Deruxa Cottages

Neo made sure we had a pleasant visit. We needed firewood for the fireplace and it was there when we asked. The staff were helpful, then gave us privacy, and when we needed them again they appeared right away, almost like magic. The watering hole is a fair distance from the rooms, so seeing animals there felt more natural. The room was spacious and tidy, with hot water for a shower or bath. The property is a comfortable size and, even at full capacity, I don’t think it would feel crowded. It’s tucked into the bush about an hour outside PTA, pretty much what I’d hoped for.

Rooms were clean and comfortable, and there were lots of little birds around. The game viewing area makes for about a 30-minute walk. Prices are good compared with places nearer Dinokeng. You need an SUV for the dirt road, and you have to phone ahead to get access.

We managed to make the weekend fun and restful, but I came away feeling the place is neglected despite having plenty of potential. I’d been unsure about booking, and the negative reviews turned out to reflect what we found. The fridge wasn’t working, and the bedding and curtains were dirty. The kitchen supplies were thin: two pots, one small pan, no spatula, just one spoon, and no bowls or braai bak. There were no tongs for the braai or sponge for washing dishes, and only one dishcloth. If you need supplies, the OK is about 5 km away.

The cottage looked clean and the linen was fresh when we arrived, so at first we were pleased. That didn’t last. We’d arranged a petsitter well ahead of time and were excited for the weekend, but left after just one night. There was no signal on the property, which hadn’t been mentioned, so we had to drive away to get reception and contact our bosses about work. At the gate, the number on the sign went straight to voicemail, and we barely had enough signal to look for another number. Once inside, nobody was there to meet us. Lorato came after a while and showed us to the cottage, but didn’t explain how the geyser worked or anything else. We put our food in the fridge and ice in the freezer. Two hours later, half the ice had melted into water and was spilling out, so we moved it to our cooler bag. Then we realized the fridge section wasn’t cooling either. The butter had melted, the cold water was hot, and we worried the meat wouldn’t last the weekend. The kitchen also lacked sharp knives, steak knives, a pan, a bottle opener and a garbage bag, among other things. That was disappointing for a unit advertised as self-catering with cutlery and crockery provided. We weren’t sure we could cut the steak, if it was still okay, or even open our warm wine. By late on the first evening we decided to leave early the next morning.