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About this property

Bordering Kruger National Park, this award-winning country-style lodge is situated in the small town of Malelane and is a great base from which to discover the Bushveld. Wake up to the sounds of native birds. At River House Lodge you can watch hippos and crocodiles in their natural habitat while relaxing in the pool or sunbathing on the large thatched deck. Alternatively, you can marvel at views of the river and national park from the comfort of your private balcony. Spend the day enjoying drives through Kruger National Park or visiting Swaziland. The attentive staff is happy to arrange various fun and adventurous activities for you. For special occasions, the original pump house has been converted into a stunning wedding or party location. River House Lodge is a gay-friendly property. It has an outdoor swimming pool and provides free on-site private parking.

Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 9.6 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

Property highlights

Top location: Highly rated by recent guests (9.6)

Breakfast info

Buffet, Breakfast to go

Free private parking available on-site


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Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

Room type
Number of guests
 
1 large double bed
2 single beds
2 single beds
and
1 large double bed
2 single beds
and
1 double bed
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Guest reviews

Categories:

Staff
Facilities
Cleanliness
Comfort
Value for money
Location
Free WiFi

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Guests who stayed here loved

  • Mjch
    Australia Australia
    :It is a beautiful and stunning colonial house, full of details adorning the walls, where you can truly feel the soul of South Africa. From the balcony, you can see hippos, elephants, and deer, which is truly incredible as the house borders the...
  • Vens
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    We've spent a few lovely days residing in a River House Lodge. What sets this place apart is the ambience - the furniture and fittings are antiques sourced from Africa and elsewhere. It lends itself to an authentic atmosphere and I felt like an...
  • Mingjun
    China China
    The hotel is right next to the Crocodile River, and from the terrace you can see elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and antelopes. The staff feel just like family — warm, friendly, and always ready to help. They gave me so much support during my stay....
  • Holiday
    South Africa South Africa
    the breakfast was really good, there was a variety of cereals and choice of protein. staff so accomodating and friendly. The view was beautiful! Location you can't beat.
  • Bernadette
    South Africa South Africa
    The history of the property and the fantastic staff
  • Francisco
    Spain Spain
    Very characteristic and unique hotel, decorated with many antiques. The views to the river were amazing, both from the room and the beautiful deck. The staff was very friendly. Dinner and breakfast were tasty too.
  • Janette
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    The welcome is exceptional and all the staff a friendly and helpful at all times. The lounges and guest areas are comfortable and welcoming with fantastic memorabilia and art. The decking is the best we’ve been to with comfortable spaces for...
  • Mena
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    Views were incredible! And this was such a peaceful stay! Also enjoyed the decor throughout the place and the bedrooms. Staff and the owners were very welcoming! The dinner was great and lovely to have them check in with is that everything was...
  • Pretorius
    South Africa South Africa
    We enjoyed the quiet and the relaxing atmosphere. Just what we needed.
  • Elsie
    South Africa South Africa
    We enjoyed breakfast, beautiful deck with a view, fast service

Managed by Johan Daffue

Company review score: 9.4Based on 782 reviews from 1 property
1 managed property

Company information

A little about my humble self, Diesel, the greatest Cat this side of the Sahara and owner of River House and how I manage this establishment. Even though I'm unbelieveably good, clever, affectionate, efficient and more, I had to employ staff to help me rule the house with an iron paw. Firstly there are Johan and Daffue, who are under the mistaken impression that they are the owners of River House. Their task is to look after day to day operations, tend to guests by making them feel comfortable and well looked after, paying the bills and most importantly make sure that I get my meals on time. Then there are the girls, four of them. Smiley, happy bunch they are. Really super people who enjoy having guests around. They look after guests, clean, prepare and serve breakfasts and generally ensure that all is happening smoothly and quietly, down to offering swimming pool towels when required and most importantly making sure I get my meals on time. So, generally a happy team who try their best to make everyones' stay memorable. I am there to charm, to be stroked and petted and to entertain all at the bar in the evenings. Please do come and share my house with me. Purrs, Diesel p

Neighbourhood information

River House is uniquely situated on the banks of the Crocodile river overlooking Kruger National Park. We are fortunate to have beautiful views into the park and have regular visitations of many of its 'residents'. Sightings of the so-called Big 5 and so much more from the property are not uncommon. On the other side we have the infrastructure of a small country town with all basic necessities. Certainly the best of both worlds ! Our suburb is a quiet, laid back place where residents walk their dogs and kids play in the streets. Indeed a gentle place to be.

Languages spoken

Afrikaans,English,Zulu

Property surroundings

House rules

River House Lodge takes special requests - add in the next step!
Check-in
From 14:00 to 19:00
Check-out
From 10:00 to 11:00
Cancellation/ prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check the conditions of your required option.
Children and beds

Child policies

Children of any age are welcome.

Children 18 years and above will be charged as adults at this property.

To see correct prices and occupancy information, please add the number of children in your group and their ages to your search.

Cot and extra bed policies

0 - 2 years
Cot upon request
ZAR 500 per stay

Prices for cots are not included in the total price, and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

The number of cots allowed is dependent on the option you choose. Please check your selected option for more information.

There are no extra beds available at this property.

All cots are subject to availability.

No age restriction
There is no age requirement for check-in
Pets
Pets are not allowed.
Accepted payment methods
VisaMastercardCash

The fine print

Need-to-know information for guests at this property

Please note that there are neither telephones nor TVs in the rooms.