakeside rooms"
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Monica V wrote a tip Feb 2018
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"Ask for a view of the lake, you will wake up to a very peaceful and beautiful view."
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Danielle L wrote a tip Sept 2017
Johannesburg, South Africa14 contributions3 helpful votes
3.0 of 5 bubbles
"Stay someplace else"
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Precious wrote a tip Aug 2017
Mbombela, South Africa275 contributions10 helpful votes
4.0 of 5 bubbles
"Choose a room with a nice view ( riverside, etc)"
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willemd497 wrote a tip May 2017
Magaliesburg6 contributions3 helpful votes
3.0 of 5 bubbles
"All rooms that face the lake got a nice view"
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Not the right property for you?
There are more places to choose from in the White River area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
hulala lakeside hotel white river
LOCATION
South AfricaMpumalangaWhite River
NUMBER OF ROOMS
27
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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HULALA LAKESIDE LODGE - Hotel Reviews (White River, South Africa)

Frequently Asked Questions about Hulala Lakeside Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Hulala Lakeside Lodge?
Nearby attractions include JWM Shooting Range (4.5 km) and Umbali (2.0 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Hulala Lakeside Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Hulala Lakeside Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
Is parking available at Hulala Lakeside Lodge?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Hulala Lakeside Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Hulala Lakeside Lodge offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers meeting rooms, a banquet room, and conference facilities.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Hulala Lakeside Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa.
Does Hulala Lakeside Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the lake view available here.
Is Hulala Lakeside Lodge accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and reduced mobility rooms. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
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