Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation
Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation
Farm Tweefontein 426 KR, Bela Bela 0480 South Africa
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About
#1 of 3 resorts in Bela Bela
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
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Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Family
Languages Spoken
Afrikaans
Property amenities
Free parking
Pool
Bar / lounge
Tennis court
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Business Centre with Internet Access
Meeting rooms
Spa
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Laundry service
Room features
Kitchenette
Microwave
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Location
Farm Tweefontein 426 KR, Bela Bela 0480 South Africa
Reviews
4.3
(2,208)
Reviews summary
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation is praised for its clean, spacious rooms by many guests, although some have encountered maintenance issues. Its varied amenities, including pools and wildlife activities, are popular, though there's room for enhancement. Service quality tends to fluctuate, with some staff being commendable for their helpfulness and others criticized for slow service.
The atmosphere is generally seen as tranquil and inviting, but concerns about cultural bias and upkeep are noted. While the reserve's cleanliness receives positive remarks, the value is debated due to higher-than-anticipated costs for certain services.
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Abundant
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Detailed Reviews
We stayed for a weekend middle on November 2024, in one of the private ablution camping stands. The check in process was quick and brilliant thanks to the tech savvy approach. Staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The activities although carrying an additional fee, are numerous and there is nothing that wont perk someone's interest in the resort. The camping grounds are neat and tidy and well kept. There is no noise in the camp site which is thanks to the applicable rules being laid out for campers. The only issue I would like to raise is that the cold water pool (at the top end of the entertainment area) and the hot water pool are in serious need of some algae treatment and a good brushing with a pool brush to free them of unsightly black algae. Other than that we enjoyed our stay.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
If you are looking to slow down in this hectic world, then Sondela is the place for you! Right from checking in with the competent, friendly and helpful staff, you begin to realise that you are appreciated. This also helps you to settle into a relaxed mode, which by the way will increase with the time you spend there.
The accommodation is clean, and it is maintained in that state by really good staff members. It is also roomy with comfy beds, baths and showers, a well-stocked kitchenette containing decent crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, stove, refrigerator and cleaning equipment.
The shop carries only essentials and some homemade items so either bring your stocks of food etc. or pop into Bela Bela where you will find the major shops (PicknPay, Checkers etc.).and shop there.
But the very best is the wildlife. Most of the resident buck are so tame that they will come to you. Sadly, this phenomenon was precipitated by being fed by guests, but this practice has subsequently been halted, so please do not feed them. It changes them from being wild animals to pets and that is wrong,
You can book for game drives, you can cycle or walk on prepared paths and tracks, or you can self-drive, as long as you respect the rules and regulations.
There is something for everybody.
The accommodation is clean, and it is maintained in that state by really good staff members. It is also roomy with comfy beds, baths and showers, a well-stocked kitchenette containing decent crockery, cutlery, pots and pans, stove, refrigerator and cleaning equipment.
The shop carries only essentials and some homemade items so either bring your stocks of food etc. or pop into Bela Bela where you will find the major shops (PicknPay, Checkers etc.).and shop there.
But the very best is the wildlife. Most of the resident buck are so tame that they will come to you. Sadly, this phenomenon was precipitated by being fed by guests, but this practice has subsequently been halted, so please do not feed them. It changes them from being wild animals to pets and that is wrong,
You can book for game drives, you can cycle or walk on prepared paths and tracks, or you can self-drive, as long as you respect the rules and regulations.
There is something for everybody.
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
Just a few hours' drive from the hustle and bustle of city life, offering a peaceful retreat. The staff is ready to help you set up camp if you wish. The campsite with private ablutions makes life so much easier, however, the public ablutions are in tip-top condition and always serviced. Each campsite is relatively large, ensuring ample space for a comfortable stay. There is a bar facility available, though it is a bit pricey. Ice and firewood are conveniently available. The restaurant and shop at the main reception area are handy, but make sure to check their opening and closing times.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
We stayed in the caravan park which easily rates at above average to superb. .
Serious down sides were the ablution (258 and adjoining) and the shop.
The ablution was clean on the surface BUT a little attention to detail by a responsible person can go a long way towards a marked improvement. All it needs is a bucket of warm soapy water, a 3M scouring pad and a little elbow grease on the walls and VOILA! It was disappointing to see dark splotches against the walls that came off quite easily with minimal effort.
The above spoiled an otherwise beautiful place.
The shop....
I have to make this comparison. It reminded me of a Spaza shop.
In terms of cold drinks the strangest collection was on offer. While we were there, Ginger ale and Tonic water simply were not available. So were others but I remember these well.
At some stage somebody may have asked for Balsamic reduction and a buyer went ape. Almost the entire range of Willow creek occupied an entire shelf. Even in a medium sized supermarket that would have been impressive. At Sondela? 10% of the shelf with two to three bottles of each product would have been sufficient. Of course it would mean somebody would need to do a minute amount of stock control on a daily basis but as in a Spaza, that is a lot of effort,
The rest of that shelf could have been utilised for other items sorely needed at a shop to serve holiday makers that are forced to drive to Bela Bela for minor shopping.
Tent pegs, ski rope, electrical connections, long life milk etc are sorely missed.
The lack of proper stock leads to people going to Sondela stocked to the T and subsequently the shop sells less and less stock can be kept. The vicious circle starts.
Right in the entrance (?) to the shop is a metal rack from which a substantial number of toys are hung. It took a gentle, accidental nudge from my friend to make me ram my arm against the sharp edges of the metal rack. I needed some dressing, plasters and whatever to cover a substantial wound on my arm. None of which was available for sale in the shop of course and I was required to walk to the caravan park with a profusely bleeding arm.
Place that stupid rack in a corner at the back of the shop!
On a previous occasion we visited Sondela and I lodged a complaint at reception concerning the pot bellied pig. That pig is in urgent and desperate need of medical attention to address his trotters that are deformed due to lack of natuaral abrasion. It is still the same....
Serious down sides were the ablution (258 and adjoining) and the shop.
The ablution was clean on the surface BUT a little attention to detail by a responsible person can go a long way towards a marked improvement. All it needs is a bucket of warm soapy water, a 3M scouring pad and a little elbow grease on the walls and VOILA! It was disappointing to see dark splotches against the walls that came off quite easily with minimal effort.
The above spoiled an otherwise beautiful place.
The shop....
I have to make this comparison. It reminded me of a Spaza shop.
In terms of cold drinks the strangest collection was on offer. While we were there, Ginger ale and Tonic water simply were not available. So were others but I remember these well.
At some stage somebody may have asked for Balsamic reduction and a buyer went ape. Almost the entire range of Willow creek occupied an entire shelf. Even in a medium sized supermarket that would have been impressive. At Sondela? 10% of the shelf with two to three bottles of each product would have been sufficient. Of course it would mean somebody would need to do a minute amount of stock control on a daily basis but as in a Spaza, that is a lot of effort,
The rest of that shelf could have been utilised for other items sorely needed at a shop to serve holiday makers that are forced to drive to Bela Bela for minor shopping.
Tent pegs, ski rope, electrical connections, long life milk etc are sorely missed.
The lack of proper stock leads to people going to Sondela stocked to the T and subsequently the shop sells less and less stock can be kept. The vicious circle starts.
Right in the entrance (?) to the shop is a metal rack from which a substantial number of toys are hung. It took a gentle, accidental nudge from my friend to make me ram my arm against the sharp edges of the metal rack. I needed some dressing, plasters and whatever to cover a substantial wound on my arm. None of which was available for sale in the shop of course and I was required to walk to the caravan park with a profusely bleeding arm.
Place that stupid rack in a corner at the back of the shop!
On a previous occasion we visited Sondela and I lodged a complaint at reception concerning the pot bellied pig. That pig is in urgent and desperate need of medical attention to address his trotters that are deformed due to lack of natuaral abrasion. It is still the same....
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Location
Cleanliness
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.
My husband and I booked a camping weekend so we could participate in the Ford Trail Seekers series. Sondela camping site offered just what we needed with friendly staff to assist set up and keeping stands clean. Stands have enough space and you dont have to worry about beeing boxed in with crowded stands. The restaurant and cofee shop and bar have a larfe veriety of foods and drinks to cater for everyon's taste-buts. We can honestly recomend Sondela as a perfect host for events as we experienced the MTB trails a plesure to ride - especially for newbeez like us.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
This was our first time at Sondela and we would Def go camping there again. There was a few times we thought that shucks we don't hope this or that was going to happen, but each time Sondela proved us wrong. We love going away and camping but we still love rules as they keep us all safe and it's the one thing that Sondela also provided us with. Every night around 9h one of the employees would drive through the camp and just after that all the music was off and we could let our small children sleep in peace and my husband and I could listen to their beautiful wildlife. This was the first camp in a long time where the rules actually did apply to all campers and everyone adured to them. We personally would have loved for their menu and shop to be a little cheaper. Because we are not allowed to take our own food to the swimming area and our children spent most of the day there, it really broke our budget to eat and drink there every day. We love all the entertainment. There is everything for everyone. Their rangers and employees are so friendly and helpful. My son is very little but wants to be PH when he grows up, and he loved the little rangers courses there was. And it made him feel so special when he received a certf with every ranger course he did. We would have given a 5 star rating for this very beautiful and friendly reserve, it's only our budget that made it a 4 star in the end. We would recommend this reserve to anyone. We cannot wait to book there again.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
The house we were in needs a bit of TLC. The wash basin cold tap washer in the on- suit bathroom needs to be replaced. There is a slow drip leak at the bottom of the solar geyser on the roof. The tap in the kitchen looks very tatey and should be replaced. The above is a note for the owners attention, All in all we really enjoyed our stay.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
My family have been visiting Sondela since 1998 and I was so disappointed with the service (non) we received. We arrived early on the day of check in and went to have some lunch at the restaurant, after 10 minutes of trying to get the waitrons (there were two) to get what we wanted to eat (only toasted sandwiches) I thought this was going to be a loooong week!!!
There is an animal rehab center at Sondela which I asked the receptionist about on arrival whereby she told me that you had to book at least an hour before the day/time you wanted to visit. On the day we wanted to visit I called them to book but apparently I had to come and book in person, so when we got to reception an hour and half before the time, I was told that we couldn't go on the tour as there was another family that had booked. After throwing my toys out of the cot, one of the ladies said she would call the rehab center and see if they could fit us in, which they kindly did and it was amazing, our guide was lovely and so informative, so all in all, not a bad day. My big question is....Sondela is a nature reserve, why would they make people drive up and down from their units to book an activity and not take a booking over the phone? I understand they might be worried that they would not be paid but surely you could let the gate guys know if someone has not paid and make them pay before they leave? The carbon emission driving up and down is not justified??? Other than that we had a lovely time with all the animals and birds coming to us on the patio, we were very content not to move off our patio!! we went for a few swims at the pool (not at main reception) which was very well maintained and the guy assisting in the cafeteria was very friendly and helpful. Other than the bad service at the restaurant and the chaos booking a visit to the rehab center, we had a lovely time. The units are well equipped and clean, with helpful, friendly staff .
There is an animal rehab center at Sondela which I asked the receptionist about on arrival whereby she told me that you had to book at least an hour before the day/time you wanted to visit. On the day we wanted to visit I called them to book but apparently I had to come and book in person, so when we got to reception an hour and half before the time, I was told that we couldn't go on the tour as there was another family that had booked. After throwing my toys out of the cot, one of the ladies said she would call the rehab center and see if they could fit us in, which they kindly did and it was amazing, our guide was lovely and so informative, so all in all, not a bad day. My big question is....Sondela is a nature reserve, why would they make people drive up and down from their units to book an activity and not take a booking over the phone? I understand they might be worried that they would not be paid but surely you could let the gate guys know if someone has not paid and make them pay before they leave? The carbon emission driving up and down is not justified??? Other than that we had a lovely time with all the animals and birds coming to us on the patio, we were very content not to move off our patio!! we went for a few swims at the pool (not at main reception) which was very well maintained and the guy assisting in the cafeteria was very friendly and helpful. Other than the bad service at the restaurant and the chaos booking a visit to the rehab center, we had a lovely time. The units are well equipped and clean, with helpful, friendly staff .
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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.
We received excellent service and friendless of all staff. We had private ablutions at our camping site, it was cleaned every morning, the rubbish bin was cleared every morning and the braai was cleaned as well every day. When we checked out and got to the gate our cars were washed as well.
Thank you to Sondela for an amazing stay, we definitely recommend them to everyone.
Thank you to Sondela for an amazing stay, we definitely recommend them to everyone.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: April 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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 Sondela Management, Agency / Consultant at Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation
Responded 21 May 2024
Hi Anita Thank you so much for the great review, we are glad to hear you enjoyed our hospitality and the car wash. We can't wait to welcome you back. Kind regards, Sondela Nature Reserve Management
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our first time to Sondela, camping with the grandkids and we chose the stands with the private ablutions. The stand was large enough to be private in camping terms and the ablutions were clean and with plentiful hot water.
On arrival we were assisted with our set-up and people were available to help with washing dishes if required.
The entire properly is well run and properly maintained and listing everything available lets just say that it has something for everyone.
On arrival we were assisted with our set-up and people were available to help with washing dishes if required.
The entire properly is well run and properly maintained and listing everything available lets just say that it has something for everyone.
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep 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 Sondela Management, Agency / Consultant at Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation
Responded 18 Mar 2024
Hi Kevin Thank you so much for the great review. It is always great to hear when guests enjoyed our hospitality. We hope to see you at Sondela Nature Reserve again soon! Kind regards, Sondela Nature Reserve Management
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Most network services are good and clear
Please contact 014 736 8900 - Reservations Department will gladly assist you with your enquiry.
"Please remember that it is MOSTLY DIRT/GRAVEL ROAD on the Reserve, so rather have a 4x4 Vehicle."Read full review
"Midweek is quiet. One's got most facilities to yourself. Weekends are bussier as expected."Read full review
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ALSO KNOWN AS
sondela nature reserve hotel gauteng
LOCATION
South AfricaLimpopo ProvinceWaterbergBela Bela
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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Frequently Asked Questions about Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation
Which popular attractions are close to Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation?
Nearby attractions include Cheetah Experience (ZA Cheetah Conservation) (7.9 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to a business centre and meeting rooms during their stay.
Is Sondela Nature Reserve Accommodation accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access and reduced mobility rooms. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.