Finfoot Lake Reserve By Dream Resorts — Hotel in Rustenburg Local Municipality

We had a birding trip on Sunday starting early from Vaalkop Dam and decided to stay over in the vicinity the previous night.

I have to state that the trip started off very well. I even got a call on saturday morning to confirm our booking and to enquire about our estimated arrival time and whether we had special dietary requirements. I mentioned that my husband was diabetic. When we arrived we were welcomed and informed of the dinner time and breakfast time. We informed them about our birding trip from vaalkop dam nature reserve and that due to us having to leave early i enquired whether it would be possible to arrange a breakfast pack as we had to leave before breakfast serving time. They advised that they cant but we should perhaps try going earlier to the restaurant. I left it at that. We were escorted to our chalet by our own personal ranger and a nice fresh fruit welcome snack in the chalet. I only later discovered that the unit did not have power, when i wanted to put some water for our next day outing into the fridge. I was surprised to find an old smelly fruit plate in a warm fridge. Before venturing on our mountain biking ride i informed our ranger who during our absence sorted out the electricity problem. I must say we enjoyed the mtb ride. We saw lots of girafes and various antilopes and birds during our ride. When wereturned the power was on however the stench in the fridge remained as well as the smelly old platter in the room.

We enquired about the travel time and route to get to vaalkop dam nature reserve from our ranger. He advised that there was a shortcut, but not for guests only for staff. We were pleasantly surprised when he told us later on that he arranged with his boss to escort us the next morning via the shortcut. The only downside was that we had to wait for him at the exit gate from 6:15. Later in he advised that the manager wanted us to be ready at the exit gate from 5:45. We enjoyed a nice trip on the dam with even an ice cold complementary beer each.

My husband respects time and we were ready and waiting outside the exit gate as per the instructions from 5:40 on sunday morning. I dont know where the communication breakdown occurred but we stood there waiting for our escort until after 6:15. He did apologise for being a bit late. We missed out on any chance of having anything at that early hour from the restaurant. The manager with another passenger,fellow birder, escorted us across to the other side joining the birding group. We arrived in a rush just in time to meet with the birding group.

When lunch time came i was amazed to see that the lodge manager was able to arrange boiled eggs etc as a lunch pack for him and his passenger. That would havebeenperfect as takeway breakfast. Seeing that we thought we would have a breakfast that would take us through the day we did not take any snacks along. I also did not realise how remote the vaalkop dam is with no shops to buy even a coke and a snack or a chocolate. We had to make do with a packet of nuts and raisons between the two of us for the whole day that i accidentally had in my car while the manager enjoyed his boiled eggs and picnic food.

Part of the birding trip at an additional cost was a 2hr trip on the vaalkop dam arranged with finfoot lake reserve. We spent 2 hours from 13:30 to 15:30 on the dam with not even a complimentary water offered in 37 degree heat. What a disappointment.

If i go again i will be better prepared.

Drinks are well priced. If they wish to cater for birders they will need to be a bit more adaptable. A boiled egg or muffin apple and take away fruit juice would have served as a suitable takeway or even some.sandwiches or a bun with...

The lodge in general is good. The Game rangers and reception lady were helpful and friendly, The Bar Lady with the Dreadlock Hair is very rude and not friendly. When we booked there was said that there should be enough wood for the first night. When we arrived at Villa 1 there was a small pile of wood that wouldn't even be enough to warm up a Vienna. We then went and bought 3 bags of wood to only find that they gave us 1 small piece of fire lighters for the first night. We then made use of grass and small branches to start the fire. ||||They gave us a small amount of very cheap dishwashing liquid to wash our dishes the next morning. We were 8 people and there was just only enough plates and cutlery for us, so we had to wash our dishes. We then cleaned the dishes because the cleaning team only arrived at 10h00 and we had to eat breakfast. There was a dishwasher with only 1 dishwashing tablet and the machine didn't work properly. ||||We then went on the Segway and the 2 ladies went for the Spa Treatments which was good and fun, but the spa was expensive for what they got compared to another spa's that we went to. ||||We then all went on the boat cruise that was supposed to be 2 hours but because other guests were late from their Segway trip, we were delayed by 30 minutes and had to wait for them. The cruise was supposed to start at 16h00 until 18h00 but we only left the lodge on the game drive trucks at 16h25. The cruise was fun and relaxing except for the massive amount of Hyacinth on the dam. We then docked back at 18h00 so we missed out on around 30 minutes of cruising due to other people being late that wasn't even part of our group. ||||We then asked for 2 bags of wood for the night to braai and again started the fire without any firelighters but then bought a packet at the reception area and asked for another 3 to 4 bags to only be told they don't have more wood available they only have one bag left, REALLY we are in the bush and need a fire because it was cold and wanted a fire to warm up. What lodge like this don't have enough wood???? NOT GOOD||||We paid over R10 000.00 for the accommodation and another almost R7000.00 on the activities, don't you think they can atleast give us enough fire lighters to start a fire with or atleast 2 blocks for every night that we booked??? We paid the same amount for both nights it wasn't a case that we paid less for one of the nights therefor we can't get enough wood or fire lighters.||It would’ve been better if they then rather left everything and said listen you sell wood and firelighters at reception, we must make sure to buy enough and then have ENOUGH wood to buy.||||I will not visit this lodge or any of DREAM resorts again and would surely not recommend them to anybody again because the price that we paid and what we got was just not acceptable. ||||It probably makes sense when you speak to the rangers on the lodge why they are only working there for very short period of times. Apparently, there is 3 people leaving now within the next 2 to 3 weeks.||We took one of our biggest clients CASHBUILD out for a fun weekend but to say honestly, I feel embarrassed and red faced. NEVER AGAIN||||Thank you, Glenn...

Was there over the Christmas period, for 5 nights.

My highlights about the place are:

Definitely the delicious delicious delicious meals, service (generally and including the massage treatment, did a hot stone full body massage) and people (friendly and helpful). The food was delicious every night and our dietary requirements (glutton free) were well catered for kudos to Chef Tsholo and the team. Top tiers scrumptous meals served with a smile, I looked forward to dinner, every night of my 5 day stay. The braai (on Christmas Eve) and Christmas dinner meals were my ultimate favourites.

The kids activities with the rangers were also great as the kids enjoyed themselves more so definitely a kid friendly place. Also the ability to have kids minded whilst doing the massage was also a bonus, thank you.

Tranquility: It's quiet a peaceful place, so if you looking for some downtime/relax and you love nature/the bush life, it is a good consideration.

The downsides: definitely the gravel road....especially when driving in, was not 100% prepared for that long drive on gravel road.

The bedding/linen: The bedding is old and dull (not white anymore) and also how the beds get made it’s strange with the opening (no buttons or closure) at the top so as you sleep the duvet inner is out, very uncomfortable, anyways thankfully there was a top sheet.

The Housekeeping Team: They should ensure bedding put has no stains even as I checked in the pillow in front had a huge stain yet it was set up for me to sleep with (the ranger who was helping me with luggage quickly assisted with this and got me a clean pillow, so great response from him). Also the bathroom sink they didn't clean it up well on 2nd day, so they are somehow not attentive. Also made absolutely no sense to me how they only decided to change the bedding the night before I left, so they let me sleep in same bedding for 4 nights before changing it, even then they ask me how longI have been there, surely there must Abe a schedule which guides them how long a guest has been checked in and change linen accordingly. So with this I really think Finfoot can do better, especially as a 4 star...