I stayed at Wendy’s for a few days while doing work in the area.

The Wendy's Country Lodge is near these landmarks: Hluhluwe - iMfolozi Park Wilderness Area, St Lucia Beach, Veyane Cultural Village, Crocodile Centre St Lucia, Mpila Camp Hluhluwe Imfolozi Reserve, Cape Vidal Lighthouse, Mapelane Nature Reserve, EuroZulu Guided Tours & Safaris, Shakabarker Tours - Day Tours, Bhangazi Horse Safaris, Shoreline Hippo and Croc Cruises, Themba's Birding and Ecotours, Extreme Nature Tours and Travel Day Tours, Safari for Six, St Lucia Tours & Charters, St Lucia SA, Amala Massage & Gifts, Canerat Crafts, Ants & Mustard, The Gallery St Lucia, St Lucia South Africa, St Lucia Safaris, Mtuba Mall, Futululu Park, Must Go Safaris, Way To Go Safaris, Maputaland Adventures and Enseleni Nature Reserve

It’s certainly worth braving an early morning wake/up call to explore the nearby Mfolozi game reserve with Gavin whose knowledge of the fauna and flora of the area reflects his love of this unspoilt corner of KZN.

Located in a gated area gives you a feeling of security.

The area offers opportunities to spot Africa’s big 5, plus endangered species such as cheetah and wild dog, and the largest concentration of hippos in Southern Africa.

Many rooms open out directly into the delightful tropical gardens with the result that you are not aware that there are any other properties in the area.

We would highly recommend this as a base to explore the local area or just to relax and enjoy the wonderful ambience.

We have been visiting Wendy's for many years and always stay here when in the area.

We love visiting them at Wendy’s and exploring the areas of natural beauty.

The family room and bar area were very comfortable and open for multiple guests to relax together.

There is a lovely bar/pool area which is great spot to relax day or night.

Beautiful garden, nice pool area with plenty of sunbeds.

Rooms and public areas are beautifully furnished.

Jenny and Gavin are the perfect hosts and they know everything there is in the area.

Wendy's is a clean and comfortable guest lodge and we would heartily recommend a stay if you are in that area.

The room was clean and spacious with a covered seating area to chill and relax.

Very helpful with arranging tours in the area

We felt it was a very safe area in a gated complex.

They made a real effort to get to know us and to try to help us make the most of our time in the area.

After returning from a cycle ride a few of us locals joined Gavin, Jenny and their guests.

On Wednesday 27 February a small group of us locals joined by Gavin did a late afternoon bicycle ride of about 40 km.

.. wifi was very poor in my bedroom and ok in the main building near the office,

Do not be put off by the club appearance as you enter the building,

but that was me in that small white hire car.

Not an easy place to wander from, other than by car, so we had breakfast and dinner both days we stayed.

Gaivin managed to call lions on a hill and made them come to our car.

We stayed watching the lions for about 10minutes as they wandered towards us and eventually got scared off by the cars.

However visit Cape Vidal first, get in early only 120 cars  per day allowed.

The staff is very friendly and professional.

Wendy and Gavin are very friendly and sociable and joined us each evening.

The staff were friendly and efficient, nothing was a problem.

Zululand is a small, exciting, and friendly, world.

Very friendly and helpful staff and a convenient location for exploring the wider area including Hluhluwe and St Lucia/iSimangaliso.

The friendly staff team provided great food and were very flexible.

We liked everything: the room, the garden and swimmingpool, the staff, the dinner and the friendly hosts Gavin and Jenny

Friendly and courteous staff, Jenny and Gavin very sympathetic people who love their little country lodge sharing with their guests!

Gavin and Jenny are very friendly and welcoming, always ready for small chats evenings around a bier to help you understand South Africa and discover its treasures.

The service by the staff was again excellent and very friendly.

Spacious suites w/ private verandas, very clean, delicious meals & friendly pets.

The food was excellent, the bar was great fun, the room was comfortable and luxurious, the staff were very friendly.

Gavin and Jenny are wonderful hosts; friendly and welcoming.

When we arrived we were greeted by friendly and helpful staff members who made the whole check in process very quick and easy.

The hosts are very friendly and accommodating.

From the early morning game drives with wonderfully knowledgeable guides to the friendly evenings in the bar and the home cooked food in the restaurant, your stay at WENDY’S will be memorable.

Her welcome was really professional, friendly and comprehensive.

The hosts, Gavin and Jenny, provide a warm welcome and are happy to help arrange trips and tours around the surrounding parks, while the rest of the staff are equally friendly and obliging.

We had a lovely room, all facilities clean and staff all really friendly.

Short drive to enter the park and close the the attractions of St Lucia.

Very close to Umfolozi-Hluhluwe national park which is a must see for Game lovers.

As a base for day trips to iSimangaliso National Parks (West and East) Shores and Hluhluwe Game Reserve it is ideal.

The location in particular appealed to us as it was between the Hluhluwe Game Park and the Isimangoleso Wetland Park.

Location provides easy access to the National Park and Wetlands.

Wendy’s is also the perfect base for exploring the many nearby parks and beaches, ensuring that every moment of a longer stay is filled with memorable experiences.

Apart from being a perfect host Gavin is an excellent game guide, and we had a fantastic day with him in the Hluhluwe National Park.

On our way to Wendy’s, while in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, we had some amazing sightings and encounters.

The visit included two excursions to Hluhluwe/Umfolozi game park and St Lucia estuary.

It was the ideal 'home-from-home' to explore this amazing part of the world, including Cape Vidal, Isimangaliso, St Lucia and Hluhluwe-Mfolozi Park.

Mtubatuba is a great centre for getting to the pristine beaches of Cape Vidal,and for wildlife viewing in the  fabulous Imfolozi Park and the Isimangaloso Wetland Reserve .

Mtubatuba is a peaceful suburb with a supermarket to stock up on supplies before heading to one of the great places around like iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hluhluwe Imfolozi, St. Lucia etc, all within an hour drive.

We visited Mtubatuba to go to the Hluhluwe Umfolozi park.

Travelers visiting Hluhluwe/iMfolozi - arguably South Africa's best National Parks - should  book accommodation at Wendy's.

The also have a deep knowledge of the parks, the animals and the other countries around, as they lived in quite a few of them.

It is the closest place to Durban and the park, so ideal for a quick trip to see some game.

Location close to other tourist attractions - Cape Vidal, Bird Park etc.

We were on our way from Durban to Tembe Elephant Park and this makes for a great break.

As an elderly married couple, we were so well looked after by the Management and Staff.

Jenny, Gavin and Phumelele were extremely welcoming.

Apart from the very early start (necessary in order to have the best chance of seeing predators) we really enjoyed our day with Gavin who was very knowledgeable about the wildlife.

Owners and staff are welcoming and helpful.

Well done Gavin, Jenny and your special staff on maintaining your superb standards year after year.

Gavin, Jenny and staff welcome you as you arrive and are there to make your stay a memorable one.

True to the sign in the reception at Wendy's we arrived as guests and left as friends.

Our hosts Gavin Jenny were very welcoming and knowledgeable, we had a few drinks in their bar at the main lodge and we were made to feel like long lost friends, Gavin used to work close to where we live so we knew many of the same people, we will definitely be back.

In all, a lovely three nights enjoyed with very hospitable people.

I love a good story, especially telling one with a touch of humour,

Breakfasts were fantastic and for our day trips we were kindly provided with excellent packed breakfasts to take with us due to our early start.

During our safari, Gavin was so passionate about the nature and the animals that you could stay days long watching around you with him next to you.

The food was delicious and the Hluluwe tour was wonderful as well — we saw giraffes, elephants, a lion sleeping in the trees, a pack of endangered African wild dogs and more.

We took advantage of 2 local tours (game drive and hippo boat trip) both arranged efficiently by the lodge manager Louwrina.

Guided tours and safaris can be booked at the Lodge.

They offer excellent game tours and provide useful information to guests who wish to self drive.

We have stayed at Wendy's to visit St. Lucia (whale watching and hippo tour are 30 minutes away) and on our way to Durban.

Gavin is a very knowledgeable tour guide and can take you to any of the local parks.

We've done both trips, the hosts offered, one hippo tour to St. Lucia and a game drive.

The food served at the lodge is top class with the evening meals being something of a tour de force that come out of a small kitchen filled with flavor and love.

This is definitely where you need to stay if you are considering Mtubatuba and the game reserve safari tour!

We did the safari with Gavin, the wetlands tour, the cheetah project, hippo boat tour and the Zulu community visit.

NB: Gavin offers guided safari trips into nearby Imfolozi/Hluhluwe in an open game vehicle to his guests - a definite must!

Whether you are just wanting a base from which to explore the superb African wildlife reserves and beaches in the area or want to take advantage of the guided tours led by Zululand Aquatic and Animal Adventures, Wendy's is the place to stay.

Gavin is also a superb game tour guide; he is a conservationist with a deep passion for the animals which is contagious.

They also organised for us a great safari game at the Umfulozi park and the crocodile tour.

A wonderful and typical english pub is present in the house and there you can have a drink with the other guests and the proprietaries, Tony and Wendy, who will always take care of you with plenty of suggestions for your daily tours and with whom you could share a lot of interesting stories on the region.

Wendy's Country Lodge

bike

bike ride

building

car hire

area

park

tour

The Protea Hotel Umfolozi River is near these landmarks: Hluhluwe - iMfolozi Park Wilderness Area, Empangeni Arts and Cultural History Museum, St Lucia Beach, Veyane Cultural Village, Crocodile Centre St Lucia, Mpila Camp Hluhluwe Imfolozi Reserve, Cape Vidal Lighthouse, Mapelane Nature Reserve, EuroZulu Guided Tours & Safaris, Shakabarker Tours - Day Tours, Bhangazi Horse Safaris, Shoreline Hippo and Croc Cruises, Themba's Birding and Ecotours, Extreme Nature Tours and Travel Day Tours, Safari for Six, St Lucia Tours & Charters, St Lucia SA, Amala Massage & Gifts, Canerat Crafts, Ants & Mustard, The Gallery St Lucia, St Lucia South Africa, St Lucia Safaris, Mtuba Mall, Futululu Park, Must Go Safaris, Way To Go Safaris, Enseleni Nature Reserve, Birdswood, Maputaland Adventures and Lido Disco

but the signal is strong in the dining room and reception area.

It is ok for a stop-over to visit surounding area, like Umfolozi - and Hluhluwe National Park or St. Lucia National Park.

There’s a lot of staff standing around the reception area yet no inter personal skills at all.

WiFi only available in the lobby, and reception area.

We stayed at this hotel as our base for the exploration of the Umfolozi Game Reserve Area.

The garden areas, pool and lapa is kept clean and inviting to stroll through.

Our room was a very long walk from the reception area.

There is a large lobby with free wifi and a nice dining area where we enjoyed an okay buffet dinner.

I especially enjoyed the tree in the driveway area full of weaver birds.

Wifi only in reception area and is included.

Protea Hotels are always a "go to" hotel when in an unfamiliar area, be it in Zambia, Zimbabwe or South Africa.

There were still a few dark areas near the fence line at the back of the property.

but you can use wifi in the reception area and restaurant area.

Do not be put of by the area when you approach this great hotel.

Wifi only available in the reception area.

The room we had was located a fair way from the reception area

Free wi-fi was available in the reception areas only.

The hotel is good for a stop while exploring the area .

Check in was easy with a friendly receptionist.

As you walk into reception you are greeted by very friendly and professional staff.

though we got there while it was dark, this hotel was clean, the food was great and the staff was just very friendly.

The positives would be the nice and friendly staff and the buffet for dinner.

When visiting nearby national parks for safaris, this is an ideal choice with comfortable beds, good buffet-style food in the onsite restaurant and very friendly staff.

The front desk was very friendly and helpful and the restaurant staff were just lovely.

All one might need is at the hotel : very friendly reception, great and large rooms, tea and coffee, space for two laptops, etc.

They were friendly and helped getting rooms earlier than normally after 14h00.

A nice pool, good food in the restaurant, and the staff was friendly, attentive and very helpful.

The grounds are lovely to walk around and the reception staff very friendly

Stayed here with a Gate One tour and the staff was very friendly.

The wifi was adequate, beds comfortable and staff friendly.

The staff were friendly and accommodating.

Chalet style rooms, beautiful grounds, delicious breakfast and buffet dinner, good service, friendly staff.

the staff was very friendly, the hotel has very beautiful gardens and the rooms were so great, so clean, so nice!

Our tour group took a bus 30 minutes to the Hluhluwe park for a game drive which was wonderful.

but is a convenient stop when visiting places like Hluhluwe game park or St Lucia .

We visited both Hluhluwe Imfolozi and iSimangaliso Wetland Park while staying here

but a good base to visit St. Lucia or the Umfolozi Park.

Spent 1 night in this Protea-chain hotel, which is very close to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Park.

Stopped at his hotel overnight on my way from the St. Lucia Boat Cruise to the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Park.

This is an excellent hotel situated near the game park and close to the estuary.

Stayed here for one night only  after an afternoon in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park  and on our way to the St Lucia boat cruise next morning.

Nice hotel not too far from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park and also the St Lucia Boat Cruise.

It's about 45 minutes drive to the beautiful Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park.

Convenient stop if visiting nearby National Parks.

What arrived after almost an hour was a few vegetables cooked in a packet tomato sauce - no sign of cocunut milk, spices or anything else even vaguely reflecting Turkish cuisine - plonked on top of a pile of plain boiled rice.

Not found on gps and no sign boards from N2.

The entrance to the hotel can be confusing if you, like me, follow an Apple Map, just follow the road sign that says "Umfolozi River Hotel" on the N2 and you will be fine, the road does become a short dirt road

There were "no smoking" signs at the room,

There is no "Protea" sign before the freeway exit, only the standard brown tourist info roadsign.

I am giving 2 points off for the slow service and just general bad attitude at the front desk and wait staff at dinner.

We found the tea/coffee service a bit slow during breakfast.

Service in the restaurant was also a bit slow,

The only downside is that the WIFI is only available in the foyer and restaurant areas and from my experience was extremely slow,

All in all a pleasant

We stayed close to the main reception so on route to the pool felt it is was miles away.

I made sure to finish showering by the time the room service guy showed up with our vegetarian penne pasta, chips with ketchup and vinegar, and fruit slices with ice cream.

The kitchen staff even gave us a boxed breakfast when we left on our next adventure.

Check in was smooth and the staff very courteous, both the reception clerk and her manager.

Our room was very nice and the staff was also very nice.

The front desk will tell you it is available in the lobby and restaurant

But the staff was very helpful & didn’t mind.

Staff was very helpful ad tried to make guests feel welcomed.

The lady at reception allocated us our room, not far from reception

I insisted that my husband tell this at the reception

I was pleasantly surprised arriving at the Protea Hotel Mfolozi being welcomed by the staff at reception.

The hotel is out in the middle of no where and seems to mainly cater to tour / safari groups making the rounds.

but rather it was provided by the gate 1 tour.

We were in a tour group that all checked in at the same time.

My friend and I were on a tour and stayed at several Protea hotels SA.

Meals were generally buffet style due to tour groups.

but as part of a GATE 1 tour, so can't comment on value.

but no refrigerator,  and our tour guide recommended us to put towels at the base of the door to prevent mosquitoes from entering.

We stayed at Protea Hotel Umfolozi River for one night with a tour group.

We stayed at this hotel on a tour of South Africa with Thompson's Africa.

On our tour we stayed in Protea Hotels quite often and they were all very nice.

An overnight stay on our SA tour the hotel was pleasantly, if a tad garishly, decorated, the rooms were very comfortable and the buffet dinner and breakfast most agreeable.

We choose to go to dinner before showering. I think that’s why I didn’t have hot water for my shower (although everyone else did.)

There was no shower curtain, and because it had a handheld shower head, we had to sit down so that the water did not splash everywhere, which it did regardless.

Bathroom was fully equipped (shampoo, shower gel, lotion, soap), hot water was available anytime

we had to endure bathing in rising dirty water levels.

The water is horrible and should not be ingested

The tap water was slightly discolored so we brushed our teeth with bottled water to be safe.

After everything else, I went to take a shower, there was no hot water to several units along out hallway.

There was also one complementary bottle of water in the room.

The water was smelling way to much of chlorine.

Protea Hotel Umfolozi River

sign

slow

water

The Marula Place is near these landmarks: Hluhluwe - iMfolozi Park Wilderness Area, St Lucia Beach, Veyane Cultural Village, Crocodile Centre St Lucia, Mpila Camp Hluhluwe Imfolozi Reserve, Cape Vidal Lighthouse, Mapelane Nature Reserve, EuroZulu Guided Tours & Safaris, Shakabarker Tours - Day Tours, Bhangazi Horse Safaris, Shoreline Hippo and Croc Cruises, Themba's Birding and Ecotours, Extreme Nature Tours and Travel Day Tours, Safari for Six, St Lucia Tours & Charters, St Lucia SA, Amala Massage & Gifts, Canerat Crafts, Ants & Mustard, The Gallery St Lucia, St Lucia South Africa, St Lucia Safaris, Mtuba Mall, Futululu Park, Must Go Safaris, Way To Go Safaris, Maputaland Adventures and Enseleni Nature Reserve

Recommend and will came back when in the area.

The staff are all friendly, food is amazing and owners Pete and Eone Van Rooyen make you feel at home.

Three star B&B, I arrived late & was duly greeted and showed to my room by the friendly Anthony.

Breakfast was always made to order and Anthony and the staff were always available if we needed anything.

Very comfortable rooms, great garden and the owner is a fantastic cook.

Staff is considerate and always available.

First to reply to my email booking query, so they got the business.

Marula Place

beach

The Mtuba Manor is near these landmarks: Hluhluwe - iMfolozi Park Wilderness Area, St Lucia Beach, Veyane Cultural Village, Crocodile Centre St Lucia, Cape Vidal Lighthouse, Mapelane Nature Reserve, EuroZulu Guided Tours & Safaris, Shakabarker Tours - Day Tours, Bhangazi Horse Safaris, Shoreline Hippo and Croc Cruises, Themba's Birding and Ecotours, Extreme Nature Tours and Travel Day Tours, Safari for Six, St Lucia Tours & Charters, St Lucia SA, Amala Massage & Gifts, Canerat Crafts, Ants & Mustard, The Gallery St Lucia, St Lucia South Africa, St Lucia Safaris, Mtuba Mall, Futululu Park, Must Go Safaris, Way To Go Safaris, Maputaland Adventures and Enseleni Nature Reserve

Definately will be returning when i am in the area again.

Sep, 11, 2022

Apr, 27, 2022

Feb, 18, 2020

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Jan, 12, 2018

Feb, 19, 2019

May, 6, 2017

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