Boabab Lodge

The place is beautiful the view even better. There is everything you might need for a self catering place. The place was comfortable and slept 10 of us super comfortably.

Not thay we didn't like it but a warning. The animals can get super close. The boma area that's a little away from the house is a bit more out in the open and the elephants have a lot of access. Not sure what can be done about it.

Loved the location and the space available; rooms are well spaced. Loved that the animals walk up to the property and the food available to feed the animals (at extra cost) was a nice surprise; we enjoyed standing on the deck and throwing food for the wildlife.

The one bedrooms sheets weren’t clean (had dirty spots) and the gas braai didn’t work (started well but ended up cooking our wors In the oven further)

This lodge has amazing views and wildlife surrounding it, with huge potential to offer guests a 4 star experience. The kitchen is well equipped and there is lots of fridge and freezer space. The owner, was amazing in resolving a water issue on our first day and kept in contact to ensure the matter was resolved quickly so that we could enjoy our stay. Margret and Jack ensured our stay was comfortable and checked in regularly to see if we needed additional wood or game feed.

The lodge is generally clean and tidy but could do with a deep clean, especially the kitchen appliances (e.g. coffee maker, ice machine etc.) Bathroom faucets are loose and some taps don’t work at all. Bathroom floor tiles are cracked and lifting. Towel rails are worn and some were broken. Simple items like worn out toilet brushes need replacing. Some of the guests also complained that their beds were uncomfortable. There is also a roof leak in the dining room when it rains. The pool has a crack(s) and was leaking, the paint in the pool was also flaking off into the water and some of the pool tiles are chipped. Due to the leak, even with the great weather the pool never heated up as it had to be topped up each day. There were no pool loungers or an umbrella, yet these are featured in the advertisement of the lodge which may indicate that the pictures on the website are outdated. Please note: The entrance to the lodge driveway is extremely steep with an awkward bump, which is difficult to navigate in a normal sedan.

The view is spectacular, especially with the watering hole near by. We saw lots of animals just from the patio. Beautiful sunsets too. The lodge is set up well to accommodate multiple guests with ample parking and different seating options for meal times (inside/outside). There was WiFi for everyone to use and cable TV for watching sports over the weekend. The braai and fire pit area was well used in the evenings. The beds were comfortable, allowing for a great night’s sleep and/or afternoon naps. The extra mini fridge was good for keeping our drinks in, as the main fridge/freezer was full with food. And there’s a good size pantry too. The cleaner, Margret, was friendly and efficient.

There were feral cats (with fleas and ticks) that kept trying to come inside which meant we couldn’t keep the patio doors open while we were chilling outside. They also kept trying to eat our food which we had covered up next to the braai while we were eating dinner outside. The window blinds are out of date and some are in need of repair. Would make such a difference if they were updated to Roman blinds or something similar to compliment the decor. The driveway is very steep and the concrete hump at the top makes it unsuitable for standard cars. Definitely need a suv/bakkie/ute/truck style vehicle. The couches inside were difficult to sit on comfortably… there was a lot of sliding off. The side lights in the bedrooms were far too bright. The roadworks between Bela Bela and the main gate for Mabalingwe were a bit annoying. Out of the hosts control but something to be aware of as they may be going on for a while still.

The house is fully equipped with everything you may need, the view is stunning and we had the best time. The watering hole in front of the house also attracts many animals which was great to wake up to every morning.