Chalet was well equipped and beautifully positioned on the banks of the Sabie river overlooking Elephant Whispers. Chalet has lights to use during loadshedding purposes which is a huge plus!

The staff in dining hall weren't very attentive and their service and the overall cleanliness at food stations could improve a little.

From the moment we arrived at Hippo Hollow Country Estate, we were welcomed with warmth and genuine hospitality that made us feel right at home. The surroundings are breathtaking — lush greenery, peaceful river views, and the occasional visit from the local wildlife truly make this place a hidden gem. A special shoutout goes to Excellent Pule, whose name truly reflects the outstanding service we received. His professionalism, attentiveness, and friendly demeanor made our stay even more memorable. We would also love to commend Mkansi Nkateko and Mbali Leshaba for their kindness, efficiency, and for always going above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable and well taken care of. The entire team at Hippo Hollow deserves praise — every staff member we interacted with was warm, courteous, and deeply committed to providing an exceptional guest experience. Their teamwork and passion for hospitality shine through in everything they do. Whether you're there for a relaxing getaway, a romantic retreat, or an adventure near Kruger, Hippo Hollow is the perfect place. Thank you to everyone for making our stay so special — we will definitely be back! Let me know if you'd like to add any personal touches or details about your visit!

We stayed in river chalets (5 &:6) which were gorgeous with a lovely deck overlooking the river. The chalet had heating, cooling and an overhead fan. A hair dryer, fridge, kettle, cups, tea, coffee and water glasses were provided in the room. We sat on our balcony three of our four nights there and saw hippos walking past each night, which was an amazing sight and so special. We also saw the Elephants from the Elephant Whisperer experience walking on the other side of the river each day. Breakfast was delicious and varied. We ate at the restaurant one evening and there was enough variety to cater for all of us. An amazing experience and place to stay.

The place is located at perfect location and cleaning staff were excellent and very helpful. The staff is very friendly and helpful

The breakfast option was very poor as they kept on running out of food and had to wait. The breakfast menu needs to be changed because spending so many days and eating the same foods. We ended up going to buy food at the restaurant in the mall. The lady who was preparing hot food was not clean at all. They needed to give her a better uniform.

The rooms are beautiful, modern and comfortable. The views of the river are just perfect. We saw hippos in the river, elephants across the river, and an otter swimming in the river. The breakfast was lovely. The staff are friendly.

There was only one thing: The one ceiling light bulb was flickering. We notified reception and they said that maintenance will sort it out the next day, but it was not. Fortunately, there were other lights in the chalet so we used those instead of the ceiling light. Suggestions for improvement: - Provide an iron, even if it's kept at reception and obtainable on request. - Provide omelets as option at breakfast

A real gem, with very friendly staff and exceptional views. We have been visiting Elephant Whispers for 5 years and have always admired the lovely lodges across the river. as my partner was going to be 65 whilst we were in SA I decided to look up the hotel, in the faint hope we could afford it. I had the most pleasant shock of my life and a river view lodge was just £78 including breakfast. You wouldn't even get a very poor Travelodge for that in UK. The staff had left a handwritten message on the bed wishing my partner a happy birthday and every single person we came across was lovely. I had read some of the less positive reviews before arriving and all I can say is they either have a much higher standard of living than we do or expect a great deal more. if you are looking for a luxury boutique hotel then it's probably not for you but if you want charm, helpful polite staff, a comfortable bed, good food and the most incredible view then I would highly recommend it.

There was a little road noise during the day but quietened down very quickly after home time. Nothing at all else was a negative

The breakfast was absolutely excellent! I truly appreciated the attention to detail in both presentation and flavour—every bite was delicious. The staff was also exceptional, providing outstanding service that made the experience even more enjoyable!

The location is conveniently close to a main road, so some traffic noise can be heard from outside. However, this is a minor aspect, as the overall experience more than makes up for it! During breakfast, there was some construction work happening within the complex, including the sound of an angle grinder. While maintenance is essential for keeping the premises in excellent condition, scheduling such work after breakfast, when most guests have likely headed out for the day, could enhance the overall guest experience.

The country estate was beautiful and situated near the river. The luxury rooms were fantastic with very large comfortable beds and great bathroom. The main reception area, dining room and terrace were exceptionally smart, overlooking the river and the elephants, and the food was great. Our stay was fantastic value and don’t forget to book to visit to Elephant Whispers across the river for an up close and personal walk with rescued elephants - an incredible stay! Not far from Kruger Park’s Phabeni Gate (closer than Paul Kruger Gate)

All exceeded our expectations

It's easily accessible, located closer to activities. The staff is excellent,very friendly. Its a quiet place. It was nice seeing elephants and hippos whilst dining.

The Tv channels were only Sabc channels and etv and this was disclosed after booking and even for those few channels we spent saturday without signal. Their booking doesn't allow refund so we feel trapped. Also that we were told they dont allow alcohol in the rooms but this was not disclosed during booking. The breakfast was good but it would be great if they can add some fish and chicken to cater for some of us who dont eat red meat and pork. After showering the water takes long to be drained which inconveniences the other person as we had to wait for over 20 minutes for the water to go.

It was my second time at Hippo Hollow, I spend a whole two weeks there. I had a river chalet, which was renovated since last year. I really enjoyed my home away from home, the staff are lovely. A stunning place, especially with the hippos and elephants roaming the river right in front of me

I can’t complain at all. A proper table with chairs on the terrace would have been a plus though, I just had a bench, a sun chair and two loungers