Horrific experience for a "romantic weekend away" Although the room was adequate (the bed was lovely), the bathroom was small and not very clean (soap scum all over shower, extractor fan didn't work, no air freshener in the bathroom - which is key when the space is so small). There are no doors on the cupboards and the aircon wasn't working when we arrived, it took over 40min for the hotel to send someone to have a look at the problem. The worst part of the weekend without a doubt was the terrible food provided by the hotel at both the hotel and spa. On Friday night the food buffet was extremely limited and added to this, my partner found a piece of plastic in his food. Although we were given a free bottle of red wine as respite, unfortunately the rest of the food experiences were equally terrible. When we arrived for breakfast on Saturday, well within the time frame, almost all the food was gone and we were left with a choice of eggs, bacon and pork sausages (and I am allergic to pork), a few slices of stale brown bread, a toaster that is half broken, no fresh fruit, no additions (fried mushrooms etc), poor quality orange juice and slightly warm coffee. We actually left the hotel to go find a decent breakfast elsewhere. And the food nightmare didn't end there. Saturday night with the spa booking, I was horrified that we were served dinner in airplane looking containers. The lasagna was ice cold, the salad was rotten (mold on the tomatoes), despite confirming food allergies in the booking, these were not adhered too. Whilst the spa therapists are wonderful the front of house manager at the spa was downright rude and unhelpful. My partner and I were given winter fluffy gowns in 30C heat. Honestly? Added to this nothing was explained, we didn't know where to go, what to expect and who to chat to. I really think she needs additional customer service training. Would definitely not recommend this destination.

We were booked there for overnight, Saturday (12 Nov 2022) and checking out on a Sunday (13 Nov 2022). Firstly; when we checked our room was smelly, a smell like sewerage. When informed them, they told us that they are fully booked and unfortunately we can't be moved to another room. Secondly; around midnight there was a robbery at the room next to our room, with guns shots. This is a serious security risk..I could hardly sleep afterwards. I think the hotel need to work more on their security, when a person come in, can the person identify his/herself and the reason for entry because the current security has loopholes and should be improved as a matter of urgency. Thirdly, there is no order. Guess are allowed to continue partying until they are tired which I found it disturbing and also contributed to the robbery. Because there was still a loud music playing at midnight when the robbery happened. Lastly, can you please put bigger lights at your walkways between your room. It becomes very dark at night you can't even see person walking towards you until the the person is close.

A fantastic venue, like every property or even roadside trader, fighting through trash ANC rule to stay crime - and pothole free. Good security, great pool, snooker room, and much more. In the most beautiful surroundings. 😍

The venue is a very lovely place and I enjoyed my stay.. However I am disappointed at the management for not taking care of its staff, the staff is short and overworked, hence the service is poor. I hope the staff will be compensated for being over worked. Over all, the venue is a very lovely place.

Hotel reception staff were friendly, rooms were comfortable. The bathroom was really small and the shower a bit iffy. The chefs looked after us really well for all our meals there, nothing fancy, but well prepared amd good value for money. The Day Spa was a great experience overall, well run and competent staff.

This hotel is extremely unsafe and has the most useless security. A number of guests were robbed of their belongings by two men on Saturday 12 November 2022. Would 100% not recommend!

What a poor show from this venue Trying to book a lunch for 30 people and a 10 room stayover booking has been a nightmare.the manager Astrid is so unaccomodating. It amazes me how people can throw away business in these times

We booked the Lion and Safari Park Night Spa and Mini Safari booking for R3499 per couple. Let us start with some positives (all of which are separate to the hotel): [The Bakwena Spa ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)] • The therapists were incredible, friendly and well trained. Front of house was well organised and waiting staff were all on the ball • Complimentary drinks were lovely and abundant. • Robes were available in all sizes (summer and winter robes available at your preference). • Transport to and from the hotel was effective and efficient. • The dinner was disappointing - incredibly small servings served in foil bowls and plastic containers. • There is a general lack of privacy in all sessions - massages are done in large groups and large rooms with room dividers. With other offerings done completely in group settings. [The Lion Park ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)] • This package offers an inclusive 2 hour guided tour which was simply amazing. • You get up and personal with lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, ostriches, impala, sabel antelope, wild dogs, hyenas. • Breathtaking experience with incredible staff and ammenities. Now let us get into the nitty gritty of it all - the hotel itself. [The Venue Hotel itself ⭐️ (1/5)] • We arrived to find ARMED POLICE OFFICERS in the general pool area drinking "water" with other patrons buying alcohol and sneakily pouring it into their bottles for them. • There is absolutely NO control of entry and exit into the grounds. Anyone is able to drive in and attend the restaurant which is metres away from hotel rooms. This all poses a MASSIVE security risk which seemingly has not been addressed despite the armed robbery in November. • The venue was overbooked with a massive work function - meaning all common areas were in use and not available to paying hotel guests (restaurant/bar/pool/lawns) for the entire day. Loud music was allowed to be played despite it being played in close proximity to the hotel rooms. • The room we stayed in had horrendous amounts of black mold in the bathroom - no ventilation whatsoever in the bathroom. Such an unpleasant health hazard. • Absolutely no water pressure in the shower with an incredibly slippery shower floor. • The website claims to offer some "satellite channels" but literally only offers SABC and ETV channels. • The website claims that there is "Free Wifi" but there was no accessible Wifi in our hotel room and the Wifi also did not work in the common areas when attempts were made to do so. • Very poor lighting in passageways and outside areas makes the experience feel less safe. • Rooms and bathrooms are exceptionally small and outdated. Common areas feel like a high school hostel. • The restaurant and bar are EXPENSIVE - R70 for a below average milkshake and R150 for a full English Breakfast - madness. • The ONLY reason the hotel gets a single star is because - the bed was, in all honestly extremely comfortable, and the aircon in the room was pleasant and cool. The inclusive breakfast was also not bad - standard bacon, eggs, sausages, toast, cold meats, muffins, yoghurt, tea, coffee, juice. Honestly - go to Bakwena Spa & go to the Lion and Safari Park BUT be sure to stay somewhere else.

This venue is extremely unsafe. We've experienced an armed robbery in 3 units and earlier in the same week they also robbed a room. Management failed to inform us about this and security was not even adjusted.

1. I booked the two rooms, both twin rooms but there was only one chair in both. 2. Both rooms didn't have the twin plugs to charge the phones. 3. There is no telephone or intercom in the rooms to call reception, meaning if it is late you have to walk to the reception if you need help. 4. The tea utensils were placed in the wardrope? 5. There is a problem with electricity, every now and then it goes off. 6. If you came with a laptop, there is not area where you can sit nicely, you have to squeeze it to the table next to the TV 7. The food is expensive 8. Breakfast was Okay

I was disappointed with how small the rooms were and not quite conducive for a family. The deco in public areas needs to be refurbished. The beds were comfortable though & staff was friendly

Great place and atmosphere. Staff are very helpful and friendly. Bar area and kids play area very nice. We had t bone steaks for dinner prepared to perfection. On arrangement the chef made a delicious cake for my wife's birthday. Great stay over

I spent over a month staying at the Venue because we were shooting a movie in the area. I must say, I had the BEST time here and the entire team was more than willing to help us in every single thing we needed. The biggest plus was that they are BEE compliant so it makes things even better and worthwhile! Beside the excellent service, I also had a romantic date in one of the rooms which really was awesome with the balcony that opens to breathtaking nature of Harties! Ahh, talking about it just makes me want to go back there!

The Venue is quite clean and relaxing. The kitchen and bar staff are friendly and attentive to guests. However, the shower door was broken, rooms have no phone to call reception and the place gives off old age to me.

The rooms look like a half star hotel. The service is great, they give you a bottle of water, the staff is amazing and very helpful. The TV in the rooms don't work nor have dstv. The rooms side looks like a hostel, it really is not appealing.

Stayed over one night for work. The place has more of a hostel feel than a hotel. Good location but wouldn't recommend it. 1. Wanted to get something to eat at the restaurant early afternoon. After confirming it was open at reception sat there for a while before I left since there was no-one to help. 2. Returned from work after 01h00 in the morning. Gate was closed but there was no security on duty. Intercom / bell was not working and no telephone number to call. Got the reception? number from the website but no-one picked up. Took maybe 10 minutes before someone picked up and came to open the gate. 3. Someone was partying and playing load music at the pool until early hours of the morning. 4. There was enough food at breakfast, which was average at best.

The hotel, although old with small rooms, urgently needs to replace its shower heads; showering there is currently chaotic with water splashing everywhere. On the positive side, its perfect location offers breathtaking mountain views and the charm of animals freely roaming around. Despite the facility's shortcomings, the service stands out as superb, thanks to the amazing and friendly staff. Plus, it's conveniently situated near the Lion and Safari Park.

Good service, and staff going out of their way to help us with everything. We booked in a big team and we were all taken care of. The food was great.

Horrible rooms. Currently staying here. Had to move from the first room (26)because the sliding door was off the rails and couldn’t open or close. The second rooms (60) rail worked but shower looks like it hasnt been cleaned and theres no hot water to shower or disinfect the shower. Shower head is so old the water sprays and messes everything. Also the bed is so lumpy and uncomfortable. What a way to waste hard earned money. Such a shame as Bakwena spa is so amazing and the views are so beautiful Will sadly never stay here again

My husband and I booked our anniversary celebration at the Venue Lodge and was so disappointing. The only reason we booked the hotel is we had a night spa at Bakwena Spa. The room was a decent size with a nice big bed, although the mattress was very uneven. There is no safe in the room so I had to carry my valuables with me everywhere I went. The bathroom was horrific! It is so small, if you are a bigger person, you will feel absolutely claustophobic. The toilets were stained so bad and the bathroom had lots of black grime on the walls - that was a turn off! The shower floor was one of those plastic square moulds which was so uneven, someone can really misbalance and fall! The shower heads are ancient! The bath accessories are so small, it will not be enough for one person. There was only one bath towel, when we asked for another, the lady was insisting there were two as she checked all rooms 😖 almost suggesting we lying 😡 The towel that they gave was so stained, that was an even further turn off! Wifi does not work in the rooms, only around reception area so what is the use of having wifi! The hotel surrounding is beautiful with nice views but the place does not look well maintained. The pool was not cleaned or prepared for guests to use. It looked like there was a party before we got there so there were still deflated or burst balloon debris on the grounds. What is concerning is that it is a family resort but people are allowed to drink alcohol in the open park, next day there were beer bottles around the park area and entertainment area (billiards and darts room). The nights are filled with loud music around the entertainment area, there are also rooms next to it so if you booked a room in that area, you will have to wait for quiet when the party is over! The food is very basic, does not cater much for other options which does not include beef or pork. We only had a chicken schnitzel option that too with bacon which we had to make a special request to remove. No salads or other startches except chips. Breakfast was nice but limited options too. The service, it seems it depends on who you are. Staff are not very attentative or friendly. The gentleman and breakfast staff, they get my kudos as they friendly and go out of their way to make you feel welcome 👏👏 My opinion, the rate paid for dinner, bed and breakfast with that kind of value and service is too high. Sadly, I will definitely not be returning!

It is a good roadside accommodation. I was looking for a clean room with clean bedding and I got that. I can't say the same about their food.

A very nice accommodation with a great view. In the evening there is an open bar and a chess board in the garden and a pool table that you can use. Right next door is the Lion Park which is well worth a visit.

We was pampered from the moment we parked the vehicle. Staff very friendly. Breakfast excellent. Spa experience wonderfull and proffessional. Arrangements made by the hotel ti have lunch and a tour at the Lion park was great. No problems. We will be back

Horrible facility, the food too expensive and horrible. The water was cold for the entire weekend, the bathroom floods when you take a shower. The outdoors are however nice and relaxed.

A stunning setting, well maintained, amazing staff and hospitality. Delicious food. Will visit again soon

So nice seeing the guests coming back to the hospitality industry. Can see the staff are hungry to serve and make guests feel special. The manageress from the spa phoned through our food order to the restaurant and as we walked in the waitress immediately knew who we were and our food was served within 5 min. Warm, fresh, tasty and ample. Impeccable service👌👌. Cant wait for summer to see this place bloom. Well done to management and staff.

Wow , didn’t expect anything , but it was excellent and beautiful … but … make sure you have a flashlight with you ( charged ) , all of a sudden the power is gone … can take 5 minutes but also 50 or more ….

The staff were all amazing and so was the food, the place and service was tops. I'd definitely go back.

Rooms need to be revamp. Old and rust taps, shower heads are old and look like hosepipes. Stuff is very pleasant and chef cooks nice food