Is parking offered on site at Emdoneni Lodge?

Yes, there's free self parking. Parking spots may be limited.

What are the check-in and check-out times at Emdoneni Lodge?

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 7:00 PM. Check-out time is 10 AM. Express check-out is available.

What is there to do at Emdoneni Lodge and nearby?

Have fun with nearby activities like boat tours and scuba diving, and practice your swing on the nearby golf course. Additional recreation onsite includes ecotours and a safari. Enjoy a swim in the outdoor pool or use the lodge's other amenities, which include an arcade and a picnic area. Emdoneni Lodge also has a garden.

Are there restaurants at or near Emdoneni Lodge?

Yes, there's an onsite restaurant.

Does Emdoneni Lodge have any outdoor private spaces?

Yes, every room features a furnished patio.

Emdoneni Lodge, Hluhluwe: Hotel Reviews, Rooms & Prices

8/10 Very good

Aug 18, 2025

The lodge is lovely with very attentive staff. The cat sanctuary is a must visit and trips to Hluhluwe was easy to organise. It is an easy drive to St Lucia and to Bayete to see the elephant education demonstration which is a must-do. Be aware that there is very little around there so likely you will need to eat dinner at the lodge. The foods is quite plain with not much choice. Also be aware that the rooms have no TVs. I would recommend the Lodge for its position and the attentive staff.

Gwyneth, 3-night trip

6/10 Good

Dec 30, 2024

Leon, 2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Dec 2, 2019

Weekend getaway at Emdoneni Lodge

5 Star service excellence. The staff are all extremely helpful and only happy to assist. The rooms are clean and fully air conditioned which is much needed. The food is exquisite and well done to the chef. Wonderful experience to be up close and personal with the cheetahs and the various cat family.

Karen, 1-night trip

6/10 Good

Nov 12, 2018

Alright but not exceptional

THe rooms are ok -they could use a refurbishment but are fine. Beds not great. Lights are horrible. The food is really the main issue -tasteless buffet food. Breakfast is alright I guess but dinner to be avoided. The cheetah project is great though, so I would recommend doing it even if not staying.

Arnaud, 2-night trip

6/10 Good

Aug 13, 2018

It was an okay stay. Nothing extra ordinary. Good for bush lovers. Not for individuals that love modern lifestyle.

2-night trip

10/10 Exceptional

Feb 14, 2018

nice place in the middle of nature

arranged a business trip for one night and game drive in the morning, everyone was very excited about the whole program, the accommodation and the service.

Wim, 1-night trip

4/10 Fair

Sep 19, 2017

False advertising of facilities

we could not touch the cheetahs as shown in their promo video. the other animals were scarce---4 cats , 1 caracol, 2 servals all behind bars---we went into the pen with the cats and could not touch. we are not allowed to see the bay cheetahs. Iffit is better for the cheetahs I am for it----JUST DO NOT ADVERTISE THAT TOUCHING IS ALLOWED.- IT WAS DISAPPOINTING and fraudulent! too much money for not enough. food was OK and staff was nice---just not what was advertised.

Lyn, 2-night trip

8/10 Very good

Dec 28, 2016

Great Playing with the Cheetahs

A well managed establishment that pays attention to detail.

10/10 Exceptional

Oct 25, 2016

Ingrid the host & the staff were simply wonderful

Rustic , comfortable & peaceful in the middle of nature.

6/10 Good

Aug 27, 2016

The rooms were very well serviced and the locations is excellent for accessing that eastern coastline, Sodwana Bay, Richards Bay and St Lucia are all within an hours drive. The food is ok, it's all buffet style so some of it is dry/cold/stale. The WiFi was abysmally unreliable, it took about 30 mins to to purchase a birthday card online. The concierge/reception service was absolutely terrible. During check in she told us we could speak to her later on about tourist attractions in the area so we did "What are some of the best things to do in the area?", and the answer we got was "yes". So we probed a little deeper, "can we go whale watching?", answer "yes". "well where can we go whale watching?", "at the sea". It was painful, she took a long time to answer any question, only ever gave one word answers, and hardly looked up whilst talking.

8/10 Very good

Feb 20, 2016

Interesting cat project, great food!

The rooms are very chic in design. The beds are comfortable. However, the aircondition was not good enough to make the room cold enough. There are trees right over the cabin and nuts drop on the roof all the time, and since it is a metal roof, there is very large sound every time a nut drops and we woke from it some times. We had breakfast and dinner two nights and the food is really amazing! One night there was a great buffet and the other night a la carte where I ate a perfectly made steak, don't eat anywhere else! Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, sereals etc. They have good wines for a good price. A minus that of the three desert wines that they had by glass in the menu, the two best ones weren't available. Come here for the cat experience, great service and totally amazing food! The pool looks a bit dirty so wouldn't jump in. The cheetah experience is very interesting, and you are aloud to pet cheetahs and also meet some other cats.

8/10 Very good

Dec 26, 2015

Special Place - should be higher than 3 stars

Fantastic stay. We wish we has booked more than one night. We have stayed in '4 star' guesthouse son our trip that were not as good as Emdoneni. The food and drink was very good and excellent value. The staff were all very friendly and professional and it was no problem for them to organise a very special private tour of the cat project.

10/10 Exceptional

Dec 18, 2015

first class lodge and staff

We stayed for 4 nights ,my lady and I had one room -double - and my the other room was occupied by her sister. Both rooms were the same and were first class. The pool area was good,the breakfast and dinner was first class.The lodge offers game drives and again these were first class.It was my lady's birthday and the staff made a cake and came out singing-wonderful.There is the cat conservancy next door which again is first class. The only down side was the Wifi. Tip drive down the road to the fuel stop and they have good and free wifi.I would stay at this lodge again and would recommend.

10/10 Exceptional

Dec 10, 2015

Outstanding place to stay. Loved the Cheetah experience. Great to touch beautiful cats.

8/10 Very good

Nov 25, 2015

there is a lot do to improve quality !!

Ingrid! She was the friendliest, kindest and most helpful highlight of our stay. And the cats. And the really good food. And the pool. The lodge is frequented by bus tours with all the downsides of large travel groups. So the lodge is not really as exclusive as you might expect from the price you pay. The chalets are close to each other, with a lack of privacy. They are old and not too comfy. Plastic stools on the tiny concrete porch. No international plugs in the room. Internet very unstable. Highway close and a bit noisy. Some of the staff could definitely be friendlier.

10/10 Exceptional

Nov 23, 2015

A once in a life time experience

Fantastic and a great experience

10/10 Exceptional

May 31, 2015

Great stay at a Cheetah Sanctuary

I truly enjoyed my stay at Emdoneni Lodge. Upon arrival, Rebecca was most welcoming, and I immediately enjoyed the afternoon cat feeding session. Gerry was most informative about the serval, caracal, wild cats, and cheetah, and I loved seeing them so close, and being able to actually touch the cheetah. There were zebra walking the grounds, and it was a very relaxing location. Amanda, the manager, is wonderful, and extended my booking when I missed my first night after getting woefully lost. She adores the cats, and she was most helpful in every way, including when I needed a pharmacy in the area. She also arranged for me to visit the Bayete Elephant Sanctuary nearby, and find my way to my next stop. Also--the butternut squash soup was the best I ever had. Best of all, the next day,Gerry took me for a private visit with the 2 cheetah: Raine and Summer, and I was thrilled to have so much one-on-one time with them. It was a highlight of my trip.

10/10 Exceptional

Apr 25, 2015

Uitstekend

Zeer correct en behulpzaam personeel. Veel geleerd over de 'katten' en knuffelen met de luipaarden was uiteraard onvergetelijk.

8/10 Very good

Jan 24, 2015

Schon einmal einen Geparden gestreichelt?

Die Anlage ist sauber und die Angestellten sind sehr nett. Das Highlight sind die aufgezogenen Geparden, die man im Rahmen einer Tour streicheln kann. Ist schon ein lustiges Gefühl ein so große Raubkatze in einem weitläufigen Gehege zu streicheln.

10/10 Exceptional

Sep 13, 2014

Wildlife wonderland

Wonderful experience here, being taken to see the animals in rehabilitation and stroking the cheetah. Extremely professional guide, giving much information on the animals. The bedroom was small but beautifully clean and maintained. You could see zebras and antelope wandering around from the windows, and listen to the birds. The main part of the lodge, eating and lounge areas were great. Very relaxing, the food was excellent and the staff extremely attentive. Well done to the manageress who looked after us so well to make us feel welcome there. We spent the day walking the trails in there and seeing the wild animals, and the beautiful birds around.

8/10 Very good

Jul 17, 2014

Comfortable room and great staff!!

We very much enjoyed our stay at this hotel. The chalet rooms were roomy and clean. The food and staff at this hotel are wonderful. The lodge is about a 40 minute drive from Saint Lucia and they have game drives leaving from the lodge. We also enjoyed the cat rehab tour that was free if you stay at the lodge. They even let you take picture with 2 of their Cheetah's. Fun!!!

10/10 Exceptional

Mar 8, 2014

all in all: 10 out of 10!!!!!

it was a lovely birthday present from my wife!

10/10 Exceptional

Aug 26, 2016

8/10 Very good

Jan 12, 2016

10/10 Exceptional

Oct 7, 2015

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