Olifants River Lodge

We arrived yesterday mainly because of the advertised indoor warm swimming pool. Unfortunately, the pool was cold, despite being assured by reception that it was hot. Another guest raised the same complaint. We have visited before and expected a better experience. I hope management will address this fairly.

While the resort itself is situated in a beautiful location and has great potential, our overall experience was overshadowed by a number of serious concerns relating to maintenance, administration, and customer service.

From the moment we arrived, it became apparent that basic maintenance standards are not being adequately maintained. The door to our unit was extremely difficult to open, lock, and close, raising concerns about both convenience and security. The bathroom showed visible rust, which reflects a lack of upkeep and attention to detail. Most concerning was the condition of the glass, which appeared to be a potential safety hazard and should be addressed immediately. In addition, the taps did not close properly, causing inconvenience and unnecessary water wastage.

Equally disappointing was the level of professionalism displayed at reception. Staff appeared disorganised and unprofessional in their interactions, which created an unfavourable first impression and did little to inspire confidence in the management of the resort. Customer service should be a priority in the hospitality industry, yet this was noticeably lacking during our stay.

Another major concern was the handling of the key deposit. What should be a simple and straightforward refund process turned into an unnecessary struggle. There appeared to be no proper bookkeeping or record-keeping system in place, resulting in delays and confusion when attempting to have the deposit refunded. Guests should not have to chase their own money or prove payments that the resort should already have accurate records of.

The most frustrating aspect of this experience is that many of these issues are entirely preventable. The resort has all the ingredients to provide a wonderful stay, but the evident lack of maintenance, poor administrative controls, and unprofessional customer service significantly detract from the experience. Management should urgently review their maintenance program, financial controls, and staff training to ensure that guest safety, comfort, and satisfaction are treated as priorities. Until meaningful improvements are made, it is difficult to recommend the resort to others.

We have been here before and loved it, that's why we decided to come again.
Big mistake.
We camped.
The ablution facilities were permanently wet with dirty floors.
The wash basins were dirty with toothpaste and shavings from previous users.
Toilet rolls were not refilled.

In the ladies ablutions there were no dustbins for sanitary products, hence used sanitary products were lying in the floor.

They won't see us again.

We stayed in a rodavel, our friends camped. Quiet weeken, only 3 campers in a huge campsite. Enjoyed the heated pool and restaurant. The last 10 - 15 km gravel road there is being rebuilt - construction was active on the way there. So slow going and bits not fixed yet somewhat rutted. The lady at reception said it should be finished by August. It may well be, as it is a private project.

Well for starters they forget to inform you about a 7km dirt road that your standard car will battle with. Then we move over to the front desk - (special mention) we have a woman who has no idea what she is doing. Then let's move onto the rooms. If you enjoy sharing you bed with cockroaches this is the place for you. The rooms are outdated and the aircons they promise you on bookingdot.com must have been imagined. Then yes the views are stunning and the pools are great. So there are some saving graces. Then there's a shop here that is a complete rip off. We had no power but then they make sure there bar has power. When you ask them to put on the generators they happy to tell you it will come on 8pm -10pm then that's all. I would NOT recommend coming here. It's such a shame because this place has huge potential.