Wild Horses Lodge
Sterkfontein Dam, Harrismith 9880 South Africa
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About
#1 of 5 lodges in Harrismith
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Located in the Eastern Free State's pristine Sterkfontein Nature Reserve at the foothills of the Drakensberg Escarpment, Wild Horses Lodge is the perfect location for an African breakaway. With its panoramic views of the majestic Platberg Mountain and the vast Sterkfontein Dam, the Lodge is a masterpiece of architectural design in local sandstone and offers luxury accommodation, exquisite cuisine and a variety of activities centred around the dam and the abundant wildlife of the reserve.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Free breakfast
Boating
Canoeing
Couples massage
Adults only
Secured parking
Public wifi
Pool / beach towels
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Shallow end in pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Snack bar
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Hiking
Horseback riding
Windsurfing
Canoeing offsite
Fishing
Tennis court offsite
Walking tours
Board games / puzzles
Facial treatments
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Manicure
Massage
Neck massage
Pedicure
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Sun umbrellas
First aid kit
Private check-in / check-out
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Blackout curtains
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Desk
Coffee / tea maker
Cable / satellite TV
Electric blanket
Whirlpool bathtub
Fireplace
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Safe
Sofa
Telephone
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Private bathrooms
Tile / marble floor
Minibar
Electric kettle
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Mountain view
Landmark view
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Luxury
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Zulu
Location
Sterkfontein Dam, Harrismith 9880 South Africa
Getting there
Car HireSee all Harrismith car hire
258Reviews4Q+A59Room tips
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Lovely lodge with beautiful views. Very comfy and cool despite the heat. The food was truly amazing and very friendly staff. As there are only four rooms it was good to chat to the other people staying. There is a 20k dirt track to reach the lodge but we have driven on worse.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2023
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.
Helpful
Just spent 3 days (2 nights) at this small but exclusive and extraordinary retreat destination on Sterkfontein Dam. One of those truly rare establishments that leave you feeling as though you are bidding farewell to close family when it’s time to go. Every member of the team was very special in their own way, with such positive vibes in their interaction with each other. Johnny and Trish, Scott, Kayla, Marelize, and Miriam were all wonderful hospitable hosts It saddened us to say goodbye, even knowing that we will be back. Truly the most spectacular location that can only be described as therapeutic in every sense of the word. Rooms have great attention to detail, the gardens are exquisite, food is excellent and views are quite extraordinary. But our lasting memory will be the warm hearted people who made us stay so unforgettable, Kayla and Scott in particular 👍…
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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.
Helpful
Just a one night stay I’m afraid (my recommendation would be two). I have to get the elephant in the room out of the way first - I was a bit concerned about the last 20km of road to the property being dirt track and although I have driven on worse in SA, it wasn’t the easiest journey’s end. Still, once there the magic commenced. Staff were incredibly welcoming and wonderfully friendly and chatty throughout; it was like being a house guest (not everyone’s cup of tea perhaps but perfectly appropriate for an intimate four bedroom hotel). A very peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. It was like stepping off the planet - for an all too brief time. The lounge, library, outdoor relaxation areas and small pool were wonderfully appointed - the views of the dam and surrounding mountains and landscape were to die for. Evening meal and the breakfast were an absolute treat - beautifully presented and incredibly tasty. Agreed, dinner was a set menu but from the moment the chef presented her menu for the meal as we supped our pre-dinner drinks, it was equal to the best restaurants I’ve ever dined at (and for comparison that includes the Savoy Grill which I genuinely wouldn’t rate as highly). The restaurant was open fronted that evening providing a stunning panoramic view of the dam as the sun went down; the sublime colours changing every two minutes. An utterly memorable stay from every perspective. I’d read previous TripAdvisor reports and some made reference to unfriendly staff, a cold welcome and other shortcomings. Perhaps those were issues a while back (I don’t know, I wasn’t there!) but certainly not during my stay; quite the opposite in fact. Wild Horses claims five star status and I would agree with them on every single count.…
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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.
Helpful
+1
A lot of mixed emotions encountered enroute, however, upon arrival understanding the attraction of the lodge. Placed in a picturesque location and viewpoint of the dam, the relaxing view invites you sit back and enjoy a drink while you forget about the worries of everyday life, this made even easier by the amazing and attentive staff. From the room to the meals and the experience as a whole, absolutely amazing and definitely a bicketlist item achieved with full marks.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: The road in the immediate area is definitely not suited for low-profile vehicles or tyres (or...
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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 Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 3 weeks ago
Hi Dallyn and Amber! We absolutely loved having you here for your anniversary and we were so happy to be able to make your stay special. We will pass on the kind words to our staff as they were equally as excited for your stay with us. We all wish you many more happy years and hope to welcome you back for another anniversary.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We had the most amazing weekend, beautiful lodge, incredible hospitality , outstanding food ….. we can’t wait to go back. This is a hidden gem. Thank you John , Trish & team . We will definitely be back !
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
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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 Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 16 Jul 2023
Hi, thank you for such a lovely review! We are so happy you got to fully enjoy the lodge on your weekend away and we are so glad you chose to stay with us. We look forward to welcoming you back in the summer!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
If you don’t know the definition of ‘False Advertising’ then look no further than Wild Horses ‘Exclusive’ Mountain Lodge. We had anticipated a long awaited family holiday in the seclusion of the Eastern Free State, but from the moment you enter the ‘secure estate’ which has at least ten other properties on it, you start to feel something is amiss with regards to the exclusivity of the lodge. The reception staff and manager Kayla is probably the most miserable person I have met (and I include myself in that) and on arrival we were under no illusion that something was definitely amiss. There are only four rooms and they are one on top of each other and are not quite sure what they are in terms of decor but no matter. The issue here is privacy, which there was none of. From the outset, my son’s room only had an electric blanket that warmed half the bed and a television that did not work. No explanation or apology was offered. The attempt at a fireplace was an electric heater that just made a noise and provided bright lights rather than actually heating the room. The first night’s food was reasonable but no choice was offered and that included no choice on how you wanted your fillet cooked, you just accepted what you were given. A perfect example of the ‘False Advertising’ was revealed on that first night when load shedding shut off the heating and plugs. So when their website claims that ‘they are able to keep the lights on’ don’t believe it. At breakfast the following morning we enquired about activities as advertised and were told that if we had bought our own fishing gear and our own mountain bikes then we could happily participate in those. I was almost expecting them to tell us that we should have bought our own masseuse for the spa (which is at an a nearby lodge). In fact if you want to do anything besides take a trip on their overly expensive yacht, you are out of luck. Even the much advertised horse riding appeared to be an effort for Kayla to organise. Lunch was served on the lowest table possible making it extremely uncomfortable to eat and again appeared to be a real chore for the staff. Because of the lack of activities and enthusiasm in recommending anything, the first day was spent at the neighbouring lodge, playing putt-putt and swinging on the swings. The food the second night, again, was reasonable although no choices were offered in the rather dated dining room. Affected by load shedding again on the second night, nobody slept very well and the second day’s activities included a short walk that we planned ourselves with no assistance from management. To be fair this was the only day that we were assisted in booking Quad Biking at the nearby lodge. This was fantastic and kudos to Qwantani Lodge for their exceptional service and friendliness. Arriving back at the lodge mid afternoon we were greeted by a power outage and were not kept updated with regards to the status of it. With the temperatures siting at around 5 degrees and no heating we were faced with a cold afternoon/evening where we were forced to wear hats and scarves to keep warm during our afternoon sleep. When I queried the outage I was told that they couldn’t use their solar system as it would keep tripping. When I insisted, they were true to their word, it kept tripping. By this time we were all freezing cold and had had enough and decided to leave and drive home. I informed the manager via email, as this seems to be the only reliable method of communication with the lodge. On attempting to leave the estate, Kayla would not open the gate to release us from the ‘secure estate’ and refused to let us leave unless we settled our bill first (I had already paid a two thirds deposit and told her I would pay the remaining amount this morning, which I duly did). Thus forcing me to turn around and return to the lodge where I picked up the room keys with the gate remote and left again. This allowed us to finally be released from our ‘prison’ and I left the keys in a secure location for them to find. Needless to say we were very relieved to reach home and awoke this morning to an email with the final invoice (which I paid shortly thereafter) and then a follow up email claiming that they had ‘found’ the broken Zebra statue that we had hidden in the top of our cupboard, and a demand for payment of over a thousand rand. This was just another fabrication on their part and a further attempt to extort monies from us. I will not dignify it with a response. Having read the reviews on TripAdvisor, I can just imagine the response of the lodge owner to this review. All I will say to that anticipated and usual response is that, nobody at anytime asked us if we were content or happy or if there was anything they could do for us. No apologies were offered at any stage and just because you ask someone if they are happy (which they didn’t) and they express discontent, it doesn’t make the customer’s complaints invalid. Please do yourself a favour and do not waste your precious time and money on this ‘Exclusive’ lodge. It is not what it purports to be and in fact is the opposite. It is the perfect example of ‘False Advertising’. If you doubt my review or experience, please feel free to contact me directly.…
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Don’t believe the hype.
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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.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 30 Jun 2023
One hell of a miserable guest! Some people are impossible to please. The 221 excellent reviews must all have been at a different lodge.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What an incredible, beautiful anniversary we spent at this exclusive lodge. We have never experienced a place quite like Wild Horses in its unparalleled beauty and love in every single detail. To say we have not stopped raving about our time there is an understatement. Our anniversary dinner was held in the intimate wine cellar, which was stunning. The staff of their own accord had filled the cellar with romantic candles and placed rose petals in a heart shape on the floor. This was truly so very special to us and we can not express our gratitude enough. Every single person there is attentive, gracious and such a pleasure to be around. The food is phenomenal - every single meal is a masterpiece - Cookie you are a gem! The sailing was spectacular and we loved every minute on the water with Jon. Huge thanks to all for our memorable stay - Miriam, Scott, Kayla, Trish and Jon. …
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: June 2023
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 30 Jun 2023
Hi Jean and Marlene! Thank you for such an outstanding review, We loved having you at the lodge and it felt like 3 nights were not enough. We will pass on your lovely words to all the staff and we are so happy we could be a part of your anniversary and make it special, as it should be! We are so happy you got to fully enjoy the lodge. We hope to welcome you back for many anniversaries.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
This lodge is just spectacular! We stayed in two different rooms (by choice!) over 3 nights, both were facing the dam and the sunrise on all three mornings were amazing! The lodge is beautifully furnished and is perfect for romantic weekends or real relaxation. The gardens are gorgeous and there are flowers everywhere. The food is next level and the chef is exceptional. We enjoyed a fantastic trip on Jon's yacht on the dam and enjoyed a tasty picnic on the yacht in the little harbour. Scott was a worthy backgammon and chess opponent! My highlight was visiting the gorgeous appaloosas that run free on the property. The place is pure heaven and I would highly recommend the lodge for a perfect getaway.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: The dam view rooms are great for perfect sunrises
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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 Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 29 Jan 2023
Hi Justine. Thank you for such a lovely review! We are so happy you enjoyed the food, it is the highlight of many guest's stay. Scott loved your company and as worthy opponents. We are so happy you fully relaxed during your stay with us and got to experience the lodge to the fullest. We hope to welcome you back soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Wild Horses Lodge has been on my bucket list for many years and finally secured a booking for our end of year trip. The highlights were amazing food, the chef is truly fantastic and we loved her visits to our table and chats. The walk up the hill behind the lodge is highly recommended with fantastic views and the harbour is a nice picnic spot for a swim in the amazing dam. Our hosts were great, but it would have been nice to have a few suggestions on things to do each day like the harbour and the hill which we discovered ourselves. Room was also smaller than anticipated and I would have booked the front room if i knew we were at at the back, but otherwise the trip was great!
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Date of stay: December 2022
Rooms
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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 29 Jan 2023
Hi David, thank you for your lovely feedback. Our chef is happy that you enjoyed her food and her chats after dessert. We do generally ask each guests every morning if you have any plans for the day, we then help plan activities such as the Mofokeng's Grave hike we suggested for you to do, so we do apologise if we missed you in the mornings. Unfortunately by the time you wanted to make your booking our front rooms had been booked already. We were happy we were included on your bucket list and we hope to welcome you back to stay in one of our front rooms.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Wonderful setting, friendly and competent staff, comfortable. Good food. Ideal for relaxing or for water-sports. Nice library of books and excellent range of music. The location apparently 1800 m above sea-level. Humidity seems to be low.
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Date of stay: December 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.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Jonathan Hawkins, Owner at Wild Horses Lodge
Responded 08 Dec 2022
Hi James, thank you so much for your review. We are glad you enjoyed your stay with us as well as enjoying our music, we will let Scott know he loved talking to you about music. We hope to welcome you back on your next trip back to South Africa.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
R 3,395 - R 4,476 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaFree StateHarrismith
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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Frequently Asked Questions about Wild Horses Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Wild Horses Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve (3.1 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Wild Horses Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Wild Horses Lodge?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Wild Horses Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Wild Horses Lodge?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Wild Horses Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Wild Horses Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Afrikaans, and Zulu.
Does Wild Horses Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the lake view available here.