Maroelani Lodge- Greater Kruger Private Reserve

The game drive from Ndlovu nature reserve was excellent The breakfast was not what I expected it was not a 4 or 5 star breakfast definitely not value for money The staff was amazing excellent customer service The food was good even though they offered us small portions but they were good

The communication between myself and a lady named Francis was poor from the moment I began enquiring about this place before making any reservation. Initially, there is no landline, so we use cell phones to communicate. It's strange because sometimes when I tried to call, the cell phone was NEVER answered. At some point While discussing reservations and inquiries, she suddenly couldn't take my calls and informed me through WhatsApp that she had gone abroad. The communication between us was very poor, and I'm unsure if this was just how she communicated with me or if she treated all her guest in the same manner, but it was really terrible. The mosquito net in our room was extremely filthy and requires soaking in hot water with jik, bicarbonate of soda, and vinegar. I believe it will return to its initial pristine white shade. The water from the outdoor shower was cold. The employees attending to us had dirty uniforms, which made me concerned about hygiene. The employees would first serve us food before cleaning our rooms, which I found somewhat worrisome. The swimming pool was filthy. The exterior hanging swing chairs were filthy. The Outdoor Wicker Rattan Patio Sofa was covered in dirt. We did not get clean towels from the day we came till the day we left. The breakfast did not provide good value for money, as the portions were small and dry, the bacon was not fresh, and we were served wild island juice instead of the expected 100% juice. When we requested 100% juice, we were told that the juice offered was 100%, which was not true as I would not have raised the issue if it truly was. I am familiar with the taste of pure juice. The maroelani game drive was dreadful. We went on a game drive with one couple which were Indian. During the game drive, Gert Fourie, the tour guide, decided to initiate a game for everyone involved. He asked us to exit the car, but the Indian couple did not.

The Maroelani team were efficient, friendly, welcoming and went out of their way for us and our fur babies. food was delicious and despite it being fully booked we felt the individual service and service excellence.

loved everything but certain spaces could benefit from an upgrade I.e. the pool

The reserve is very well kept, the lodge looks amazing and the staff is really nice, we had an amazing guide for the game drives and learnt loads. They do not have the big 5 but offer drives in nearby reserves, and compensate with amazing views of animals in their own reserve, the food was absolutely amazing!

The staff really went the extra mile to make our stay special. A surprise sundowner picnic and romantic dinner set-up on our last day was the icing on the cake! Waking up to giraffes walking past our unit was a highlight. The lodge is beautiful and modern and the spa was a real treat.

The gas geyser gave us a bit of an issue resulting in cold showers which weren't ideal. Please keep in mind that Maroelani is an eco lodge, so no air-conditioning in the rooms. We didn't realise it would get so hot!

Wow. A beautiful property, with beautiful facilities. I would recommend this place to anyone. The onsite game drive is a must, the food is great, the scenery is fantastic. But honestly the highlight is the staff. The care, wealth of knowledge, and positive vibes that you get when you visit is special. My wife and I visited think this is one of the best places we've ever stayed in. We wish we had more time here!!

The dinner and breakfast were very good and the staff friendly

We absolutely loved everything about our stay at Maroelani! If it were possible to rate higher than 10, we definitely would! The staf was super friendly and thoughtfull. We had the best game drives with our guide Gert, who was very professional and told a lot of interesting facts about the nature and the animals in the reserve. We were surprised with a picknick by sunset for our anniversary, they made our favourite food, prepared a hot tub for us, … everything was absolutely perfect! We were actually sad we had to leave this place.

We didn’t have hot water in the shower.

I want to thank the staff of Maroelani lodge. We stayed may 15-17 and it was a Amazing experiencie. The service, the atenttion, the rooms, the food and the game drives. We had a welcome drink that was so good & also all the wines and cocktails were excelent. It was my birthday and they made it extra special, one of the most wonderful ones. They even sang happy birthday to me with a cake and decorate my room. It was the best service, stay here. You won't regret it. Thank thank you for the incredible stay.