"I thoroughly enjoyed our stay."

Dumisani gave the most amazing game drive. Mpho and Ingrid made us feel at home throughout our stay. The chef made sure that every meal was prepared to perfection. They even planned a surprise date as we were celebrating our anniversary. The only downfall was the volume of water coming from the shower.

"A unique stay a short drive from Johannesburg."

Really enjoyed our stay at the Kraal African Luxury Lodge. The accommodation was unique with fantastic views, and we loved the positioning of the jacuzzi. The food was good, and the staff were friendly. The game ranger was fun and knowledgeable. If I could give some advice to the lodge, it would be to either install some blinds or provide face masks as the room is all glass and the light/sun is harsh in the morning, making it hard to sleep in. They also have a good coffee machine but need to give lessons on the types of coffee and technique.

"Amazing is an understatement."

Perfect place to unwind. The staff is friendly and affordable drinks lol. Perfection is the word.

"Perfect, the place and service exceeded my expectations. I don’t even have the words to describe how I feel. Everything and I do mean everything was perfect."

I was greeted at the main gate by Ingrid and Desmond. Both had huge smiles on their faces and were welcoming. Then I met Ayanda at the door and she showed me around and made me feel so welcome. The place is spectacular, my villa and the view was spectacular. The food, oh my gosh, the food. Explosions in my mouth.

"Expensive, lack of privacy, overall disappointing stay."

The highlight of our stay was the spa experience and the specially arranged dinner for our anniversary. However, that’s where it ended. We stayed in Villa 5, which is supposed to be the best villa at a premium price. Despite being labelled as secluded and not in view of the other villas, the lack of blinds or window tinting compromised our privacy. Anyone could easily look into the villa, which was a major drawback for both my husband and me. The blue LED lights from the deck and pool reflected on the windows, causing a sleepless night. Furthermore, the absence of blinds or tinting meant that as soon as daybreak arrived, the villa was filled with light, making it impossible to sleep beyond 6:30 AM. Moreso, the afternoon sun was a major issue, as there was no shade available on the deck or in the villa due to the lack of blinds or tinting. The absence of privacy created a sense of insecurity and vulnerability which added to the stay being unpleasant. The cleanliness of the place was disappointing. Stained tiles in the lounge and kitchenette area, windows and frames covered in bird droppings and dirt, the shower floor and glass shield were dirty as well, and an overall lack of cleanliness gave the impression that the villa had not been properly cleaned in a long time, neither is the cleanliness at a 5-star place yet the price is. The pool was not heated, which meant we couldn't use it. Even if it were heated, the wall tiles and pool floor were extremely grimy and dirty. The jacuzzi, although functional, was also very dirty, with grime and sediment covering the walls and floor. While I understand the concept of people connecting, the absence of a TV in the villa was a major drawback. Expecting guests to rely on their own laptops or smart devices for streaming seemed unreasonable, especially considering the premium price we paid for the villa. On a positive note, the staff were great, particularly the spa attendants, Thabe and Ofentse, who were the highlights of our experience. Austin, Ayanda, and Ingrid were also awesome and attentive. . The concept of the place is great, but the execution falls short. I hope that future guests will not be misled into paying premium prices for these unhygienic and non-private villas.

"My stay was fabulous."

I enjoyed the adventure walk with Barry. He was very insightful and full of knowledge about the farm and area.

"It was great."

Great location for peace and quiet time.

"Beautiful place and proper customer service."

We had such a good time. The game drive was the highlight with Axel. But everyone else was lovely.

"Everything is perfect and the staff was excellent."

One rests well. Everyone is very nice and friendly I would recommend anyone to go there. They treat one like kings there. Well done, haven't seen such good service in a long time.

"Worth every dime. The ambience and view was as per advertising. The staff service is out of this world."

We will going back again definitely.

"Not what I expected."

House had ladybirds all over, with their nests inside the villa. Was told it is because of rain but don't believe it. Nests, spiderwebs proved otherwise. The Jacuzzi was not working. The VVIP service promised, to have breakfast and dinner in the villa has been cancelled. Berry arranged it for us after talking with him as a result he didn't charge us for extras. The view all good, but the area needs some serious service and maintenance. The price we paid is way too much for what we got.

"Underwhelming."

This feedback was also given to the manager verbally. Power issues: For such an upmarket lodge I found the power issues annoying. Don't understand why provisions are not made for additional diesel power to ensure there's no uninterrupted power. Also, the lodge invests in other alternative energy solutions available in the market. Breakfast was fair, but the rest of the meals are not up to standard. The pizza was not fresh and the explanation was that they don't have a pizza oven and as such don't make fresh pizza. Dinner meals are substandard e.g. Potatoes were not fresh and looked like they were cooked earlier, I assume due to power issues and left to sit for a while before being warmed. The cappuccino was served with stale veggies. The chicken curry was the only meal well prepared. Desserts are not of great quality and are unpalatable. Chocolate fondant looks and tastes like a muffin. Apple crumble was served with jam. Manager needs to check on guests regularly. It's a small lodge after all, and this shouldn't take much time. Shouting cost-cutting instructions at your kitchen staff so your guests hear you is a no-no. Game drive felt like a 45-minute joy ride. No interaction with guests. Nothing to write home about. Staff were very friendly. Ingrid made the stay very pleasant. She's a great host. What doesn't help, are all the limitations that the lodge which affect her ability to be at her best and set her up for success. Overall the lodge offers very little flexibility e.g. as a rule you can't have a meal in the room. Dinner is prescribed between 18:00 and 19:30, or else the kitchen closes due to power issues. Not a great experience overall.

"Amazing experience."

The stay was so great, the views were breathtaking. Very private and intimate. The staff was so friendly. The only downside was that we couldn't have meals in our Villa, defeating the purpose of being secluded. Our Jacuzzi also had a problem with heating up. Other than that, it was truly a great experience.

"Stay was amazing beautiful view. The only let down was the food which is not suitable for a 5 star lodge like Kraal and need to have experienced game driver rangers who are know."

Food was terrible. Ranger clueless about animals.

"We had a fabulous stay due to impress service from staff, a wonderful location with beautiful serene views. Great food from the chef. We certainly will make another trip for another stay."

The staff are humble and curtious. The food was great. The venue and villas were wonderful.

"Great, beautiful and lovely staff."

Would suggest the owners look into the solar pool heating system as we couldn’t swim the whole weekend, possibly find a better-suited way to solve it. Spa is great and the ladies were great, would recommend getting a nail tech.

"Breathtaking, beautiful architecture and interiors."

Beautiful rooms, beautiful view. Really very amazing location, and environment. Peaceful, tranquil. The spa does not give value for money. The food is good. Cleanliness was not satisfactory.

"It was not bad, the rooms are dirty, the manager is rude, doesn’t greet guests."

The food is really basic for a five star.

"A nice area to unwind."

The only challenge is the wind, but the place is beautiful and the food was delicious.

"Everything was perfect."

Amazing place, value for money, the customer service was on point. I would, however, recommend that they add more activities and also add a variety of meal options for lunch and dinner, but other than that, everything was perfect.

"Disappointing."

The location and view is very nice, but unfortunately that's where it ends. Ayanda and Barry welcomed us kindly and tried their best to ensure that everything was in order. Kraal African Lodge does not belong in this price range. The superior wooden villa's floor was damaged, they asked veskoning for it. The underfloor heating did not work. The buttons of the Jacuzzi are broken. The food is definitely not 5 star as advertised. Don't let the pictures on the website fool you when it comes to food. There is definitely a shortage of staff. The staff who prepare and serve your food are also the same staff who clean your villa. There is also only a small selection of alcoholic refreshments available and no bartender serving you. The same person who welcomes you is also the barmaid. The lodge has a lot of potential, but definitely needs attention. We even checked out a day early.

"Rest on a mountain."

Beautiful view with luxury rooms.