Malewane Lodge at Royal Malewane

Wow. This team knows exactly how to make you “homesick” from your time at their lodge. My husband and I are missing everything about our stay and experience as we make the long journey home. The team here makes you feel cared for and certainly well fed, and our guide and tracker did everything they could to deliver wild animals and animal experiences, stunning sunsets, and personal comfort. These 2, Conrad and Kevin, are the stars of the show. We are experiencing a bit of separation anxiety after leaving these two today. :)||Our suite (2) was well stocked with drinks and food, had a generous outdoor space and dipping pool, a nicely sized closet, bed and bathroom. We used the gym almost every day. It has a cable machine, free weights, a rower, treadmill and elliptical. There are also some kettlebells too. ||We enjoyed lazy days otherwise in between the game drives mostly being fed by the talented chefs and the excellent wait staff who remembered all of my food sensitivities. ||The gift shop was a great place to find some long sleeve shifts, light coats and gifts to take home. ||We had a small mishap while staying there and we have never seen an entire team work so quickly to make sure our stay was flawless. It is easy to understand while so many people make this a repeat stay. We are already planning our next trip with friends and family.

We took Africa House for our family of eleven and whilst this was our 5th visit over 15 years, the standard of comfort, service, food, ambience and safari experience was exceptional and 5 nights were nowhere near enough. Our rangers, Ryan and Conrad were at another level to the other 20 plus safari's we have experienced.|The Africa House team was incredible and ensured everything was a “pleasure” to deliver and the level of 6 star consistency never wavered.|Of course, we will return at some stage and experience one of the few properties that really delivers World Class Customer Care.|Any room to improve…..only some free weights in the fitness room ❤️.

The Royal Portfolio can trace its roots to 1999, when we converted our family holiday home into what is now the Royal Malewane. The Royal Portfolio showcases the very best of the Rainbow Nation and offers perfect stays in pristine national parks, along rugged coastlines, in lush winelands, and in the heart of the vibrant, multicultural Mother City of Cape Town. Choose to stay in one of the iconic luxury lodges, boutique hotels, or private residences, or ask our journey specialists about combining them for the complete experience.

Ok, lets get straight down to brass tacks:||1. Malewane Safari Lodge is very, very expensive. If you’re an UHNW individual (congratulations!), let the guy reading this Review to you, continue. If you’re just a normal individual (like me), keep reading anyway.|2. Malewane Safari Lodge gives you an experience that (to dismiss the old adage), money can actually buy. Your Bank Loan (how else?), will absolutely return ‘Value for Money’. I really can’t put it more bluntly.||If you are considering ‘a Safari’ there are of course many ways you can achieve this. Go cheap, and maybe see a few gazelles; go independent and maybe die, or just really, really ‘do it’.||If I said that your Guide would be David Attenborough and your Tracker would be Tonto (old persons’ reference only – look it up if you’re under 60), you would absolutely suck up the financial pain. But that is exactly what you get on your Game Drives. We were accompanied by Ross & Herman, but I don’t think we struck lucky -I genuinely believe all safari tour ‘pairs’ are this good. The Royal Collection founders only ever recruit the best. However, R&H were very, very special people and absolutely ‘made’ our adventure (which without doubt was what it was!).||So, back to the UHNW’s – you will find that the Lodge and the staff within, are entirely acceptable. Us mere mortals were (and you will be) absolutely gob smacked (British euphemism - US equivalent would be WTF). Absolutely incredible focus on ‘the little things’. Handwritten welcome notes, fridge (and cocktail cabinet) full of complimentary drinks, 2x types of dressing gown (thick and thin) – honest!! And (mock) leopard-skin slippers to die for.||And the Lodge staff? OMG! Have spent an entire career ‘managing’ people – never, ever had then smile like these guys. You cannot pay people to like their job this much, it is completely genuine.||And the food? So this is where the UHNW’s might get a wriggly lip (another British euphemism). The menu has two choices for each course (its a menu not ‘War & Peace’). We did the standard ‘couple’ thing, and ordered differently for each course (and then of course ‘shared’). There really is no need for a menu, could have just stuck the food in front of us; it is all absolutely devine.||Hope you’re getting the idea that I seriously rate Malewane – take a deep breath, sell the children, and book a couple of nights.

Two words - pure luxury. From the moment you set foot in the Lodge to the last breakfast everything is simply impeccable. The staff and management is so welcoming and helpful, they really treat you as a part of the family. Also the rangers are not to be forgotten, they know so much about the living and breathing world of the surrounding area. Definitely a journey of a lifetime

This was one the BEST traveling experiences I have ever had. The lodge sits in Kruger National Park with wild animals just outside your deck. An elephant drank out of my deck pool while I was reading! Constant wildlife outside my room. It was surreal staring at it all for hours at a time. The food was exceptional. The staff SUPER accommodating; friendly, assertive. My guide/naturalist Juan is the smartest man I’ve ever met. So incredibly knowledgeable about ALL of nature. These safaris make you feel so small I saw all of the big 5. This is the place to stay!

We had a wonderful stay at the Royal Malewane Waterside Lodge from 15 October to 17 October 2023. The service, food and the room were impeccable. Andi and Jeffrey took us on three days of amazing nature rides. We saw the Big 5 and much more. What particularly stood out was the way that the staff treated us as though we were part of the family. We would go back again without hesitation.

Royal Malewane is a true luxury bush experience. We stayed at the newest property, Waterside Lodge, and had a fantastic 3 night stay. ||Arrival: We flew from Cape Town to Hoedspruit on a non-stop flight and were greeted at the small airport by our guide Matt. The airport is small but efficient and all the greeters are clustered by the baggage claim. We enjoyed a beautiful scenic drive to the camp and as we arrived to the entrance, received another warm welcome from the staff while we sipped a cocktail, got the logistics of the camp, and went over preferences. ||Room: We had luxury suite #2, a spacious room, beautifully decorated and curated with incredible art. The design mixes African and colonial elements with contemporary luxury and adds a healthy splash of color. We had a fireplace, sitting area, dressing room, indoor and outdoor shower, plunge pool and patio. Between game drives we loved the various areas of the room we could leverage to read a book, enjoy a coffee or catch up on a couple emails. The room featured a well stocked mini bar that is all included with your stay. ||Game Drives: You will meet your guide and tracker on your first day and they will be with you for the duration of your stay. They will customize the drives to ensure you are spending the time tracking the animals and experiences you are seeking. Luxury lodges obviously provide 5 star hospitality, but they also differentiate themselves with the quality, experience and knowledge of their guides and trackers. The learning and knowledge that you absorb through asking questions and getting to know the bush is part of the experience - be sure to soak it up! We had Matt and Stanley and gave them free reign to do what they do best - we saw everything - the Big Five plus so much more. We saw two leopard kills and lots of babies, very unique and special moments to see in the bush. Matt and Stanley were truly experts - you cannot believe how they pick up on sounds/calls and tracks to find the animals in the vastness of the park. ||Food: The lodge's chef, Chippy, came to greet us on arrival and asked about preferences and allergies/restrictions. From that meeting, we received personalized menus at each meal. You can order off the menu or whatever you want off menu. The food is wonderful - the perfect balance of fine dining and local flair - exactly the type of food you want in the bush. We love local South African food and made a point to try the local meats and flavors that Chippy incorporated into the menu. Breakfast was always a number of beautifully plated pastries, charcuterie and fruits - all before ordering a la carte - you will be incredibly well fed with the quality is top notch. The staff picks up on your preferences and even starts to make recommendations based on what you ordered and enjoyed previously - truly impressive and personalized service. ||Spa/Gym: The lodge has a small but well equipped gym that is perfect for a mid day workout. We used it twice and were the only people there. We also visited the spa and had massages two of the afternoons. Again, the spa is small, but perfect for the intimate boutique feel of the lodge. Debra gave a phenomenal head and scalp massage and I definitely felt the early morning wake up and dozed off towards the end. ||Service: This is where Royal Malewane shines - the service is BEYOND five star. Everything was personalized and nothing was too much trouble. From housekeeping to the bar to the servers - everyone knew our name, our preferences and was there to make our stay special. The attention to detail is truly special and made our stay. When we come back - it will be because of the service. ||Wow experiences: As if the game drives are not enough - there is an evening where the lodge puts on a beautiful outdoor dining experience in the bush. You cannot believe how they create an outdoor dinner party - it is truly a once in a lifetime experience complete with entertainment, local SA fare, and hundreds of candles and lanterns to illuminate the venue. Additionally, our guide Matt sent us a number of beautiful photos from our game drives, allowing us to be in the moment and leaving the photographs to the professional.||I cannot recommend Royal Malewane enough - the bush is such a special experience and this is the BEST way to experience it.