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iemag
Hout Bay, South Africa

Disappointing experience in this remote lodge

Review of !Xaus Lodge
3.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 19 Sept 2024
Remote lodge in a unique setting so compensations should be made.I am not sure how a 4 star rating is justified. The rooms are in need of renovation. The promised Introduction to San way of life failed to deliver. Very few animal sightings during our stay.
The drive over 91 dunes from the main road made the experience
Date of stay: September 2024
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
2.0 of 5 bubblesValue
2.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
2.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
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1 - 6 of 365 reviews
Reviewed 14 May 2024

The two stars are for Koos and Donovan, incredibly knowledgeable guides. The rest of the two night stay was a big disappointment. Dietary requirements forgotten (there were only two other guests so not a lot to remember), food absolutely awful. The last morning you are whisked away by 9am so no morning activity. This could have been communicated on booking as it messed up our plans for the next day. The watering hole needs to be painted as the swimming pool blue colour is completely out of place in this setting. Anyway don't come here to see animals because you won't. When asked what the minced meat was at lunch we were told perhaps it was "donkey". No alternative offered when they realised their mistake. Two of the five meals I had at the lodge were inedible. At our briefing the manager told us running a lodge is not "rocket science" - seems it is more difficult than that.

Room tip: Sleep quality gets a two due to the solar battery running out at 4am and emitting a very loud beeping noise.
Date of stay: May 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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1  Thank Sable1001
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.
Reviewed 7 May 2024

!Xaus is in a stark and remote part of the park. It has the potential to be a most amazing destination though it is not there yet. The night skies and view over a salt pan is unparalleled. The service and nature staff are absolutely sweet and giving.

However there are issues. Firstly, insufficient game drive options and sparse game. Game is very sparse compared to SANParks locations. The main attraction is that lions etc come to drink at freshwater bird baths which allow guests to see them close up if they are lucky. That made the experience better for us But we saw very little game or birds relative to rest of park. Fine if you are expecting it. The scenery is amazing.
Also, management is not attuned to needs of luxury lodge guests.Antony has an abrasive personality and was entirely dismissive about our prior meal requests saying “it’s too hard”. It wasn’t since they have those products where he shops in upington but he obviously didn’t care to try. We didn’t mind as we had an alternative but it was more the rudeness with which he dismissed it- far from experience at other lodges. They also would not write up our vegetarian menu on the the board even when we comprised 4 out of 5 guests at night- would write up menu of the other single guest and leave us having to ask the staff what things were. There is no choice in food and a guest asking for extra veggies was told it wasn’t possible.
The lodge is supposed to be about the Khoisan and this doesn’t come through. The indigenous staff are not involved in welcoming guests etc and, seem subservient to the abrasive manager in a very old fashioned way not reflective of South Africa in 2024 or other lodges. It was very uncomfortable. When someone mentioned giving smaller portions of food on plate so it didn’t go to waste the manageress said it wouldn’t as someone in kitchen was always hungry- are staff eating leftovers from guest plates? That’s depressing. Another staff member mentioned a part of the park that only Antony and his special guests were allowed in. I thought it was owned by the Khoisan? Why can’t they go there? The rooms are average and have no aircon which the SANParks camps have. However we left feeling that the land restitution has failed in true empowerment and we felt a bit depressed by the experience.
Pros: night skies, pans, scenery, possible close up lions
Cons: average food and rooms, strange vibes

Date of stay: April 2024
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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Thank J0burgGirl
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.
Reviewed 12 March 2024

We stayed at the lodge for 3 days. This is beautifully located. The service and friendliness is excellent. Great game drives. If you are looking for a little paradise, you definitely have to come to this place. We'll definitely be back!

Date of stay: February 2024
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Thank desc791
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.
Reviewed 17 February 2024

A remote lodge with a perfect service and a super friendly staff. Our alarmbell was a roaring lion that lay in the shadow of our hut. We where here 5 times before. In fact that tells a lot. We for sure do come back. Thanks

Date of stay: February 2024
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Thank uitgever
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.
Reviewed 17 January 2024

Great box on the dune 91
Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. A warm welcome and great food.
Guides are knowledgeable, passionate and very flexible and helpful. The morning walk was very interesting and varied
We will be back

Date of stay: January 2024
    • Value
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    • Sleep Quality
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Thank gpfister2024
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