Forest Creek Lodge & Spa — Hotel in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality

Mixed feelings regarding our visit.... once off the tarr road one gets the feeling you made a wrong turn somewhere as the road keeps on getting worse and worse to the point where even with our double cab we were stressed out. In some areas it feels like being on a 4x4 path. This is NOT a road to travel with a normal sedan! The gravel access road is around 5k's but it takes around twenty minutes to half an hour to get to the lodge. The lodge itself is quaint but it has seen better days. The reception/ bar area's thatched roof had a tarpaulin partly draped over it to cover damage to the roof. The chalets were clean but the decor and furniture is from an earlier time... Lighting in the kitchen (in our chalet) was inadequate and is best described as gloomy with no lighting over the stove or sink area. The main bedroom was nice and roomy though and the bed and duvet made for an excellent night's rest. Maintenance is lacking at both the boardwalk leading to, and the stargazing deck itself. I doubt if the 4 star rating is still valid.

Enough said about the cabins - if you are looking for tranquility, friendly staff and amazing hiking trails this is for you. We did the walk to the water fall - touted as being a 7km round trip. The track on our garmin watches indicated 11km however so be aware of the additional distance. Leave early. On the initial part of the trail, markings to indicate the route were good, but nearing the waterfall was almost non existant. The possibility of a nasty fall is very real at this point as some of the areas to be traversed I consider downright dangerous. Getting an injured hiker out of the kloof would be a major undertaking and in our case impossible before nightfall. If you are looking for 5 star accomodation this not for you. If you want something off the beaten track where nature and quiet evenings gazing at the stars is your priority then this is perfect. Do not stay here if you want to go trout fishing in Dullstroom. It is a looong way out to the tar road - a tarr toad that is used by coal trucks and in some places almost totally destroyed. If you want to visit here, be prepared to drive in and stay for...

If you're looking for a restful mountain-top experience, then this is it. It's best to stay put once you get there as the gravel road is not for the faint-hearted. Unless your car has a high clearance off the ground, do take up their offer to leave your car at the bottom of the hill and hitch a ride to the lodge. Paulus gave us a warm welcome, and both Mush and Anita were very helpful. The accomodation is pretty much as promised on the website—loved the outdoor shower— and woke up with birdsong every morning. We stayed in the self-catering cottage, so I cannot comment on the food on offer. As for activities, there is a deck to do some stargazing on a clear night, clay-pigeon shooting on the premises and a hike to the waterfall. Our hiking experience was affected by the recent summer rainfall and might have been different at another time of the year. We walked in a circle at the start of the trail as tree branches fell over the path and obscured the markings, we waded through strong-flowing water to cross the stream, slipped and fell on the unstable rocks, found even fewer markings as we got closer to the waterfall and finally gave up, rather than chancing further falls over traitorous terrain. Going back we came across a couple of forks on the trail without markings and had to guess which way to go. In summary, your hike could easily turn into a nasty experience if something had to happen to you. This venue is ideal if you're going to stay put and enjoy the amenities, not to use as a base to explore the region—most would be way too far... and you'd have to first get down the...

We had a very pleasant stay at Forest Creek Lodge between the 15th and 18th of July 2024. We stayed in the Narina Suite, which had a very spacious bedroom and bathroom with both being very nicely designed with attractive furnishings. |The staff were very friendly and helpful, however I would like to just suggest that management ensure that the staff are more engaging, when one arrives to check in. We arrived at the lounge/dining room at the lodge as there was no signage for “Reception” and although there were 2 staff members in the area we were not greeted. Based on this and no communication we started wondering if we were in the right place to check in. After a few minutes, I asked the 2 staff members where we should check in, and only then did they confirm we were in the right place.|We chose the Breakfast and Dinner option and really enjoyed the food. A big thank you to Anita for being exceptionally helpful with providing lovely vegetarian menu options. Anita even phoned me, before we arrived, to confirm that we were happy with the meal options. |I would also like to suggest that the last 4 kms of road to the lodge be addressed as it is very technical and rocky. We did not personally have any issues driving the last 4 kms to the lodge, as we were travelling in our Land Rover.|All in All, Forest Creek Lodge certainly provides one with peace and tranquillity and wonderful options for hiking, if that is what you...