Spa Hotels in Thornybush Game Reserve

EVERYTHING 🤌🏽🙏🏽☺️🥂

Excellent food, fabulous wildlife and nature, excellent experience. The staff were wonderful and there was meticulous attention to detail to ensure each guest had a great stay.

The food is amazing, good quality. Staff was friendly, the facilities are great.

The place was just what I needed,some peace and quiet

Staff was exceptional — Rheni in particular was a very gracious host but everyone was welcoming and extremely professional. The staff proactively took steps to make the stay comfortable, including cleaning the room first thing in the morning while I was at breakfast. The property was lovely, breakfast was excellent, location very convenient. Definitely looking forward to returning!

Comfort, food and the Safaris! It was probably the best experience of my life! Best hotel for sure!!!

From the moment we arrived we knew this was going to be a special place. Last year we also stayed in a game reserve very close to Ukanyi and thought this would take some beating but Ukanyi certainly did. The Villa was sensational and words or photos can never show you what it’s really like. From the pick up at the airport to the short drive to the game reserve we knew then we were in for a spectacular treat. On arrival to the Villa we was greeted by the manager Junce who introduced us the our chef Riaan, our waiter Jim and our housekeeper whose name escapes me and proceeded to show us around this spectacular Villa. All I say is this place is an incredible experience and one we will never forget. The food prepared by our chef Riaan was sensational and he described every dish that he cooked like he was on Masterchef having to explain it to his peers, Jim our waiter also left nothing out in his presentation and service and of course the Villa was spotless clean every day apart from the odd bug that chose to come in during the day which of course is hard to avoid living in the bush. As for the game drives they too didn’t disappoint with seeing all of the big 5 and much more. With it being our 31 year old son first every Safari he was blown away by it all, for him to see in abundance Lions, Elephants, Buffalo, Leopard, Rhinos, Giraffe, Warrhog, Cheetah, Hippo, Nyala, Waterbuck & many many more on his very first visit was amazing. The information given by our game drive team of Coswell & Jika was second to none, their knowledge of this area(16,500 hectares) was incredible. The highlight of the game drive was the spotting of a male Leopard just as the sun was going down will live with us all forever.

Our family had the most incredible stay at Rhino's Rest during our holiday in South Africa. It was undoubtedly the highlight of the trip, largely thanks to the exceptional host, Adele. Her warm and enthusiastic welcome made us feel right at home, and her assistance throughout our stay was invaluable. The lodge itself was beyond amazing – spacious, impeccably clean, and equipped with everything one could possibly need for a fantastic holiday. The attention to detail in every aspect of the lodge was truly commendable, contributing to an unforgettable experience. Of course, the real magic happened when we saw lots of animals in front of our lodge and during the safari experiences within the private reserve. Seeing lions, rhinos, cheetahs, and even a baby giraffe up close was an awe-inspiring experience that left us in complete awe of the natural world. The well-organized safaris added an adventurous touch to the stay, making it all the more special. Overall, I can confidently say that our stay at Rhino's Rest was the best part of our entire South African holiday. Adele's hospitality, the stunning lodge, and the captivating safari experiences combined to create an unforgettable and truly exceptional getaway.

As reluctant as I was to spend what I consider a lot of money even though it was for my Wife’s 70th 😊I now have to say it was money so well spent. The accommodation, food and staff were top class. What was there not to like? The only thing that comes to mind is having to leave ☹. A big shout out to Kevin, an excellent butler who was consistently friendly, professional, and willing to help….and always remembered our drinks of choice. Of course, the main purpose for us was to see wild animals in their natural habitat and this we did on every drive with the expert skills of Herbert(tracker) and Julian (Driver/Ranger). The passion and skill set that Herbert and Julian demonstrated on all our drives was exemplary. Seeing leopards, cheetah, rhinos, zebra, giraffe, elephants, wart hog, packs of wild dogs etc up close was so special. Topped in some way by the excitement that Julian showed when we saw a lynx on a cheetah kill. Julian was full of useful information about all the animals we saw. His passion for his work was obvious. How Herbert spotted a camouflaged leopard on a termite mount at 80-100m while we could hardly see it using quality binoculars or seeing a 2-inch green chameleon in a green leafed bush in the dark by torch light amazed us. The drives were excellent. We liked what appears to be the self-imposed rule of only 2 safari jeeps on any animal sighting at one time with others hanging back and waiting their turn, thus avoiding a free for all, which I’m led to believe happens in the main Kruger Park. We also liked the interaction between ‘competing’ lodges whereby they constantly updated each other about current animal sightings.

Jeffrey, our guide, was amazing! He made the safari experience such an unforgettable memory. Him and Brighton were wonderful and incredibly knowledgeable. We have been able to see all the Big 5. The staff was nice, the room perfectly clean, food was good and you get fed a lot.