We stayed here for 1 month and absolutely loved it. Everyone so friendly and we were welcomed so nicely by Peta. We had a riverside spot where we launched out boat. Every Thursday is pensioners day, first the afternoon tea and in the evening great discounted food with Ken doing live music. We met the owner, Ed, who talked about the history of Areena and his life story, all very enlightening. We will definitely being going back there again.

For explorers of the future and the adventurous at heart, young and old. (We fit into the latter 😊 ) Areena Riverside Resort was a wonderful stop over on our way to Cape Town from the Wild Coast. We arrived at Areena from Port Grosvenor at 15:30, by 16:30 we were already paddling down towards the Kwelera River mouth. Skittish Gemsbok took flight as we drifted past, whereas a Giraffe turned its head, watching us curiously for a short while. A Dad on the bank reeled in his young son’s catch of the day while the rest of the family shouted excited advice - and the young son tried to get his fishing rod back from Dad. Then there were the birds, from Egrets to Herons to Pied King-fisher all, like us, enjoying the final pleasures of the day. … bedtime under crisp sheets in a king-size bed Come morning time there are literally hundreds of adventures to choose from; we opted for an encounter with the Giraffe we had seen from the river. Tarzan, his minder introduced us to Ed, and with the help of a bucket of corn it was love at first sight. Areena Riverside Resort is a special family adventure destination only a stone’s throw from East London – for us a stopover gateway to the Wild Coast.

This was my first visit to Areena. My daughter and her family went camping and asked us to join. We are not campers and rented a room at the resort. What an absolute brilliant week we just had. Reminded me of the old fashioned holiday resorts where they have activities for the kids. My 2 granddaughters were so well entertained with interesting activities every day. We hardly saw them. Thank you to the Rathbone's for an amazing week, rooms are comfortable, self catering, clean and no short comings! Awesome Xmas, will have to go back again as our golf game at Olivewood was cancelled!

I did not sleep over at Areena, I went with friends for the quad bike adventure experience. It was absolutely amazing and well worth the price paid. We also had the most awesome guide who took us on the tour, named Blessed. I highly recommend doing their quad bike tours! You will also see giraffe, zebra, buffalo and buck along your route :)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our enchanting experience at Areena Riverside deserves every bit of this 5-star review! From the moment we set up our campsite, it was evident that this place is a true paradise for families. The variety of activities tailored for our young ones transformed our camping trip into an extraordinary adventure. The fishing on the picturesque Kwelera river between the beautiful mountains never gets old. Engaging in arts and crafts allowed our children to unleash their creativity in the midst of nature, making our stay even more memorable. The kids Christmas party – a magical event that added a festive touch to our camping experience. The delightful kids train and the well-designed playground were constant sources of joy for our little ones, ensuring that they were always entertained. What impressed us equally was the emphasis on safety throughout the premises. The friendly security personnel and staff contributed significantly to the warm and inviting atmosphere, making us feel not just like guests but like a part of the Areena Riverside family. Ed and Karen, the masterminds behind this haven, deserve hearty commendation for maintaining such a fantastic establishment. Their dedication to creating a space where families can connect, enjoy, and feel secure is truly commendable. We left Areena Riverside with hearts full of gratitude and wonderful memories. In conclusion, if you're seeking a perfect getaway for your family, Areena Riverside is the ultimate destination. Highly recommend this haven where nature, fun, and warm hospitality converge to create an unforgettable experience for all.

Areena is in an absolutely beautiful location. There are lots of fun activities like rowing, zip lining and quad biking. The campsite bathrooms are impeccably clean. I also spent a couple of nights in one of the rondavels which was lovely and had all necessary facilities. Staff are friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.

What a beautiful place to stay in East London, It has everything you may need from activities, restaurant, boating, fishing, you name it they have it. I wish I could've come here as a kid because even I wanted to try all the things they have available.

We stayed in a lovely Timber Chalet - on the river bank. There are so many activities to do (we went on a hike with a guide and had stunning views of the river). It struck us how clean and tidy the resort is, while all staff were friendly and helpful. We would definitely recommend anyone to visit Areena 👍.

Grassy campsites right in the river. Loads of activities from animal encounters to quad biking, river cruises, and even paintball. Only downside is there are quite a few long term residents around the campsite which makes to feel less like a campsite.

Went today to celebrate my daughter's 21st, best decision. Absolutely amazing experience, the staff are great, the office ladies are wonderful, so helpful and friendly. Our guides Shelton and Tarzan were brilliant and really made the day enjoyable and special. Areena is one of the best places to go if you love nature and adventure and the service is the best, will definitely be back soon. Great work guys, can see the staff take pride in their work. Thank you for an absolutely great experience. 😃

Very nice place to go with friends and family, Refreshing atmosphere and quiet place away from the city, enjoyed feeding the giraffe and seeing the animals and hope to visiting again to do more events

What a wonderful few days in a spotlessly clean resort, aided by excellent and friendly staff. Sitting by the river just calmed the soul. Areena is a place that I wish to visit again.

Great riverside resort, only suggestion I could contribute is maybe a mini golf (put put) course. Beautiful scenery and nice staff. They are following covid-19 guide lines to the word and should be commended for it.

Areena is a great place to stay. The self catering room we stayed in was the best we have ever experienced, large and equiped with everything you could imagine. The staff also were very helpful and friendly. Would recommend.

I'm totally disappointed to say the least, we had arranged for an early check at the resort since we were traveling with kids and we wanted them to see the facility and enjoy time at the pool, were we not called out by the owner as "those people are liars" when he was communicating to the security guards who was instructed to tell us to leave and come back at 14:30 the check in time of the resort. The cherry on top had to be him instructing the security guy to come remind us that it's time to check out of chalet 15minutes before the time. Such behavior is truly appalling to say the least and he couldn't even bring himself to come and apologize to us as the entire group.

There was a guard there who was very rude to us... he stopped our car and terrorised us. Another car came in, with white people in it and it was not stopped, but ours was stopped because we are black. His name tag was written Henry... he was racist to us, insulted us and told us to leave.

Areen Spa - The ladies seemed tired/irritated when we arrived, I think that's because we were late for our appointment. If you see this, apologies again sweethearts ❤ Location- You need a car. A personal car 😂. The place is very beautiful, very green. We saw what I assumed to be ostriches, some rabbits and other animals. Very family friendly. Highly recommend.

A personal favorite for me. Been coming here since I was rly young and it's a wonderful place, for all ages, there is lots to do and beautiful sights to see, but living there as a resident, the owner of this resort rips us off, would I recommend this as a holiday? absolutely 100%, but as a resident, absolutely not, so many problems, drama, accusations, and such.

There was a misunderstanding which was not dealt with in a proper and appropriate way.The owner is so rude, he doesn’t care at all. His tone towards us was harsh and we were told to shut up. He shouts at guests and visitors. They’re not friendly at all. They don’t handle situations in a proper manner. I will never recommend them to anyone and I will never find my self there again. One more thing, they are racist.

Reception service was amazing. Ladies are super friendly and accommodating. 5 starts to that. Security at second gate is extremely disrespectful in his approach and so was the gentleman in reception. The ladies should maybe teach the men some customer service skills in my opinion. Use to visit regularly,but definitely having second thoughts now

Relaxing, clean and safe. Home away from home.

Thank you for the lovely weekend spent in amazing accommodation and stunning surrounds. Definitely a huge thumbs up!

Great place to get up close with a giraffe. Abi the giraffe was very sweet, and thank you to Tarzan for taking us to see her!

We have spent our December holidays there 6 years in a row. Our 4 kids absolutely LOVE Areena. The sites are well maintained and beautiful. The ablutions are clean and well looked after. The staff are very friendly. The bird life is awesome. The kids activities are great to keep the kids entertained - while the parents can relax knowing that everyone is safe. We will be back again this December for the 7th year in a row.

Great place to take the family for a break, plenty to keep the kids entertained and activities for the whole family. As well as nice cottages if you want a peaceful break.

The resort is so lovely. Trush and I came to do the canoeing but after visiting we definitely want to stay for a few night

My boys loved their stay in Areena they cried when we had to leave the place.They always ask when are we going back there. The whole environment and activities are to die for its such a lovely getaway for a family and team building activities. We did quad bike drive with friendly guides it was so lovely.

Awesome place to visit with lots of things to do!!!! Our absolute favourite was feeding the giraffe!!! Such an amazing experience

A wonderful place to spend a day with the family. Multiple fun activities from quadbiking and canoeing, to feeding giraffes. There is definitely something to keep everyone entertained.

Great campsite, very friendly.

From the restaurant to the camp grounds to the chalets to the adventure and finally to the animals. All amazing! Areana is a venue that we love to visit over and over again. If you visit, try find Abby!

We had a wonderful day experience with family at Areena. Quad bike tours and a delicious Sunday lunch. Such a beautiful, relaxing venue and friendly staff!

My partner and I had a Relax Day Spa treatment and it was an amazing experience. My therapist was Amber, I'm so impressed, I must mention that I've had treatments around South Africa and she's the best I've ever had.I highly recommended her..I'm feeling rejuvenated. The resort has a natural feel, therefore you become one with nature. Highly professional 👌.