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located in the game reserve, lodges are comfortable and clean and quiet, self catering would be easy, the restaurant was good value and good quality. Elephants at the gate as we left. easy for self drive game drives. accessible by a tarmac road.
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Date of stay: October 2023
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Service
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.
In spite of some previous negative reviews, we were pleasantly surprised. The gardens and chalets are well maintained, the restaurant is very good, the bar is operational and well stocked and the staff friendly. The tarred access road from Memorial gate is in a good condition as well as the tarred road to Mpila camp.
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Date of stay: April 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Beware of the monkeys
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.
We were very happy to stay inside the game reserve, as we could drive out 5 AM - the best time of the day to see the animals. Tophill and the restaurant has a magnificent view. Food was great for the prize. Burgers could be bigger, but a friend got an extra one for free. Breakfast included. All good. For sleeping they have several options, some of them has a great view too. We stayed in one of the round houses with shared toilets, showers (even a bathtub!) and kitchen if one wanted. Also a washingmachine. We found it totally fine. Everything was clean and working. Fridge on the room. You could also cook water. Separate towels for the pool close by. The whole area felt very calm and the staff were superfriendly and helpful.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip 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.
Whilst this place is in a stunning location and looks beautiful at face value, some issues are quite annoying. Half the menu was not available and no alcohol was being served due to licensing issues. Food is okish. The rooms’ positioning are quite stunning but need a major refit especially the bathrooms. I could not get WiFi signal anywhere! It’s a pity as the view from the outdoor restaurant is out of this world!
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â Take your own wine if you like a tipple with your dinner! They do allow this at least.
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.
Such a disappointing experience. Chalet reeked of monkey urine. Bench surfaces hadn’t been cleaned, furniture and bedding was tired looking. Everything smelt musty and was stained. Showers and toilets are old and grubby looking. Hotel facilities are poorly maintained. Food served at the hotel restaurant was average and overpriced for what it was. Some staff were friendly others completely disinterested in guests and clearly have no idea about or interest in customer service. Overall, Hilltop is a decaying disappointment.
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
The place is in grave need for a upgrade.The Chalets have old bathroom with a bathtub and when showering you are in the tub trying not to slip. The water is quite scarce and therefore the shower pressure is very low giving out few drops.
The Hilltop restaurant used to be quite good 10 years ago but these times are over. The food is eateable but for sure very basic and the buffe every night is simply a nightmare. The chef needs to be replace asap as the food is too poor.... The breakfast is almost as bad...This time we were cuing up 8-10 people in order to get an omelet and a Cook who was not able to produce eggs....come on, how difficult is it ? The shop in Hilltop is almost empty for food and drinks - you have to bring everything along ! Why is the shop empty ? Bad management ? They dont want to make money ?
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Bring everything along for your stay
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.
We are traveling to the Hluhluwe Imfolozi National Park every year. And every year we visit the Restaurant at the Hilltop Camp for Lunch as we are staying in a selfcatering Camp. Since the restaurant was outsourced the quality went downhill. It was already bad last year but what we got served this year was simply a disaster and should be forbidden to leave a restaurant kitchen. French fries were almost raw, the meat in the Burger hat a strange taste. Staff is unfriendly and plays the American Tourist Waiter just to get more tip. No Beer or Drinks were served, even available on the Menu. When asking the waiter why, his answer was it is what it is. We do not serve Alcohol, it could be something with the license.
This was definitely the last time that we visited the Restaurant at the Hilltop Camp as even the Kitchen at Centeneray Center is much better.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Â If you are in the park in a selfcatering camp, the food at centenary center is much better.
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.
Accommodation: unit 1 was dated but neat, wanted a view so moved to unit 43 which was in dire need of refurbishment and cleaned around the unit, reception kindly agreed to have us move to unit 1 again, double check your unit is acceptable on booking and arrival. The resort must have been a marvel in its hey days now is need for maintenance and upkeep. Staff: can be accommodating when engaged. Bheki Kunene was the best, he worked the 2,5 days that we were there from breakfast to dinner. Food: the buffet full breakfast was the good with its touch of spice, the lunch was fine just a bit expensive. The ala Carte dinner was exceptional, I had garlic prawns and my wife had kingklip which were done very well. The buffet meals were done when the establishment was full and not the best if you wanted something light to eat. Resort: the WiFi did not work and I have a weak service provider so we barely had comms during our stay which was Frustrating but maybe a good thing. The resort is in need for maintenance and upkeep. The evening game tour was great as we saw many rhinos and buffalo, the guide could have been more engaging but she was a talented driver when had an encounter with a rhino.
Overall good value but one had to extract the diamonds for oneself to make sure that you has a great experience.
It is sad as this place has all the ingredients for a truly unbelievable experience and all I could think of, if only was in the hands of private operators but it would have been unaffordable to the man in the street, such a dilemma.
Hopefully those in authority can realize how lucky we are in this country to have such opportunities and then manage accordingly
🙏🏾
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip 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.
Beautiful game reserve, with so many amazing animals to see, wonderful views, although very run down and outdated. Nothing seems to be maintained.
Unfortunately, reception and over all staff at the Hilltop Camp are unhelpful and could not be bothered. Service absolutely shocking.
4 bedroom chalet accommodation, no warm water - resulting in having to drive to the communal bathrooms at 10pm to have a shower. No apology or solution to the problem provided by reception.
Restaurant service shocking to say the least. Confused waiters. Dirty utensils and milk jugs, food below par for the price. Cooks can be seen through kitchen door licking fingers and eating while cooking food. With covid among us, how is any of this acceptable, where is the management in charge???
Complaints made before writing review, but seems to be a very big problem with a dont care attitude at this camp.
Besides all the negatives, buffet breakfast was relatively good before departing, sad to say besides the animals and buffet breakfast everything else was totally shocking and not up to standard at all.
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip 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.
The game reserve was the high light of my travels as I am really not a wild animal person. If I have seen an elephant once then I am happy. My advice book a tour, the cost is about R500 per individual but from a game detection point of view it was far more successful than the self drive option I have done once before. I loved not having to concentrate on the road and listening to the knowledgeable game drive operators. Whether you are local and are looking for a day trip or from further afield, the landscape in KZN is more thorn bush and high grass in absolute contrast to the Kruger National or Mpumalanga landscapes. They are all worth exploring, they are all beautifully different.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: If you can avoid booking at the ANew Hotel in Hluhluwe it’s a disaster
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.
Durban, South Africa333 contributions125 helpful votes
Yes but you have to enquire from the Hilltop Camp because theirs different types of accommodation in the reserve itself. Perhaps if you surf the internet you might get a clear idea. Sorry for not being very helpful. However, wherever in the reserve you stay, it will be most enjoyable. Have a splendid trip.
Durban, South Africa177 contributions45 helpful votes
We went on the afternoon game drive which started at 5pm until 8pm. I think the cost was about R375 (from memory) the advantage of this drive is the fact that it is an evening one when animals are looking to feed
There are more places to choose from in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
hluhluwe umfolozi hilltop camp hotel hluhluwe game reserve
LOCATION
South AfricaKwaZulu-NatalHluhluwe Game Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
347
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