Shikwari Game Reserve

The place was dry and dirty, with a dirty pool, old furniture, doors that didn't open properly, and no hot water while we were there. We couldn't even shower, so we left the next morning. I booked two nights but slept there for only one, and want a refund for the unused night. We wasted our money and time driving four hours to get there. When we complained to the owner, Sue, she wasn't apologetic or interested in asking how the service could improve. She got defensive instead, which made me even angrier. It was a horrible experience, and I wouldn't recommend anyone go there.

The shared facilities were a letdown. Four rooms had to share one bathroom, the toilet barely flushed, and the shower was outside with no privacy. The bath was dirty and had been repaired cheaply. The pool looked inviting, but it was so dirty and poorly maintained that you couldn't see the bottom, even by the steps. With our room so stuffy in the middle of summer, a swim would have been welcome. We were told the common area, which was actually fairly nice, was only available from 15h00 to 18h00 because we were in self-catering. The staff didn't seem to pay much attention to those accommodations. We also weren't given a key. When we asked, the woman said keys weren't needed in the bush. I know crime may be lower there than in a city, but other guests were staying at the lodge, and I can't speak for them. There was a lock on our door, so clearly a key existed, but they still wouldn't give us one. We paid R1800 (~$180) for two nights in a self-catering rondavel in the middle of summer. It had a king bed, a small closet, two bedside tables, two lamps, and an ottoman. One table was broken and kept falling over, and one lamp wouldn't turn on. There was no aircon. The overhead fan shook and made a lot of noise. Two twin mattresses had also been left on the floor. When we said we didn't have kids and didn't need them, the lady told us to move them aside and ignore them. She didn't have them taken away, even though the hut was already so small. My wife and I were there to hike and weren't expecting a luxury hotel. We spoke with two other families at Shikwari who were just as frustrated and disappointed. Still, R1800 felt like a huge rip-off. Inside Kruger National Park there are many similar places for R250-R500, with aircon and sometimes personal, private bathrooms. I wouldn't recommend this lodge to anyone at any time.

There was no real choice for dinner, just chips and steak for R375 for the main course. The place was dirty, and both the toilet and shower were outside, with no private space for the shower. What a disappointment. It wasn't even close to the advertised 4 stars.

Such a peaceful, quiet spot, and the views are breathtaking. The staff are so friendly and really go out of their way to make the getaway memorable.