Hippo Hollow Country Estate

From the moment we arrived at Hippo Hollow Country Estate, we were welcomed with warmth and genuine hospitality that made us feel right at home. The surroundings are breathtaking — lush greenery, peaceful river views, and the occasional visit from the local wildlife truly make this place a hidden gem. A special shoutout goes to Excellent Pule, whose name truly reflects the outstanding service we received. His professionalism, attentiveness, and friendly demeanor made our stay even more memorable. We would also love to commend Mkansi Nkateko and Mbali Leshaba for their kindness, efficiency, and for always going above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable and well taken care of. The entire team at Hippo Hollow deserves praise — every staff member we interacted with was warm, courteous, and deeply committed to providing an exceptional guest experience. Their teamwork and passion for hospitality shine through in everything they do. Whether you're there for a relaxing getaway, a romantic retreat, or an adventure near Kruger, Hippo Hollow is the perfect place. Thank you to everyone for making our stay so special — we will definitely be back! Let me know if you'd like to add any personal touches or details about your visit!

The rooms are beautiful, modern and comfortable. The views of the river are just perfect. We saw hippos in the river, elephants across the river, and an otter swimming in the river. The breakfast was lovely. The staff are friendly.

The country estate was beautiful and situated near the river. The luxury rooms were fantastic with very large comfortable beds and great bathroom. The main reception area, dining room and terrace were exceptionally smart, overlooking the river and the elephants, and the food was great. Our stay was fantastic value and don’t forget to book to visit to Elephant Whispers across the river for an up close and personal walk with rescued elephants - an incredible stay! Not far from Kruger Park’s Phabeni Gate (closer than Paul Kruger Gate)

A real gem, with very friendly staff and exceptional views. We have been visiting Elephant Whispers for 5 years and have always admired the lovely lodges across the river. as my partner was going to be 65 whilst we were in SA I decided to look up the hotel, in the faint hope we could afford it. I had the most pleasant shock of my life and a river view lodge was just £78 including breakfast. You wouldn't even get a very poor Travelodge for that in UK. The staff had left a handwritten message on the bed wishing my partner a happy birthday and every single person we came across was lovely. I had read some of the less positive reviews before arriving and all I can say is they either have a much higher standard of living than we do or expect a great deal more. if you are looking for a luxury boutique hotel then it's probably not for you but if you want charm, helpful polite staff, a comfortable bed, good food and the most incredible view then I would highly recommend it.

It was my second time at Hippo Hollow, I spend a whole two weeks there. I had a river chalet, which was renovated since last year. I really enjoyed my home away from home, the staff are lovely. A stunning place, especially with the hippos and elephants roaming the river right in front of me