umVangati House

Wow Wow Wow. We were really excited to stat at UmVangati House, and the 5 star reviews are a testament to the service which Lidia, Giel, Jacob and Sonia all provide from start to finish. We were travelling to South Africa for a once in a lifetime holiday, with a stop in the Green Canyon. The House were able to arrange various activities whilst we were staying with them, including a spectacular tour of the Panorama route (with lunch included); a horseback ride to a private vantage point a the Three Rondawels; and, a private helicopter tour for two (including a picnic(!) prepared by the team at UmVangati to have on a short stop) over the Green Canyon. To top it off, the helicopter was able to land close to the house! This was truly spectacular! We opted for dinner on the both nights that we were staying at umVangati, which we'd highly recommend. Make sure you ask to see the wine cellar, as it's incredible. The food was lovingly prepared by the team and has a really playful cuisine feel, something you'd expect to see in a high-end restaurant in London for a very reasonable price. It was one of the best meals we had in South Africa across our 10 day visit to the country - so a huge credit to the team here. We'd originally booked the King room, but Sonia managed to persuade us to upgrade to a Mountain View Suite on our day of arrival - and it was worth the upgrade just for the view of the mountain and the private balcony (although we didn't have much time to use it!). We cannot recommend umVangati enough - the only thing we'd change was making sure we had even longer there, as two days is not enough time to enjoy the beauty and loving hospitality that awaits you.

The experience at Umvangati House exceeds beyond what might be expected from its website. We spent 3 nights here as a luxury break between 2 safari lodge stays. We stayed in one of the 3 villa style rooms a short stroll along a boardwalk from the main house. The room was beautiful with extensive views of the cliffs and outcrops that form the walls of the Blyde River Canyon. The overall facilities are excellent and the main house offers a variety of locations to lounge and take in the views. The infinity pool and surrounding deck offers spectacular views of the canyon. Service was of a high standard throughout and both breakfasts and dinners would grace high end restaurants in any country. A special mention to the baked Hake served on our second evening - it was an absolute delight! This property was a real gem. Wholeheartedly recommended by someone who rarely ever writes a review!