Ikhaya Safari Lodge — Hotel in Constantia

Really disappointed by our stay here which was not cheap. We paid AUD 290 for the night and on arriving at 4pm still had to wait for our room to be cleaned even though we were the only guests. Not only this, I had to spend 10 mins convincing the lady who received us that we indeed had a booking as it hadn't apparently shown on their system. Despite pulling out the confirmation, she still called her manager and then what proceeded was a very unwelcoming response (like it was a hassle for us to be there) . We realised we were the only guests in the hotel, most of the sofas ans covers were overturned or out for washing. The pool was cold and there was no bar but an honesty service where you could pay for beer or wine (a few bottles in a minibar). There were no other facilities, a restaurant down the road and free coffee. When we checked out the next morning and asked to keep our luggage while we headed to Kirstenbosch, we were asked what time we would be back a couple of times (again it felt like we asked for the biggest favour and that it was a hassle). On returning, we decided to at least sit outside in the lounge area and have a drink, within 10 mins we were asked to move because they were doing some roof renovating. Finally when we asked to pay, and didn't have cash, it seemed we upset them as we wanted to pay by card. It was the strangest hotel experience we've ever had which for the money we were paying seemed very unfair. I wish we had been given the option to cancel our booking if they truly didn't want or expect any guests. We booked the place for the ambience, pool (also very small and doesn't look like anything you see in the photos) and pool bar. Now for the positives: the location is great, right next to a hiking trail and the Beau Constance winery. The room and bed were comfy and the views were stunning, especially the sunrise. The hotel is also tastefully decorated and very clean. I guess this is a place you go to in season and maybe we just caught them off guard. Just feeling a little robbed of the experienced we...

We stayed at Ikhaya Safari Lodge for the last 2 nights of our trip. Arriving at 11.30am we were hoping to leave our luggage whilst exploring Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens but to our pleasant surprise, our room was ready and we were able to check in. We stayed in Nyala and our friend Pumba was next door. Great terrace space as we knew each other but little privacy if not. The rooms were small but beautifully appointed and the view of the Constantia valley was fabulous. We had time for a quick game of tennis ( no charge) and the court was in good condition. The lodge is well located for the gardens, Constantia wineries and local restaurants. Would have liked time to visit Hout Bay Friday night market but as we were leaving the next day on an early flight, that will have to wait till next time. |Breakfast (200 zar pp) was excellent and a lovely setting by the pool. The outdoor seating area and boma provided a great space to relax and chat and the honesty bar was very reasonable. Just need to bear in mind that some rooms are very close to this communal space and could potentially be noisy. Also the steps down to our rooms were quite steep especially when taking luggage up and down. However, none of this detracted from the wonderful stay we had and I'd be very...

We had a lovely, nicely decorated "Cabana" with a beautiful view. The roof is made of straw and that should actually have a very good insulation level. The noise from the street (cars) is extremely loud. This is super annoying to say the least.

Our fridge was completely iced at the top (inside) probably not cleaned (defrosted) for at least months.

The safe is "broken" the electronics don't work and you are offered a "master key" to manually open the safety deposit box.

The breakfast is nice. The staff is friendly The beds are nice.

This Has been... A very nice place but it definitely needs maintenance.

Don't expect much of the pool that is shown on the website. It's rather small (much smaller than the pictures imply) But clean, and large enough to cool down from the sun that is present the whole day in the garden.

The beds next to the pool are fine and have complementary towels.

The main building is in an old English/ Colonial style and impressive. You can see the glamour the whole Guesthouse once had, but that has faded a bit over the years.

I am sure that after some TLC the Ikhaya (safari) lodge could be back in a magnificent state.

The owner seems extremely nice...