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River House Lodge

Guest house

27 Visarend Street

hotel
hotel

Why people book this hotel

Friendly staff
11 mentions

The view The facilities The staff The sound of nature The way it helps to do a r…

The staff were very friendly and helpful

Great location
6 mentions

The hotel has a great location overlooking the river with a viewing platform and…

A great location but a very quirky place which is a bit tired in places

Comfortable rooms
6 mentions

The works were not complete during our stay, but the part that has been complete…

Room was nice, overlooking the communal pool, shower was excellent

Breakfast available
4 mentions

We also greatly enjoyed the quality of the meals and breakfast, not to mention t…

the breakfast was really good, there was a variety of cereals and choice of prot…

Pool
4 mentions

The new pool is beautiful, we spent the afternoon swimming and sun bathing while…

Pool was welcome on hot days

Clean rooms
1 mentions

The rooms are clean and comfortable, and both breakfast and dinner were excellen…

Overview

Bordering Kruger National Park, this award-winning country-style lodge is situated in the small town of Malelane and is a great base from which to discover the Bushveld. Wake up to the sounds of native birds. At River House Lodge you can watch hippos and crocodiles in their natural habitat while relaxing in the pool or sunbathing on the large thatched deck. Alternatively, you can marvel at views of the river and national park from the comfort of your private balcony. Spend the day enjoying drives through Kruger National Park or visiting Swaziland. The attentive staff is happy to arrange various fun and adventurous activities for you. For special occasions, the original pump house has been converted into a stunning wedding or party location. River House Lodge is a gay-friendly property. It has an outdoor swimming pool and provides free on-site private parking.

Traveller reviews

L

Liliana

solo_traveller

April 19, 2026

8

The view The facilities The staff The sound of nature The way it helps to do a reset of the mind and body

E

Emsie

couple

April 6, 2026

10

The staff were very friendly and helpful. We would recommend them any place at any time

H

Hannah

family_with_children

April 3, 2026

9

Wonderful stay, welcoming staff and lovely rooms.

This property has been completely renovated and redecorated. The works were not complete during our stay, but the part that has been completed is really well done, we loved our rooms. The new pool is beautiful, we spent the afternoon swimming and sun bathing while watching the hippo and elephants at the waters edge. Our evening meal was hearty, homemade and truly South African. Eating over the water is just wonderful. Thankyou for a lovely stay.

G

Glenys

couple

March 26, 2026

8

Beautiful riverside location, excellent food

Stayed here one night, and booked an evening meal, which was delicious and very good value. Room was nice, overlooking the communal pool, shower was excellent.

P

Peter

family_with_children

December 30, 2025

9

Great location on the Crocodile River

A quirky hotel on the Crocodile river. The hotel has a great location overlooking the river with a viewing platform and a lovely location for breakfast. Dinner is taken inside and is comfort food but tasty. Pool was welcome on hot days.

A

Abi

couple

December 22, 2025

10

It had a really homey feel. The staff were really friendly and helpful. The food was amazing, home cooked goodness! The view on the deck were amazing and we can’t wait to come back!

A

Andrew

couple

December 6, 2025

8

Very friendly and helpful staff. A great location but a very quirky place which is a bit tired in places. The place definitely grows on you.

L

Lleoni

couple

November 22, 2025

10

Everything, the food was absolutely gorgeous. Staff are very friendly and can’t do enough for you. The whole experience was amazing and I’d definitely come and stay again

M

Martyn

couple

November 11, 2025

10

Great location with a decking overlooking the river. Comfortable spacious rooms, excellent service.

Great location overlooking the Crocodile river, relaxing outside area with terrace and decking, comfortable spacious rooms. Short distance to Malalane Gate for entering the park and close to a well stocked supermarket.

L

Laëtitia

family_with_children

November 8, 2025

8

Nous avons beaucoup apprécié notre séjour et n’hésiterons pas à revenir.

During our stay, we were charmed by the kindness of the staff and the décor — surprising yet full of originality. We also greatly enjoyed the quality of the meals and breakfast, not to mention the magnificent view from the deck. A special mention to Christophe for his carefully crafted cocktails!

P

Peter

couple

October 23, 2025

9

A real interesting gem of a lodge

C

Christopher

couple

October 11, 2025

10

Stayed here before, just as good.

Good location, great views, friendly staff

R

Richard Neil

couple

September 3, 2025

8

Very pleasant stay. Good wholesome meals.

An historical nostalgic different property

M

MJCH

family_with_children

August 30, 2025

10

Thank you all for making this stay such an outstanding experience

:It is a beautiful and stunning colonial house, full of details adorning the walls, where you can truly feel the soul of South Africa. From the balcony, you can see hippos, elephants, and deer, which is truly incredible as the house borders the fence of Kruger Park. The dinner is delicious and highly recommended. I would especially like to thank Eve, who kindly washed my van and made it shine—it was an incredible gesture. I am also grateful to the manager, who provided water and a bucket, along with a very interesting conversation. It was an outstanding act of kindness that I will always remember.

V

Vens

couple

August 23, 2025

9

A blissful location on the banks of Crocodile River

We've spent a few lovely days residing in a River House Lodge. What sets this place apart is the ambience - the furniture and fittings are antiques sourced from Africa and elsewhere. It lends itself to an authentic atmosphere and I felt like an explorer back in time. Arguably, this place has the best viewing deck in all of Malelane - close to the water, hardwood floor, comfortable, spacious deck chairs, binoculars, lights - everything you need to get a good look at the animals roaming around. There's also a pool table and loungers for a relaxing afternoon. We enjoyed the homemade food for dinner and a good wine selection. The owner went out of his way to accommodate our 4am starts by packing us lunch boxes the night before. We also had trouble with our electric socket adapter (European to South African). He got his tools out and fixed the issue promptly.

M

Mingjun

extended_group

August 10, 2025

10

太棒啦!

The hotel is right next to the Crocodile River, and from the terrace you can see elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and antelopes. The staff feel just like family — warm, friendly, and always ready to help. They gave me so much support during my stay. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and both breakfast and dinner were excellent. I will definitely come back!

H

Holiday

family_with_children

July 14, 2025

8

LOVED IT!

the breakfast was really good, there was a variety of cereals and choice of protein. staff so accomodating and friendly. The view was beautiful! Location you can't beat.

M

Manrakhan

extended_group

July 12, 2025

7

Beautiful view on the river! Lovely stay!

The view of the park was really beautiful! Loved the view point! We also dined in and dessert was excellent!

B

Bernadette

couple

July 9, 2025

10

An exceptional location with warm, welcoming staff

The history of the property and the fantastic staff

M

MJP

family_with_children

July 5, 2025

7

Short stayover on the edge of Kruger

Nice location, comfortable room Food nice Friendly staff

Facilities

Activities

Golf course (within 3 km), Massage, Billiards, Game drives

Food & Drink

Breakfast options, Bar, Wine/champagne

General

Air conditioning, Heating, Chapel/shrine, Non-smoking rooms, Family rooms

Internet

WiFi, Internet services, Free WiFi

Outdoors

Outdoor pool, Sun terrace, Outdoor pool (all year), Outdoor furniture, Garden, Terrace

Parking

Parking, Free parking, Parking on site, Private parking

Pool and wellness

Pool with view, Pool/beach towels, Shallow end, Fence around pool, Swimming pool, Sun loungers or beach chairs, Sun umbrellas, Swimming Pool

Safety features

Staff follow all safety protocols as directed by local authorities

Services

Daily housekeeping, Fax/photocopying, Packed lunches, Tour desk, Meeting/banquet facilities, Ironing service, Laundry, Dry cleaning

Family Room

Offering free toiletries and bathrobes, this family room includes a private bathroom with a walk-in shower, a bath and a hairdryer. The family room offers air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, as well as a terrace and a patio. The unit has 3 beds.

Max 4 guests 32 1 bedroom 1 bathroom
Family Room with Balcony

The family room offers air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with river views as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower. The unit offers 3 beds.

Max 4 guests 30 1 bedroom 1 bathroom
Deluxe Double Room

The spacious double room offers air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with pool views as well as a private bathroom boasting a walk-in shower. The unit has 1 bed.

Max 2 guests 30 1 bedroom 1 bathroom
Double Room

The pool with a view is the standout feature of this double room. The double room features air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with pool views as well as a private bathroom boasting a walk-in shower. The unit has 1 bed.

Max 2 guests 21 1 bedroom 1 bathroom
Standard Double Room

The spacious double room offers air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with pool views as well as a private bathroom featuring a walk-in shower. The unit offers 1 bed.

Max 2 guests 30 1 bedroom 1 bathroom
Standard Twin Room

Twin room overlooking Kruger National Park and the river.

Max 2 guests 25 1 bedroom 1 bathroom
Twin Room

The twin room features air conditioning, a tea and coffee maker, a terrace with pool views as well as a private bathroom boasting a walk-in shower. The unit has 2 beds.

Max 2 guests 30 1 bedroom 1 bathroom

Hotel Policies

Check-inFrom 14:00 to 19:00
Check-outFrom 10:00 until 11:00
Cancellation & prepaymentCancellation and prepayment policies vary by room type. Please check your booking details before finalizing.
Accepted credit cardsThe hotel reserves the right to pre-authorise credit cards prior to arrival.
The fine printPlease note that there are neither telephones nor TVs in the rooms.
Last updated: Apr 12, 2024, 5:45 AM

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