Firefly Falls Accommodation & Adventure — Hotel in George

Firefly Falls ~ October 2023!

We stayed at the wonderful Firefly Falls prior to and after our 5 day Otter Trail adventure. We were offered a glamping tent facing an enchanting indigenous forest, lit up by fireflies right after the sun sets. We had our own outdoor shower and toilet with a basin outside the tent. We booked their hungry Otter package, which included dinners and breakfasts before and after the Otter trail, as well as transportation to and from the trail. The establishment has their own minibus they use to transport guests.

The lapa area has a communal eating area, bar, pool/hot tub, wifi and hammocks. There is also a bathroom with a bath and shower by the forest edge where you can soak in a bath, facing the beautiful forest. The lawn is immaculate and the garden gorgeous. Overall we had a lovely stay, felt safe and welcome at all times and thankful for being taken care of before and after the trail.

The meals: A continental breakfast comes standard with the Hungry Otter package, with the option to order extras like bacon and eggs. The continental included juices, milk, coffee and tea. Yoghurt, corn flakes, muesli, 2 slices of toast for each of us and spreads and jams were served.

Our first night a braai was organised for us. A fire was lit at a seating area close to our tent and we were provided meat (a pork chop and sausage for me) and veggies (couscous stuffed bell pepper for Chris), garlic bread, mealies and a salad. We braaid the goodies as we watched the fireflies in the distance.

The night of our return we were served potjiekos (chicken for me and veggie for Chris), rice, a large garlic bread, plus a large malva pudding and whipped cream. The return night meal was an absolute feast. We struggled to finish the lot.

The Pros: The glamping tents have super comfy beds. The tents are expansive, well equipped and include a small fridge, gas burner and kettle along with all the other usual necessities like kitchen utensils. Free wifi by the lapa area. The establishment is very well suited for larger groups of guests. Chase and Dane were very friendly and accommodating. Communication before and throughout our stay was prompt and professional. Both guys (and their staff) were wonderful. Plenty of birds fluttered by and curiously stared at us during our stay, including a stunning loerie. You can take a stroll through the forest that has its own stream and small waterfall. There was a small trickle of water over the waterfall while we were there. Great value of money and takes care of some of your worries before and after the Otter Trail. Nature’s Way, a wonderful local farm stall with fresh produce and baked goodies, is close to the establishment. There are loads of fun adventures and hikes close by! The gas geysers at both bathrooms we used worked very well.

The Cons: The accommodation offers several other glamping tents, camping spots, shared seating areas and a lapa in close proximity to your tent. On busy days this could lead to socialising and noise that may annoy more private and peaceful...

We loved staying for two nights at Firefly Falls (on the night before the Otter Trail and again after). From the moment we arrived we were happy we were staying there as we got such a friendly welcome, had a beer in hand in seconds (they have an honesty bar) and our braai was already lit when they took us to the cottage. The dinner, which was included in the very reasonable rate, was very generous. We both had a huge piece of steak. The dinner we had after the Otter Trail was delicious too - the hearty hot home made meal and dessert went down a treat.

Firefly Falls took any stress out of the Otter Trail logistics - thanks Andre for taking us to the start of the trail and picking us up at the end. Thanks also for waiting patiently with us while we did the sign in process and connected with the porters at the start. It really adds to that personalised service. Thanks Dane for answering all my questions regarding porters and food packages etc prior to arriving. Your communication and help was excellent thank you and your friendly nature and smile adds to the appeal of Firefly Falls.

We were so happy to get upgraded to a gorgeous rustic cottage with a great outdoor shower. There’s even an outdoor bath! The grounds are quiet and beautiful and you really feel like you are in Nature’s Valley. It was the perfect way for us to start and finish the...

Very disappointed in our stay at Firefly falls. We were scheduled to stay here for two weeks and ended up leaving after 7 days for a number of reasons. More days than not we experienced lack of power in the tents and in the common space, as well as limited to no hot water in the showers. We expressed these issues to the owners and their response was to deny the issue of no hot water existing. The bigger issues here though revolved around the owners (Chase, Dane and Mac) direct acts of prejudice and discrimination towards their predominantly black and colored neighbors of Kurland Village during a community Braai at Firefly Falls.

In addition to these disturbing actions Chase and Dane acted very unprofessionally by bringing their friends into the group space that was designated for guests and got drunk on multiple occasions. This ended up leading to members of our group being verbally and physically assaulted by said men, as well as making others very uncomfortable.

When we informed them that we would be cutting our stay short for the above reasons there was no form or apology, no remorse, and no accountability taken. Rather they chose to try and find excuses for their actions.

If you are a family with children/women or a group looking to stay in the area I would advise...