Waterbuck Game Lodge Thornybush Nature Reserve

“Great romantic game drives”

The place was spacious, had good facilities, and the staff were friendly, but the food was a bit rich, probably too much butter in it haha.

Xiaolu·منذ سنة

We stayed at Waterbuck Lodge for our honeymoon, and while there were some highlights, the experience fell short of expectations, especially given the cost. The game drives were fantastic, the team was warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable, making the wildlife experience the highlight of our trip. However, as this was our most expensive stay (approximately £3,000 for four nights or R17,331 per night), we expected a top‑tier experience. Unfortunately, several aspects did not meet even basic standards for a 4‑star property. The property itself felt quite basic; our room had noticeable marks on the walls, chipped plaster, and damaged blinds, giving it a worn appearance. Throughout our stay, the room was not cleaned, so dirt from our boots stayed on the floor, and the towels were not replaced, leaving us with damp ones. For a property at this price point, this was disappointing. We were surprised by the lack of amenities: the pool was unheated, there was no gym, and the WiFi was down for much of our stay, which was frustrating because we couldn’t contact our family for several days, causing unnecessary worry. While we understand the challenges of being in a remote location, these issues were unexpected given the cost. The biggest letdown was the food and drink. Breakfast was underwhelming, with no pastries, fresh juices, or freshly brewed coffee—just instant coffee and basic cold eggs and bacon. Dinner was lovely, but there were no snacks available throughout the day, and there was no minibar in the room. Lunch was served at 3:30 PM, meaning there was a long gap between meals, and my husband often found himself hungry. Many guests shared similar frustrations about the service and limited options. Overall, this was a very special trip for us, and while the game drives and the efforts of the staff were appreciated, the overall experience was not in line with the high cost or the advertised standards. We’ve shared our feedback directly with the lodge, but they were very dismissive, which only added to our disappointment.

Chloe·منذ سنة

“Lovely stay, with really excellent service”

There’s some warmth to it and understated luxury. We like coming back after each game drive and just relax, while we wait for mealtimes. Feels private, with only 4 rooms/other guests. Overall we had a wonderful experience— the ranger (Marnus) and tracker (Aubrey) gave their best in every game drive, everything was well organised and taken care of, service was excellent, we like the refreshments at sunset in the middle of the drive ;) there was a nice touch to everything. Rooms were very clean and spacious! Food was good too. I wish there was brewed coffee at breakfast and not out of Nescafe instant packets. I would have liked the rooms to be stocked with water each day. The safe box wasn’t working. Everything else was perfect.

Melissa·منذ سنتين

“Amazing experience”

Beautiful lodge with a swimming pool and bar, nice seating area for lounging. Love the boma dining every night. The rooms are spacious and beautiful, has an outdoor rain shower. Love the sunset bush bar during the evening game drives. I did not know that only one of the rooms (room 4) faces the waterhole. There should be freshly brewed coffee for breakfast instead of instant Nescafe coffee We thought there will be a bush walk as part of the stay but was made aware this needs to be communicated on first day of arrival

Michelle·منذ سنتين

“Uma experiência inesquecível”

Tudo foi extraordinário nesta estadia. Acolhimento, condições e atividades. Ter de regressar do alojamento no final da estadia

Joao·منذ سنتين