Singita Ebony — Hotel in Bushbuckridge

My partner and I had the best, most incredible experience at Singita Ebony Lodge in November 2023. I highly recommend this lodge and strongly believe it is worth every penny - and all the hype. ||Overview: We stayed for 3 nights/ 4 days, which included six (6) game drives, one the afternoon we arrived, and 2 each on both full days, and then a final game drive on our departure morning. For those unsure of how long to stay- I would say that this is the very minimum number of nights/days you should book for. We both wished we had baked in another full day/night, but I felt like we got the perfect amount of safari adventure and still got adequate use of the amenities of the facility and plenty of relaxation time. FYI: we almost stayed at Boulders (Singita's property about .35 miles down the Sands river). We did a tour of that property one day, and it has a more modern, contemporary African vibe if that's your thing. I don't think you can go wrong with either place, though I did appreciate the charm of Ebony Lodge, the "original" Singita property. ||About us: We are working professionals who live in Washington DC and planned a special trip to celebrate an anniversary. We spent several days in Cape Town before flying to Singita for my first safari. My partner had been on 3 other safaris in Sabi Sands and surrounding game reserves and said that this was "by far" the best. ||Here's what I loved about our stay. Doing my best to keep it as pithy as possible: ||Accommodation: The property is stunning and retains a classic British-colonial safari aesthetic in a beautiful setting overlooking the Sands River. There are 12 lodges of varying sizes. Our suite was incredible. Very spacious with an unbelievable outdoor area with a plunge pool and sweeping views of animals drinking water daily. We loved doing yoga on our porch each morning before lunch. I did not see inside any of the other suites, but I would imagine they are all equally fabulous. They come fully stocked with everything you could possibly want: Binoculars, safari hats, sunscreen, art sets, games, candles, bath salts, yoga mats, BOSE blue tooth surround sound system, and a VERY impressive mini-fridge bar situation. All of the safari-oriented stuff is also available in their supped-up game vehicles, so there's no need to remember to bring anything with you when you're out of the room. ||F&B: The food is incredible and you will not be wanting for anything. The high-caliber wine and spirit options each night impressed my partner. We're talking super high end stuff here. Michelin restaurant quality everything without the pretense. You can eat wearing your safari or workout clothes or get dressed up, whatever, a more relaxed atmosphere than I expected. They did a special private dinner for us in doors one night but we mostly ate outside in gorgeous dining areas overlooking the Sands River. I also enjoyed all of their snack-type nibbles and craft Kombuchas that were available at all times. The menu changed daily with very few repeat items (unless you want something you had on a previous day and they'll still get it for you!). ||The staff: I have never experienced a more personalized/better customer service experience anywhere. I also learned so much from all of the staff at Ebony Lodge and appreciated our waitress/ everyone who assisted us (I feel badly I can't get all of their names down) but here goes: Vicky was phenomenal and so, so, so helpful. Her husband Mike works at Boulders and he was wonderful too. Vicky guided us around upon arrival and consistently spoke to us throughout our stay. So personable, fun, and she has an interesting background as a guide with significant knowledge of the property. The staff goes above and beyond for its guests. Here are some examples: one day I was lounging by the pool with some other guests I met at the airport and she let us know that a family of elephants was bathing in the river. We all ran to check out the sights and other Singita staff members stayed behind to guard the food we left by the pool from other animals. This example seems minor, but the staff thought ahead and goes above and beyond in every little way. They had a personalized menu for me who doesn't drink alcohol with a different assortment of mocktails and they stocked my fridge accordingly with zero proof spirits and other NA options. ||Our guides, Andreis, and tracker, Howard, were the ultimate duo. They drove us to and from the airport and led us out on all the game drives. I appreciated having the same guides each day and they could not have been more knowledgeable and creative in taking us out for walking safaris, showing incredible sightings each day, and answering my myriad questions. They got us up close and personal to the "big 5" daily and found some other rarities for us, cheetahs, among many, many other animals. Singita has access to such a beautiful situation in Sabi Sands and they frequently radio each other to get you to see all the right animals without any "crowding". ||The game drives: I kept a running list of animals but eventually could not keep up. You will not be disappointed in the animal viewing. I tried not to go in with high expectations less I be disappointed and each game drive was better than the last. Andreis and Howard ended each game drive by finding a gorgeous, shaded backdrop for coffee and nibbles in the AM or happy hour drinks in the PM. ||Other things I loved: beyond the staff, the people we met at the property were wonderful. We met another family from DC, a lovely couple from SA that rode with us that we became fast friends with on some of the game drives (we were solo for the last 2). The laundry service was awesome. The complimentary laundry-service was fantastic and I also appreciated their cleaning the room 3 x per day. ||Suggestions for improvement: Sometimes I skim all these reviews to find out the negative, and I really can't think of one thing here. Definitely worth...

Our family’s experience at Singita Ebony was a landmark adventure of a lifetime. It far exceeded our expectations! We selected Singita lodges because of its passion for conservation and development of the surrounding communities through employment and training. Singita has improved the environment and has trained cadres of individuals for not only their facilities, but for other hospitality businesses. We spent three days at Singita Ebony after experiencing three days in Singita Lebombo. Since our experience was outstanding at Singita Lebombo, we were not certain that Singita Ebony could also meet the high bar set at Lebombo. But once again we had a Five Start Plus experience on all fronts. ||First, the location is stunning in Sabi Sands and the terrain is a bit more green and rugged than what you see in Singita Lebombo. Once again you see wildlife consistently from the common areas and your rooms as the animals roam around, and in, the river below. The décor is traditional and beautifully designed – with beautiful African art and motifs throughout the entire lodge. It is luxurious without being at all pretentious. You have all the amenities you could possibly need and use from bath essentials to safari gear, top quality drinks and treats of all types to candles that are lit in the evening to greet you. All rooms are set apart from one another, so you feel as if you have your own personal hideaway in the African plains. Floor to ceiling windows and an expansive balcony and personal pool area give you unforgettable views of the landscape and visiting wildlife at all times of the day.||Second, the safari rides were absolutely remarkable experiences with Andrew as our guide and Louis as our tracker. They are both passionate about their work, the conservation of the animals and their habitat, and sharing their knowledge with us. We give our very highest recommendation to both Andrew and Louis. They are a top team. They answered all our questions, and they consistently gave us a better understanding of our natural surroundings and the animals in the area. Each safari ride brought a new experience. We saw the big five again and again. We also saw many other animals and birds. Our daughter compiled a two-page list of all the animal life we saw. Highlights included observing an encounter between a leopard and a hyena, which resulted in the leopard jumping into the tree right above our jeep. We observed a herd of female elephants and their young cross the path right in front of us, with a young male attempting to trumpet with nothing but a squeak that had us break out in laughter. Nice try, little fellow!||We were happy to just enjoy the ride, the views, and the sightings, but Andrew and Louis were keen to ensure we saw as much as we could. Each day they gave us remarkable animal experiences based on the data they had and their own personal understanding of animal behavior. Also, we each day enjoyed a luxurious coffee break in the morning, and a sundowner in the evening off the back of the jeep. The jeeps themselves were modern, well-designed powerful vehicles, with comfy seats set up high so we could see well. We had breakfast and afternoon snacks we brought with us in sustainable containers, as well as the well-presented coffee and sundowner break delights. We felt we were treated to the best. ||Third, the service was unsurpassable. We have traveled a lot as a family and never have we experienced such consistent, quality, professional, and joyful service. Robert our butler/server met every food need we had. Each meal was presented as a work of art and was a culinary delight. We have a vegan family member, so she received a special menu with her name on it with each meal. The offerings were so extensive for her, some of us ordered from her menu. We had the same incredible service in the spa where the massages went beyond any other spa experiences we have had. The spa associates applied African techniques and used traditional tools. We highly recommend that your Singita experience include a visit to the spa. ||Finally, without future planning, the Singita team upon request of our adult children organized a surprise birthday celebration for me. The evening we had a barbecue dinner around a fire pit with Andrew and Louis ended with entertainment from the Singita singers, employees who sang and danced in perfect acapella-harmony. When they entered, they came in a line singing as they joined the guests. They were holding a birthday cake, so I looked around to see who was celebrating a birthday only to find out the cake was for me. And once again, the Singita associates were genuinely happy to see our joy. It was a birthday surprise of a lifetime!||Our one regret of our visit is that we did not stay longer to fully enjoy all Singita Ebony has to offer. From the welcoming artfully designed rooms to the impeccable personable service, the delectable food to the thrilling safari rides, this lodge exceeds the five-star rating in every...

Our family’s experience at Singita Ebony was a landmark adventure of a lifetime. It far exceeded our expectations! We selected Singita lodges because of its passion for conservation and development of the surrounding communities through employment and training. We spent three days at Singita Ebony after experiencing three days in Singita Lebombo. Since our experience was outstanding at Singita Lebombo, we were not certain that Singita Ebony could also meet the high bar set at Lebombo. But once again we had a FIVE STAR PLUS experience on all fronts.

First, the location is stunning in Sabi Sands and the terrain is a bit more green and rugged than what you see in Singita Lebombo. You see wildlife consistently from the common areas and your rooms as they roam around, and in, the river below. The décor is traditional and beautifully designed – with beautiful African art and motifs throughout the entire lodge. It is luxurious without being at all pretentious. You have all the amenities you could possibly need and use from bath essentials to safari gear, top quality drinks and treats of all types to candles that are lit in the evening to greet you. All rooms are set apart from one another, so you feel as if you have your own personal hideaway in the African plains. Floor to ceiling windows and an expansive balcony and personal pool area give you unforgettable views of the landscape and visiting animal life at all times of the day.

Second, the safari rides were absolutely remarkable experiences with Andrew as our guide and Louis as our tracker. They are both passionate about their work, the conservation of the animals and their habitat, and sharing their knowledge with us. We give our very highest recommendation to both Andrew and Louis. They are a top team. They answered all our questions, and they consistently gave us a better understanding of our natural surroundings and the animals in the area. Each safari ride brought a new experience. We saw the big five again and again. Our daughter compiled a two-page list of all the animal life we saw. Each day they gave us remarkable animal experiences based on the data they had and their own personal understanding of animal behavior.

Also, we each day enjoyed a luxurious coffee break in the morning, and a sundowner in the evening off the back of the jeep. The jeeps themselves were modern, well-designed powerful vehicles, with comfy seats set up high so we could see well. We had breakfast and afternoon snacks we brought with us in sustainable containers, as well as the well-presented coffee and sundowner break delights. We felt we were treated to the best.

Third, the service was unsurpassable. We have traveled a lot as a family and never have we experienced such consistent, quality, professional, and joyful service. Robert our butler/server met every food need we had. Each meal was presented as a work of art and was a culinary delight. We have a vegan family member, so she received a special menu with her name on it with each meal. The offerings were so extensive for her, some of us ordered from her menu. We had the same incredible service in the spa where the massages went beyond any other spa experiences we have had. The spa associates applied African techniques and used traditional tools.

Finally, without future planning, the Singita team upon request of our adult children organized a surprise birthday celebration for me. The evening we had a barbecue dinner around a fire pit with Andrew and Solly ended with entertainment from the Singita singers, employees who sang and danced in perfect acapella harmony. When they entered singing, they were holding a birthday cake, so I looked around to see who was celebrating a birthday only to find out the cake was for me. And once again, the Singita associates were genuinely happy to see our joy.

Our one regret of our visit is that we did not stay longer to fully enjoy all Singita Ebony...