The welcome at the lodge was very warm, we were greeted by both the owners Dave and Monika and their lovely dogs. They helped carrying our luggage to the room and immediately asked what we would like to drink after which we sat down and had a nice chat, we imediately felt at home and that feeling stayed with us during the 3 nights stay :-) The room is not very big or over luxourious but it's still real nice and clean with real comfortable beds and a beautiful view on the mountains ! Beforehand we arranged to have the dinner at the lodge so we did not have to go out to the village in the evenings and could just relax and enjoy the beautuful view on the mountains from the porch at sundown or play with the dogs in the garden before dinner ! Monika proved to be a fantastic cook so we did not regret this decision, the meals were real tasteful and healthy, Excellent ! We shared the dinners with other guests and also with owners Dave and Monika and there was a real nice atmosphere, we felt more as friends among each other instead of being lodge guests ! We asked Dave, who is a qualified game ranger, to guide us on a gamedrive in Marakele NP which is just a few KM's down the road, we loved the way he shared his knowledge about the animals, plants en trees and his ability to track animals and predict how they would react so we hired him again later that week for a gamedrive in Pilanesberg NP as well ! Included in the gamedrives were the lunchboxes with very tasty sandwiches that Monika prepared, lovely to eat those on a high viewpoint! The love Dave and Monika show for their rescue/shelter dogs and their love/concern for the nature is really heart warming ! All in all we had a real special time and stay at Marula Guest Lodge and we would love to return in the future !

Maybe the shower could do with a bit more water pressure. ? The fact we had to leave..

On our roadtrip to Botswana we stayed at Marula Cottage Lodge for three nights in total (two on the way to Botswana and one on the way back to the Airport in Johannesburg). We highly recommend staying with Monika and Dave! The Lodge is located in a beautiful quiet area near Thabazimbi. The rooms are comfortable and equipped with everything one could need. We really enjoyed the breakfast and especially the freshly cooked dinners. From the lodge it’s only a short drive to Marakele National Park, which is also worth a visit. Overall we want to thank Monika and Dave for their amazing hospitality, helpful advice and great contribution to our vacation. We hope to be back soon!

I liked that Dave and Monika were very friendly and accommodating. They immediately made me feel at home. The house and facility really feel like a home away from home. I enjoyed having someone to talk to after a long day. They also don't mind if you want to relax without any conversation. The food was great and prepared with love and compassion. The portions were good, and I also enjoyed the breakfast. The dogs also add to the home like feel and welcome you with wagging tails and barks. The view both in the day and night is exceptional. It takes a few minutes to get to the destination. The benefit of that is that it is really quiet and calm away from the noises of Thabazimbi.

There wasn't really anything that came to mind that I did not like, I guess the water pressure in the shower was not as good, but it was enough to do what you needed to do.

We really enjoyed our stay at the Marula Cottage Guest Lodge. The hosts are very friendly and welcoming and shared a lot of useful information. The rooms are beautifully furnished with a great view of the landscape. The beds are comfortable, large shower with warm water. The night and breakfast are excellent. The dogs are just so cuddly and very affectionate. It was a great stay and we really enjoyed it.

The hosts Dave & Monika were outstanding and went out of their way to pay attention to their guests. We liked that nothing was too much trouble

There was not a single we did not like. We are dog lovers hence it was lovely having their family dogs around, they are an intrinsic part of their family, a few other guests may not feel the same way. I must say Dave did mention the dogs when we booked.

Monika and Dave welcomed us in the friendliest way ever! Our stay at Marula Cottage felt like coming home. The room was super cute and very clean. The food was amazing and I wish we would have stayed longer. They even helped us with fixing the car and getting ready for our border crossing to Botswana. We would always come back and we can recommend this place! Thanks Monika & Dave for making our stay unforgettable

The property had perfect view of the mountains which looks like two lions and a crocodile if you look carefully, amazing. Good location far away from noise other than nature which surrounds this property. The bush-babies where an added treat. Beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. Dinner was delicious, prepared by Monika and Dave, anyone staying here is missing out if they eat anywhere else. PS. Breakfast delicious also.

None

Lovely rooms with views across the valley to the mountains beyond. Monika and Dave were such kind, friendly and helpful hosts, and our breakfasts and home cooked dinners courtesy of Monika were delicious! Watching the bush babies come down from their tree at sunset was a real treat!

Nothing. Everything was great.

How do you rate a place where you arrive as a stranger but leave as a friend? A "Place of Sanctuary" nestled at the side of a rocky koppie with a view over the heart of the Waterberg Mountain. That all  in the transitional zone between the dry western and moister eastern regions of South Africa. A tranquillity shared by a contented couple and Bush Babies with the barking of baboons and the grunting of a leopard - the real Africa. I guess it is easy - 5 stars, but it deserves more. Unfortunately, words and stars are all I have... The welcome is warm and the accommodation spotless (thanks Phinias). The breakfast on the stoep, under a thatched roof, brilliant and the dinner, freshly cooked, heaven - a smell to die for. (Monika is the chef.) Dave is the man to talk to should you wish to prebook a trip to Marakelele National Park. The main entrance to the park is only a ten minute or less drive from the guest lodge. A trip into the park is advisable as there is not much else to do at the lodge but to enjoy the scenery. The access road is bumpy, but we managed it with a small sedan, so go and discover at a very reasonable price. I will be back.

Everything was great. There was nothing the owners wouldn’t do for the guests. The food is amazing. The accommodation was clean and very spacious at the Wi-Fi was good. The price for the accommodation, including meals, I think was far too cheap. I’ve paid far more for worse in many locations.

I struggled to think of anything negative.