Entabeni Lakeside Lodge — Hotel in Mookgopong Local Municipality

Let me start by saying that the location is absolutely beautiful. ||However, in order to call it a 5*lodge it definitely needs an upgrade, the rooms I stayed in (93 and 62) were large but could use some paint and some fixing. Mold on the bathroom ceiling which the local spiders didn't seem to mind much, broken floor boards, broken outside light, rust on pretty much everything metal, a dirty smear on the bathroom window and worst of all the dirtiest kettle I've ever seen in a hotel room. Needless to say I didn't enjoy a cup of tea in the morning. ||The food was ok, nothing exciting or special and you couldn't get anything but scrambled eggs for breakfast as that came out of a package, no fresh eggs. ||The staff was very friendly but not exactly efficient, paying the bill for the drinks at the end of my stay took longer than necessary as all the invoices had to be found first. ||The path to the rooms is pitch black at night, a few lights would make the walk back to the rooms a lot more pleasant. ||The highlights of my stay were definitely the game drives with Petro who's extremely knowledgeable and fun. ||The reason I decided to write this review was the flyer that was given to us after the first lunch (see added photos). It said that if you gave the lodge a 5/5 on TripAdvisor and showed it to the manager you would receive a free Gin & Tonic ... that made me laugh but it also rubbed me the wrong way. If one can spend money on printing flyers like this then surely they could spend some money on new kettles and a good...

We stayed there for 3-days as part of a tour stop. There we participated in our first (and best) safari ride experience. The rooms are spacious. Because of monkeys, the windows needed to be kept closed, but that’s worth the opportunity to view these entertaining animals. The grounds are well kept. The hotel and restaurant staff are friendly and extremely helpful. We were provided hot moist towels upon returning from cold weather game drives. Meals were served buffet style. Each had an extensive choice and the main course dishes were tasty. You’ll have to manage your portions or suffer weight gain!||Clearly the highlight of the facility are the game drives and they do not disappoint. The guides are experienced at their craft and attentive drivers. We saw all Big 5, but a leopard during our stay. Elephants are not in great abundance, but other parks in South Africa have many. Because it is a private facility the guides will go slightly off-road to achieve a better view of the animals. The lake provides a wonderful back drop, but the boat ride is just a relaxing experience to bide the time. ||My wife and I are...

Entabeni proved to be a wonderful introduction to South Africa. The lodge and rooms were wonderful and the staff were amazing! The front staff was extremely welcoming and the warm cloths presented after a game drive were very refreshing. Chef Grace and her wait staff treated us to scrumptious meals. Ranger Isaac was very knowledgeable and took great care of us during our games drives. Our room contained a fireplace and it was great in the evening. Our room was kept spotless for housekeeping and I enjoyed the singing we encountered while she worked. Cannot say enough about this...