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Becky C

Spectacular Safari Trip

Review of Ezulwini Lodges
5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 17 Nov 2024
We had a most amazing trip to the Ezulwini resorts in September/October. The staff was amazing! They were all so friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable! Constant top-notch service1 The trackers and guides all took great pride in their work and we were never disappointed. Each jeep trek brought us new amazing animals and scenery to enjoy. The food was incredible, great portion sizes and very fresh! Ange and Craig are just fun, interesting people and we really enjoyed getting to know them and the rest of the staff at both lodges. Thank you so much for making our trip go far and above our expectations. Ange - hope you watched the octopus show! :)
Date of stay: October 2024
Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Teresa Saad, Owner at Ezulwini Lodges, responded to this review
Responded 18 Nov 2024
Dear beckyc03789DA, thank you so much for taking the time to let us know that you had an amazing trip to Ezulwini Lodges in September/October, we really appreciate it.
We have passed your very kind comments on to the teams at the lodges, they will be so happy to know that they made your stay so special and that you enjoyed everything about it. From getting to know Ange, Craig and the other members of staff, who shared their knowledge with you, plus their friendly, helpful service. Together with mealtimes and especially game drives, as you note, everyone takes pride in what they do to ensure that our guests have an enjoyable stay and we are delighted that they exceeded your expectations.
It was an absolute pleasure to host you at Ezulwini Lodges and please do keep in touch, you will be welcomed back to the Ezulwini Family should you like to return in the future.
Take care and best wishes.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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    3 - 8 of 453 reviews
    Reviewed 10 November 2024

    My daughter and I had the absolute privilege of staying at Ezulwini in August 2024. I first want to acknowledge the amazing and knowledgeable staff who absolutely made our stay. Ange and Craig make quite the team! Glory was accommodating, caring, and personable. While in the Bush, Craig and Shads combined their seemingly unlimited knowledge to answer all our non-stop questions. Even when the animals were feeling shy, Craig was able to teach us about something else within the ecosystem, and usually by the end of the lesson, Shads was able to use his eagle-eyes to track another animal. What really made this lodge stand out was the fact that their approach was respectful to the land on which they live, never exploitative. Each night before an absolutely delicious dinner, we were able to sit down with Ange and Craig who crafted a lesson about local history, the law of the reserves, or about the country of South Africa. The meaningful conversations absolutely made us feel like welcomed friends, rather than simple guests. Of course, it should go without saying, that the accommodations of the resort itself were stunning. The resort’s small number of guest rooms makes the experience feel personal and uniquely tailored to each guest, and the property, which often welcomes many four-legged guests, feels more like an extension of the bush rather than a separate space. I simply cannot recommend this lodge, this team, and this trip enough!

    Date of stay: August 2024
    • Trip type: Travelled with family
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    Thank KatPat781
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Teresa Saad, Owner at Ezulwini Lodges, responded to this reviewResponded 18 November 2024

    Dear KatPat781, thank you so much for taking the time to let us know that you and your daughter had an amazing visit to Ezulwini Lodges, we appreciate it.
    Thank you also for sharing the details about your stay, especially how you were looked after by the team, your enjoyment of the meals, your chats with Ange and Craig, together with the accommodation and game drives themselves. We will pass on your kind comments to everyone at the lodges, they will be so happy to know that they made this all so special for you.
    It would be so nice if you keep in touch, and you will both be very welcome to come back to the Ezulwini Family should you like to visit again in the future.
    Take care and best wishes,

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 29 October 2024

    We had such an amazing time. We didn't want to leave. The trackers are wonderful and do their best to find any animal you ask about. We sent our MANY dietary issues ahead and they exceeded our expectations. We were able to eat everything they served us. The food was delicious!! If you are considering going, do it!! The staff & accommodations are amazing!!!

    Date of stay: October 2024
    • Trip type: Travelled with family
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    Thank Tracey W
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Teresa Saad, Owner at Ezulwini Lodges, responded to this reviewResponded 29 October 2024

    Dear traceyWY3793WV, thank you so much for taking the time to tell us that you had an amazing time during your recent visit to Ezulwini Lodges, we appreciate it.
    Thank you also for your very kind words about the staff at our lodges, they are always very happy to make sure that our guests have the best safari experience and we are so glad that they made it happen for you. We have passed on your comments to them and they will be delighted to know that they exceeded your expectations.
    Our Chefs and Kitchen Teams take great pride in being able to source or produce amazing dishes for our guests, particularly if they have specific dietary needs, it is a matter of pride for us, and we are very pleased that you were able to enjoy your meals without any worries, that is great to hear.
    We were sad to know that you didn't want to leave, but you can always come back to the Ezulwini Family should you like to at some point in the future, there will be a warm welcome waiting for you.
    Take care and best wishes,

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 25 October 2024 via mobile

    We had the trip of a lifetime at Ezilwini in September. The lodges, the food, and the staff were all fabulous...we were treated like royalty. The guides worked hard to make sure we saw lots of animals. It was a beautiful and magical experience!

    Date of stay: September 2024
    Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    Thank Jane D
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Teresa Saad, Owner at Ezulwini Lodges, responded to this reviewResponded 29 October 2024

    Dear Jane D, thank you so much for taking the time to tell us that you had the trip of a lifetime when visiting Ezulwini Lodges in September, that is appreciated.
    Thank you also letting us know that your experience of the lodges, food, and the staff made it a magical for you, and we will share your very kind comments with the teams at each lodge.
    We do like to make sure that our guests leave us with that special feeling, so please keep in touch, you will always have a very warm welcome should you wish to return to the Ezulwini Family at some point in the future.
    
    Take care and best wishes,

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 19 October 2024

    We had a great week at Ezulwini Lodges split between Billy’s and River Lodges. Wonderful spacious accommodations, excellent food, and worldclass service. Every request was handled promptly. Daily scheduling of game drives and meals was perfectly timed.

    Game drive guides and trackers were highly skilled. Ezulwini Lodges vehicles seemed to be the only ones in the area with canopies to shelter the occupants from the elements. With both on and off-road access, that not all resorts can provide, we were able to get up close to the animals without disturbing them. We saw a phenomenal variety of animals every day!

    Thank you to management and staff for an exceptional experience that will never be forgotten.

    Date of stay: October 2024
    • Trip type: Travelled with friends
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    Thank Dan A
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Teresa Saad, Owner at Ezulwini Lodges, responded to this reviewResponded 24 October 2024

    Dear dana07985AL, thank you so much for taking the time to let us know that you had a great stay at Ezulwini Lodges, we appreciate it.
    Thank you also for your description of your accommodation, food and the service you received from the teams at each lodge, that is so nice to know and we will certainly pass on your kind comments to them, they will be so happy to know that they made your stay at Ezulwini so enjoyable.
    We also appreciate your praise for the guides and trackers who made your game drives so amazing, that is wonderful. You may not be aware but our safaris take place over pretty much all of the Ezulwini Lodges properties, with some limited access to other areas, which we are able to cover, which is why you saw few other vehicles, as they are not able to traverse without our permission. This makes for a much more unique and exclusive safari experience for our guests. It is wonderful to get so close to the wildlife and we are so happy that you were able to enjoy that part too.
    Please do keep in touch, you will be very welcome to come back to the Ezulwini Family should you like to do so at some point in the future.
    Take care and best wishes,

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
    Reviewed 14 October 2024

    We had the most memorable experience at both the Ezulwini lodges, River and Billy’s. From arriving until departure, the staff went above and beyond to make our time extra special, all our needs were met with utmost professionalism and friendliness!

    The rooms are exquisite and very spacious. Designed with ultimate luxury in mind.

    Every meal we had was so delicious, thoughtfully prepared with fresh ingredients from their beautiful veggie and herb garden. Fantastic wines from a curated selection from the owners private cellar.

    We had the most exciting sightings and saw animals in abundance, including elephants, lions, hyenas, giraffes, rhinos, wild dogs etc.

    Thank you for the most amazing experience and excellent service, best holiday we had as a couple!

    Date of stay: October 2024
    • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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    Thank Ellie d
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Teresa Saad, Owner at Ezulwini Lodges, responded to this reviewResponded 16 October 2024

    Dear 745elliem, thank you so much for taking the time to let us know that you had the most memorable experience at Ezulwini Lodges, we really appreciate it.
    We are delighted that you felt cared for from the time you arrived until you left our lodges, that is so nice to hear.
    Thank you also for sharing your thoughts about your accommodation, meals, wines and sightings when out on game drive, we are so happy that you enjoyed everything so much.
    It was our absolute pleasure to host you both and we will pass on your very kind comments to the teams at each lodge, they will be thrilled to know that you had the most amazing experience as a couple and that they made your stay so special.
    Please do keep in touch, you will be welcomed back to the Ezulwini Family at any time in the future, should you like to make a return visit.
    Take care and best wishes,

    Report response as inappropriate
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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