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#2 of 4 lodges in Addo Elephant National Park
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Situated on a 14,000ha private concession within the Addo Elephant National Park, RiverBend is a mere 45 minute drive from Port Elizabeth. Home to an abundance of wildlife including elephant, lion, hyena, buffalo, black rhino and a variety of antelope and over 300 bird species, RiverBend is an ideal malaria-free safari addition to a Garden Route holiday. Children of all ages welcome. Pampering treatments are available at Plumbago Spa. Personalized game drives are led by enthusiastic and experienced guides, who will ensure you have a truly memorable safari experience.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Park View
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Xhosa
Location
Zuurberg Road, Addo Elephant National Park 6105 South Africa
We were a family party of 12, stayed for 4/5 nights in Jan 2020. We had a superb time. We occupied 4 of the 8 rooms on site, and all were very comfortable, spotlessly clean, and well serviced. Food and drink were of the highest standard, and all staff were very obliging. Because we were out on game drives, we came to dinner at quite variable times, but the meals were always available and ready for us. The management were helpful, available, and efficient. A couple of us used the spa, and were impressed - it is quite new and small so there are limitations to what is on offer, but the person running it was very nice, very competent, and it was a treat to find it in a game park. We did 2 game drives every day, and although Addo does not have (nor does it claim to have) the range of species we have seen in some parts of Africa, we had absolutely excellent contacts with elephant, lion, a variety of larger antelope, and 2 sightings of black rhino so certainly no complaints. It is not cheap, but we felt very well looked after and satisfied with the value for money
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Date of stay: January 2020
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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.
Response from MANAGER_RBL, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 14 Jan 2020
Dear MartinbW8465NR, We are so happy that you had a wonderful stay at RiverBend Lodge, and Thank you so much for your wonderful review, but mostly for taking the time to give us this feedback. You, our GUEST are our finger to the pulse of our business and our reviews are noted and taken very seriously indeed. So when our GUESTS love RiverBend as much as we do, it means the world to us. Please send our regards to the family and let them know we have had some rain (not enough yet) but at least some. Until we see you again Travel Safely, Sincerely, Debbie & The RiverBend Lodge Team
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The rooms are spacious with a big comfortable bed. Having an outdoor shower was fun. Our room had a terrace which faced the waterhole - one day a whole herd of elephant walked past as we sat there.
There are some nice communal areas to relax and have a drink in. Breakfast was plentiful and at dinner we enjoyed sitting outside - it was dark but on two nights we heard lions roaring nearby!
Our guide Chris was brilliant - very knowledgeable about the park and the wildlife. We saw loads of elephants and various other animals. And on the last day we saw a pair of lions.
They were also very accommodating for our baby, making some special food and providing a car seat for the game drives.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip 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.
Response from MANAGER_RBL, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 23 Mar 2020
Dear Ollywomble and Family, Thank you so much for taking the time out in all this chaos to write such a wonderful review. I will pass on your wonderful comments to Chris, and you are quite right he is brilliant. The fact that you had a great stay as a family is so important to us, as this is one of our key aims, a wonderful spot for Families and friends to get back to nature and each other. We wish you and your family, health and safety over this crazy time as we all lock down and self isolate to knock this virus down. Please do take care Sincerely Debbie & The RiverBend Lodge Team
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I spent two days with my husband at the lodge. The manager Debbie and her team were amazing and the rooms are very nice - especially the additional shower outside and the coffee maker. The guide we had for the safari drives war fantastic and we managed to see the pride of lions, a lot of elephants, a herd of buffaloes and two white rhinos!
However, for the high price you pay for the accommodation you would expect the internet to work and also the showers in the bathroom. Both had serious problems in in our case (no access to any webpage or possibly to send/receive mails in your room).
Also being charged 550 Rand for just a soup and a malva pudding for dinner I feel is excessive. I am aware of the struggles the hospitality industry is facing due to Covid and am happy to pay extra to get them back on their feed ...but expectations have to be managed (so things which are not working should be announced beforehand).
Please note that the lodge is in the far Northern part of the park which for some might not seem so interesting as it has little vegetation around it. Therefore it definitely pays off to ask the manager for a day visitor pass/permit to cross the whole park.
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Date of stay: May 2021Trip 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.
Response from Debbie Carinus, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 15 May 2021
Dear Dorischristina2015, I sincerely Thank You for taking the time to write a review on your stay. I must agree with you that regardless of the special B&B rate, of R1796.90 per person, that you paid to be staying inside a Big 5 National Park, at a 5 Star Lodge, one would still expect there to be the free 'working' internet, so I must firstly apologize for the fact that the Internet was going through issues when you arrived, as discussed with you during your stay we had IGEN HEROTEL come out, just before your arrival, and were under the impression that the issue was sorted out, only to call them back again during your stay, and once again when checking with the technicians, it really appeared that the issue had been resolved. I have again reported to IGEN HEROTEL and requested that they do another call out. I do wish you had mentioned the issue with your shower while here, so we could have sorted it out for you. Please if you get a chance, can you let me know what the problem was, so we can sort it out. manager@riverbendlodge.co.za Then with regards to the extras you had, such as dinner, I was not informed that you had, had a dinner of just the soup and the desert, and had not had any main course, please do send me your details and I will happily refund you the R560 we charge for a 3 course Dinner. I truly do wish you had chatted to me about this on the day as i would have sorted it out immediately. I will also discuss this with my staff and do some further in house training. The other SAN Park extras, as noted when booking, are fees due to SAN Parks by every Guest that visits a SAN Park property, and are unfortunately beyond our control, but we hope, at the end of the day very worthwhile as a contribution to conservation. Again Thank You for your constructive comments as without them we would not be able to continuously strive to improve. Sincerely, Debbie
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Whilst the lodge is just outside the main public Addo National Park, the lodge has access to its own private area of the NP with the added bonus that only their safari vehicles have access to it. The lodge has a wonderful setting surrounded by the NP as well as period style buildings and small bedroom lodges set within lovely gardens. Our expert rangers found game and items of interest on all our drives including large elephant herds and even rare black rhino.
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Date of stay: February 2020
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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.
Response from MANAGER_RBL, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 21 Feb 2020
Dear John M, Thank you so very much for taking the time to write a review on your stay at RiverBend Lodge, Addo Elephant National Park. Our Guests comments are taken very seriously, as they are the pulse of the business. We are so delighted that you had a great stay with us, and that you had amazing sightings while on Safari. Nothing more exciting and exhilarating than getting onto a vehicle and seeing what you can on 14 000 ha of natural African bush, even the scenery is stunning. I will pass your comments onto all at the Lodge. Again so glad you enjoyed. Until we see you all again, Travel Safely Sincerely Debbie & the RiverBend Lodge Team
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Beautiful older Lodge near Addo Elephant National Park’s Main Camp( Northern Gate) River Bend offers safari’s with their own guides within their “private portion of Addo National Park. We did an early morning drive and a night drive with their Safari leader Leo. Leo is a new guide and gaining experience. He is very knowledgeable and wants to help you learn . The night drive is highly recommended, you’ll see many different animals than u see on the day drives. You can also go to the Main Addo Camp about a 20 minute drive and either do self drives or do guided safari’s with Addo staff or possibly with River Bend staff. We like doing self drives so that’s what we did in Addo. We saw lions on River Bends area but none of the black Rhino’s in either area. The food was interesting at River Bend , it is a Continental cuisine. Was well done. The staff was very friendly with their aim to ensure you have a good stay. We had the honeymoon suite which had a pool but the water was too cool for us , which was the same for the beautiful main pool. The Lodge has beautiful lounging areas and a classic bar area. The drinks and wine are very , very reasonably priced. The lodge was very safe and clean and well kept. The landscaping is remarkable. We were able to see ( once each) lions and elephants from our Villa and the lodge. The lodge offers indoor and outdoor dining which was basically bug free any very pleasant. The negatives were the WiFi was just ok, and was totally out during the 8 hrs / day of load shedding. The other negative is that the lodge while it does have a generator doesn’t have the rooms powered by the generator. This means 8 hrs a day ,4 hrs in morning and 4 hrs in evening you’ll have no power in your room for anything including air conditioning. Also twice we woke up without any running water in the morning, this lasted for hours. We recommend River Bend. Addo is a place to see Elephants, Antelope (many breeds), Zebra, warthogs. It is very difficult to see Rhino, Leopards and Lions in Addo. Better to go to Kruger in our opinion to see the big 5.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Load shedding is not well handled at River Bend and last 8 hrs each day.
If u want to see the...
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 Debbie Carinus, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 18 Feb 2023
Dear David C Thank you for taking the time to put pen to paper and to write your review. I am delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us at RiverBend Lodge, and yes you were lucky to see the black rhino, as well as the lion. I have been to Kruger and many times never saw a rhino or a lion, it all depends on the day and your luck at the time, but the best of it all is that we are also further away and don't have any Malaria here. A big plus. Yes, unfortunately with the load shedding that the Government has implemented, over which we have no control, we have at times experienced, and obviously while you were here, 4 hour load shedding sessions, thank goodness that was only for a week and we are back down to 1 hour and at times 2 hour sessions. But the good news is that we are in discussions with regards to solar, and to going off the grid. Cannot wait. Wishing you a wonderful year of travel. Sincerely Debbie & The RiverBend Lodge Team
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We really enjoyed our stay and the peace and quiet as there were not many other guests. The game drives were brilliant and exceeded our expectations. Chris ,the Game Ranger ,is very knowledgeable and was very considerate as to our viewing of the elephants which was the main reason we were there The staff were pleasant and helpful and accommodation and the rooms were comfortable and clean .
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Date of stay: March 2021
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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.
Response from Debbie Carinus, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 08 Apr 2021
Dear pstrac792964, I am so delighted that you had such a wonderful stay with us. We really do try add value to our Guests stay by doing all the little things that make a difference. Christiaan is passionate about the bush and conservation and is a valued member of River Bend Lodge, it is always great to hear such positive feedback when you just know he has given his everything to ensure that your Safaris are top notch. Please stay safe and we look forward to welcoming you back to River Bend lodge in the not to distant future. Kind Regards Debbie & The River Bend Lodge Team
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Lovely place, great food. Friendly staff and amazing game drives! For the price as South Africa’s, the rates are rather high and game drives are an extra cost. The rooms need a little upgrade, things like the blind rope broken, very old bathroom tiles. This is just based on other games farms we have been to. Tx
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2021
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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.
Response from Debbie Carinus, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 31 Oct 2021
Hi Sanchefrolich, Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. I appreciate you taking the time to do so, as this is how we manage to keep a finger on the pulse of our GUESTS and their response to their experiences while they stayed with us. As you are quite aware we 'stepped in' to assist another Lodge in the area, who due to reasons were not able to honor your booking made with them, you came to stay with us, at the same rate that the other Lodge had quoted you. We also honored the 2 FREE nights Dinner Bed & Breakfast, that you had won WITH THE OTHER LODGE, then your 3rd night that you extended too, you paid for at a really reduced rate again offered to you by the other Lodge rather than at our 5 star actual rate. And I was very happy to do this to help put the other Lodge, and for GUESTS in general not to have been disappointed at the last minute.....especially with flights booked and paid for. As such, you had also been quoted on the cost of doing a Game drive, by the other Lodge R1000 pp in all your correspondence, and this is what we then charged you. The other option was to do your own self drives in the Main Addo Camp at no extra charge. I think you will find it the norm that an All Inclusive rate includes game drives, where a B&B rate or a DB&B rate has additional aspects notes as payable extras. I am so sorry that you were upset by this and really wish we could have discussed it while you were here. Yes we are also aware that we have a few maintenance items to sort out this is ongoing, and we will ensure that the blind rope is repaired, again I do wish you had pointed this out to us at the time, be that as it may it will now be fixed. Unfortunately our tiles will not be changed for a while as we still have 20 staff not working due to COVID and before we spend any large sums of 'older tiles' we are focusing on rather trying to use our cash flow to support 20 families while they have no work, which I am sure you understand. Even converting to solar and new swimming pools are currently on hold. Again, sincerely Thank you for your review it is appreciated so that this discussion could occur. Sincerely Debbie
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This property enjoys sole use of an enormous and stunning piece of land making a visit a very special experience. Sole use by river Bend lodge means you can go the entire day without seeing another vehicle. While you also have access to the public areas of Addo as well the concession owned by river bend Lodge is so much more special and varied. Also excellent service, some of the best gluten free food my wife has had anywhere in the world (thank you for dealing so well with this dietary requirement), and great wildlife sightings including the scarce black rhino and over 190 birds (example of special birds: Narina Trogon). Thanks for making this a special stay
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Date of stay: January 2023
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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.
Response from Debbie Carinus, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 21 Feb 2023
Dear NickandLucy, Thank you for your most wonderful review but mostly, for taking the time to write it. You enjoyed one of our best attributes, an authentic PRIVATE safari. Nothing more special than being alone out in the bush, far away from little cars and rude drivers that want to push into sights. I love so much, that you experienced this. I will pass onto our Chefs your compliments with regards to the gluten free meals, I know my Chefs will be so proud. Thank you Do take care and hopefully we will see you again at RiverBend Lodge, where we would be so happy to Welcome you back home'. Sincerely Debbie & The RiverBend Lodge Team
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I have just returned from a very special week at River Bend. Myself and my Grandmother had the most wonderful time. Food, service and safari was all 10/10. Thank you to all the staff that made our stay so wonderful. The rooms are spacious, clean, and have the most beautiful views. The grounds are kept tidy. The kitchen and FOH staff catered to our needs, and nothing was ever too much trouble. Everyone was so friendly, always checking to make sure everything was ok all the time, and stopping to say hello or for a chat as you walk around the grounds. Darlington is a bush genius!!! Our safari every morning and afternoon was totally epic. The way he looked after my 84 year old Grandma was wonderful, I am so grateful. A real unforgettable holiday, made extra special by all of the team! Thank you to everyone! I would recommend this place 100%.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip 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.
Response from MANAGER_RBL, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 27 Feb 2020
Dear Flossieh2018, Thank you so much for your most amazing review, and for taking the time to put pen to paper. All to often it is only the 'oopsies' that get a mention, and as important as they are to know about, it is just wonderful to be able to pass on such a wonderful review to my staff. This alone motivates them to keep reaching for the stars, and lets them know that every little thing is noted and appreciated. So a huge Thank you from all of us. Darlington is just one of the very best Guides and just an amazing person. I will also pass on your wonderful comments to him. Please send our Love, and until we see you again travel safely and take good care of yourself. Sincerely Debbie & The RiverBend Lodge Team.
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great location in a concessionary area of the Addo national park. We could view wildlife from our room and from the breakfast area. Food could have been better - breakfast was a big spread but dinner was dissapointing. We could not eat the main course as the chicken was overcooked.
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Date of stay: April 2021
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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.
Response from Debbie Carinus, General Manager at River Bend Lodge
Responded 13 Apr 2021
Dear Rvenug359691, Than you for your review, and for taking the time to do so. It concerns me that the one dinner you had with us you felt was not up to standard, I understand that my staff offered to do something else for you, but you were by that stage too full to have 'another' dinner. I would love to give you a complimentary dinner the next time you stay with us. Take care and be safe. Debbie & The River Bend Lodge Team
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Yes, as others have mentioned, you can. We did this over 2-3 days and saw some game in the Park itself, though not an enormous amount. Often we saw more game on the road from our accommodation to the entrance of River Bend (a dirt road of a few kilometres if I remember correctly, and one which you take to get to and from the Park), so if you do self drive do look out on this stretch. If you do one of the guided tours from River Bend you leave the accommodation in a different direction, but this is not permitted for self-drive.
Make sure to bring the hats and sunscreen as I am sure we will be blessed with a beautiful sunny summer day. The elephants came and paid us a visit for our Christmas lunch last year, so let's hope that we are part of their plans again this year! We are looking forward to hosting you this Christmas! See you soon
Good day Sheena,
The Long Hope Villa is a beautifully restored farmhouse set in a private location nestled between the Zuurberg Mountains and is situated on our 14 000ha private concession of the Addo Elephant National Park. The Villa offers a high standard of accommodation throughout and provides a peaceful retreat for families such as yours. When staying at the Villa, one enjoys the luxury and exclusivity of the ultimate African experience as a private chef and personal guide are provided. The Villa can accommodate up to six guests in three en-suite bedrooms with walk-in dressing rooms. The activities provided are tailored to your personal needs and wants; these include morning and sunset game drives, birding, wine tasting, photographic support and pampering spa treatments. The Villa has a private pool and sunset viewing deck with a daybed and is the perfect location for some down-time.
The temperatures in August are mild and range from 5°C to 25°C with the evenings and mornings being fairly chilly. In the Eastern Cape we enjoy summer rains thus August is relatively dry as it falls within our winter bracket.
I know that we will be able to provide you and your family with the most memorable African safari experience.
If you have any further questions/queries please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Anthony Lovell and the River Bend Team
Hi Juls,
River Bend has two options, you can either book Bed and Breakfast or an All inclusive option. The All inclusive option will include two game drives per day.
You can contact their reservations department to make arrangements for you.
There are more places to choose from in the Addo Elephant National Park area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 8,075 - RÂ 10,510 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
river bend hotel addo elephant national park
LOCATION
South AfricaEastern CapeGreater AddoAddo Elephant National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
8
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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