Founders Lodge by Mantis

Where to start with this review…. This place is heaven. From the moment we stepped foot out of the car (after taking the wrong road!!) we were made to feel like royalty. We were met by Glynns and some of the other staff and were given a tour. We were shown down to the water hole and Our kids were amazed by this part, to be able to sit in the peace and quiet and wait for whatever animal was going to show up was fantastic. The food here is to die for, you most definitely won’t go hungry and your clothes maybe a little tighter going home !! The amazing staff Cynthia, Ntombi and Nazi just could not do enough for you, such beautiful people. Our guide Cillie, this man has the patience of a saint. Every game drive was different, he went above and beyond for us. Spent time with my son showing him where things were in the distance when none of us could see!! Explained everything in such detail, all the questions we had and he was so full of information for us. He was brilliant. Glynn and Craig, you guys are fabulous , you made us feel so welcome from the moment we arrived until the time we had to leave. This has been a dream come true and we will remember this forever. Hopefully we will see you guys again xx

A little bit late writing this review, but better late than never as they say! Our stay was fantastic (we stayed for 3 nights), from the moment we arrived until the morning we left, we were very well taken care of. The staff at Founders Lodge are very good, nothing is too much trouble and you never had the feeling of being rushed. It was all very relaxing. The food was excellent, especially the braii (the chef and team excelled themselves) and the locations to eat change daily, with the most beautiful views across the reserve. Every game drive was amazing. We saw so many birds and animals everyday (nobody can deny the beauty of a water buffalo!). Our Ranger, Cillie, was incredibly knowledgeable, from learning about tracking when we spent time tracking a leapard’s paw prints to understanding how an elephant is feeling just by how its ears move. It was an incredible unforgettable experience everyday. Thank you for giving us a beautiful suite (no 3, opposite the watering hole), the sunrises from our room were gorgeous and a beautiful start to each day. The view of the watering hole and all the animals that visited it was lovely to watch. We were addicted to going to the hide and to get up close to the animals drinking from the watering hole…now home, I love watching the live feed of it on You Tube. If you are thinking of staying here, please do! You will have a wonderful time! Myself and my husband would like to thank Glynnis and her team for a very lovely stay and to Cillie (our Ranger), thank you, the drives were amazing (and the views for the Sunrisers and Sundowners beautiful). Thank you :)

The Lodge is Amazing . They have the friendliest staff. The managers made sure to make us feel welcome and the Contemporary Suite is so beautiful with all the luxury amenities. They cater to your evey need and would highly recommend. ❤️ The animals are just outside your door and the new Hyde is my favourite feature. Dont even get me started on the food its amazing, hats off to the chef.

Wow, Founders Lodge is an amazing place. Craig and Glynis are the most welcoming hosts and the lodge is just beautiful. Our meals were served each day in a different part of the lodge with outstanding food. We were unlucky with the weather but this did not take anything away from our time here. Cillian our driver was so knowledgeable and was happy to answer all our questions. We will definitely be returning 2 nights was not enough!

What an exceptional place, and what an exceptional experience. It’s a small hotel with about seven rooms, so you are pretty much introduced to all the staff on arrival. The initial vibe of the rooms is colonial, but there are some great modern touches, like the swimming pool, and the underground hide, that allows you a view of the waterhole. We got face-to-face with rhinos while they were drinking and rolling in the mud. Accommodation is spacious and comfortable, with generous complimentary snacks and drinks in the room. The morning and evening game drives were customised as there were only a few of us in a vehicle. The highlight was seeing a cheetah hunting, but we also saw a couple of male lions, rhino, zebra, giraffe, impala, kudu, buffalo, etc. sadly,no leopard, but they did look for them for us. The game drive is about 3 hours with a comfort stop part way through, which includes drinks and snacks. After the drive, the team join you in the bar for a drink so there is plenty of time for questions. The food at the hotel is excellent, but they do have a limited menu on any given night, so make sure you let them know any dietary requirements. They also did a ‘romantic’ meal for us, which was a little ill-judged, as we were in the library surrounded by candles on a sifflingly hot evening! Breakfast, on the other hand, was generous and extensive. It was also served outside so we could watch the rhinos wander past on the way to the waterhole. From the grounds you can see rhinos, giraffe, zebra and warthogs. All in all, a fabulous place and well worth a visit.

From the moment we were met by a welcoming group at the front of the hotel to the moment we left we were excellently looked after. Within moments of arriving, Glynnis had given us a tour of the hotel, Marty had taken our cases and parked our car (which was cleaned before we left….a lovely touch) and subsequently come to find us to check what sundowner drinks we would like on the evening game drives. We felt like we’d met the entire staff in the first hour and all were very friendly. Craig was out on the reserve when we arrived, but soon found us on his return. Such a welcoming group of people. The food was excellent and even though they were not made aware by our travel agent that my husband was pescatarian, luckily fish was an option at the first lunch, they soon accommodated that and all subsequent meals had a fish or vegetarian option (thank you to the chef). The on-site tunnel to the hide on the waterhole was fabulous and gave us the chance to see the animals right up close. To be able to sit by the pool and read a book and look up to see rhino, giraffe and more walk past was amazing. Marty, our game driver and guide, was excellent, we saw some amazing sights. All the staff we came across were helpful and friendly, but a special mention to Ntombi, to whom absolutely nothing seemed too much trouble. The hotel atmosphere was very relaxed which we thoroughly enjoyed and would absolutely recommend a stay here.