Find Hotels with Free Parking in Balule Game Reserve

"The Pondoro experience is first class from beginning to end! The location is stunning and we watched hippo, crocs, giraffe, elephants and all sorts from our room. The games drives led by the wonderful Shadlack and Dion were breathtaking, with the big 5 and all manner of wildlife seen on multiple occasions. They also hosted a river walk which showed us how they look for tracks and gave a very different perspective to the hippos and crocs! All the staff at the lodge are fantastic, there is a warm welcome every day and a real personal touch with attention to details that makes each day special. The food is exceptional and would definitely recommend the lunchtime picnic if you get the opportunity."

"The premises is very nice, very clean and comfortable. The self catering unit was well equipped with everything you may need for self catering. The place is beautiful and peaceful. Loved the communication and flexibility I got when still planning the trip and the efforts made to make our birthday special. The only thing I didn’t not like was the rudeness from the lady that woke us up for breakfast on our last morning, she was very rude about how we must be at breakfast by 08:00 ( which o think of breakfast is between 08:00 and 10:00 then guests should have the flexibility between those times). The girl banged the door and rudely communicated how we need to be there at 08:00. She needs general customer service communication training as all my encounters with her were not pleasant. The rest of the staff was amazing. "

"The Best Experience Ever! We Felt Like Royalty! AM Lodge totally blew us away. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel incredibly special. The place itself is absolutely gorgeous. The rooms are super comfortable, beautifully designed, and tucked away in nature, which made it feel really peaceful and private. The safari was amazing!! It was personalized just for us, and our guides Sbu and Benjamin were so knowledgeable and fun. We got to see so many animals up close, and experienced some amazing sunrises and incredible sunsets. After the safari, we treated ourselves to a massage at the spa, and wow… it was heavenly. Super relaxing and exactly what we needed. The food deserves a huge shout-out too. Chef Anna is incredible! Every meal was delicious and beautifully presented. Honestly, some of the best food we’ve ever had while traveling. But the real star of the show was the service. Raydene and every single member of the team went above and beyond to make sure we were happy and comfortable. We’ve stayed in some great places before, but this was next level. If you’re thinking about booking a stay here…. do it. It’s worth every penny. We’ll never forget this experience!"

"Very relaxing stay with helpful friendly staff. Relatively convenient for Kruger although we drove through Kruger ourselves so didn’t use the lodges excursions but those who did spoke highly of them. Great to walk round the immediate area with sightings of giraffe, zebra, kudu, impala and wart hogs. "

"What a fantastic property right inside the game reserve with daily game drives to catch the big five. The food and service, including impeccable hospitality were the highlight of staying here. It’s a beautiful, luxurious modern property, right across the HDS airport. Highly recommend staying for atleast 2 nights ideally three! "

"Great place to stay if you're visiting Hoedspruit. Safe location, lovely outdoor shower and close to town."

"A lovely peaceful place. A very good breakfast. Air conditioner worked very well"

"My daughter and I had the absolute privilege of staying at Ezulwini in August 2024. I first want to acknowledge the amazing and knowledgeable staff who absolutely made our stay. Ange and Craig make quite the team! Glory was accommodating, caring, and personable. While in the Bush, Craig and Shads combined their seemingly unlimited knowledge to answer all our non-stop questions. Even when the animals were feeling shy, Craig was able to teach us about something else within the ecosystem, and usually by the end of the lesson, Shads was able to use his eagle-eyes to track another animal. What really made this lodge stand out was the fact that their approach was respectful to the land on which they live, never exploitative. Each night before an absolutely delicious dinner, we were able to sit down with Ange and Craig who crafted a lesson about local history, the law of the reserves, or about the country of South Africa. The meaningful conversations absolutely made us feel like welcomed friends, rather than simple guests. Of course, it should go without saying, that the accommodations of the resort itself were stunning. The resort’s small number of guest rooms makes the experience feel personal and uniquely tailored to each guest, and the property, which often welcomes many four-legged guests, feels more like an extension of the bush rather than a separate space. I simply cannot recommend this lodge, this team, and this trip enough!"

"Not value for money. Dinner was tasteless. Disturbing was to catch a worker at 07:30 the next morning hiding under our tent while we were bathing. The wooden floor has clear gaps to look through. When confronted he said he was there to fix a problem. Complained to the manager and she only replied "Sorry for that". No investigation or request to identify the worker. Internet is non-existent and lights are inadequate in the tent. "