Ikhaya Safari Lodge

The rooms have been updated recently, and the pool is lovely and deep. It’s a beautiful place where you feel surrounded by nature.

Everything here is on point, and I highly recommend it 👌 The staff are friendly and helpful, the rooms are clean, and it’s a good place to stay.

The sunrise views were stunning, and the room was comfortable, clean, and tastefully decorated. The location was also a real plus, right by a hiking trail and the Beau Constance winery. But the stay felt badly mismatched to the price. We paid AUD 290 and arrived at 4pm, yet had to wait for our room to be cleaned, despite being the only guests. The woman at reception couldn't find our booking, and even after I showed the confirmation she called her manager. The response that followed made us feel unwelcome, as if having us there was a nuisance. A lot of the sofas and covers had been turned over or taken away for washing. The pool was very small and cold, nothing like the photos, and there was no bar, just a few bottles of beer and wine in an honesty minibar. There weren't other facilities either, though there was free coffee and a restaurant down the road. The next morning, we asked to leave our luggage while we went to Kirstenbosch. We were asked more than once when we'd be back, which again made it feel like a huge inconvenience. When we returned, we tried to sit outside in the lounge with a drink, but after ten minutes were asked to move because roof work was going on. Paying by card at checkout also seemed to upset them since we didn't have cash. It was the strangest hotel experience we've had, and for that amount of money it felt unfair. If they weren't expecting or wanting guests, I wish we'd been given the chance to cancel. We booked for the atmosphere, pool, and pool bar, and came away feeling a bit robbed of the stay we'd hoped for. Maybe we caught them off guard out of season.

The owner seemed genuinely nice and helpful, and the staff were friendly. Breakfast was nice too, and the beds were comfortable. The Cabana was attractively decorated and had a beautiful view, but there are some things that need attention. Cars on the street were extremely loud, which was especially annoying given that the straw roof ought to insulate well. Inside the fridge, the top was completely iced over, as if it hadn't been defrosted for months. The safe's electronics didn't work, so they offered a master key to open the deposit box by hand. The pool was clean and fine for cooling off in the garden sunshine, but much smaller than the website photos suggest. The poolside beds were comfortable and towels were provided. The main building has an impressive old English colonial style. You can still see the guesthouse's former glamour, though it's faded over the years. With some TLC, Ikhaya (safari) lodge could be magnificent again.