About this hotel
General information
Royal Malewane is The Royal Portfolio’s safari collection in the Greater Kruger: four separate lodges on an unfenced 14,000-hectare reserve that shares one ecosystem with Kruger National Park and the Big Five. Malewane Lodge is the classic, old-world bush lodge, with six Luxury Suites and two two-bedroom Royal Suites; Farmstead is contemporary and intimate, with just three suites; Waterside pairs thatch, glass and steel with bold colour on the banks of a busy waterhole; and Masiya’s Camp is a modern tented camp of six suites.
Each lodge has its own kitchen, dining areas facing a waterhole and its own pace, and drives are led by guides holding the highest FGASA qualifications together with trackers, two of them Master Trackers. The collection belongs to The Leading Hotels of the World, Malewane Lodge and Waterside run kosher kitchens, and the estate has its own Conservation & Research Centre. Children aged 10 and over can stay at every lodge; younger children are welcome at Waterside and in the Royal Suites at Malewane Lodge.
Location
The lodges lie in the Greater Kruger in Limpopo province near Hoedspruit, on the Thornybush reserve, which is open to the wider Kruger ecosystem. The nearest airport is Hoedspruit (Eastgate), about 45 minutes away by road, with direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town. The estate also has its own airstrip, served by FedAir from Johannesburg’s international airport and open to private charters; transfers are arranged by road or by air.
Spa
The main spa is the Royal Waters Spa at Malewane Lodge, set around a courtyard with a 25-metre heated lap pool: three treatment rooms (two double, one single), a gym, sauna, cold plunge, outdoor baths and a hair salon, with treatments based on mineral-rich water drawn from an underground stream beneath the reserve. Waterside has the Reflections Spa, with three treatment rooms and a hammam, next to a gym and a yoga room. Farmstead has its own double treatment room, and its guests can also use the Royal Waters Spa.
Sports & leisure
Game drives with a guide and a tracker go out twice a day, and guided bush walks bring the tracks and finer details of the bush into focus. Other options include:
- Star Safari night drives devoted to stars and constellations;
- photographic and birding safaris with guides who are photographers or hold top birding qualifications;
- scenic flights over the Greater Kruger and the Drakensberg, and helicopter golf outings to Leopard Creek Country Club;
- visits to the Conservation & Research Centre and conservation experiences with the ground-hornbill project, Elephants Alive and the EWT wild dog programme;
- wine tastings, meditation, yoga and gyms at three of the lodges;
- excursions to the Timbavati Museum, the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and the local crèches and school supported by the collection’s foundation.
For children
The Royal Rangers programme introduces young guests to the wild: each child receives a bush backpack with a record book for logging birds and animals, and guides teach them to read tracks and signs and to understand animal behaviour; older children can take a Junior Rangers tracking course. Waterside has a family games room, there is a Royal Cubs Spa menu for children, and babysitting can be arranged.
Restaurants & bars
Menus are tailored to each guest’s tastes and diet, and meals, local drinks and house wines are included. The main settings:
- each lodge’s dining areas, facing a waterhole where game often appears during meals;
- the Masiya Bar and wine cellar at Malewane Lodge; an outdoor bar and wine cellar at Waterside; a communal bar, outdoor tapas-style dining and a firepit at Farmstead;
- an interactive outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven and braai at Masiya’s Camp;
- the Bush Tent — dinners in the bush under the stars, by lantern and firelight;
- a sommelier’s list of South African wines, one of the largest whisky selections of any safari lodge, with tastings, and more than 40 boutique gins;
- Beth Din-certified kosher kitchens at Malewane Lodge and Waterside.
Swimming
Every suite has its own pool on the deck, heated at Malewane Lodge, Farmstead and Masiya’s Camp. Waterside and Masiya’s Camp have shared pools, Malewane Lodge has a plunge pool on its main deck, and the Royal Waters Spa adds a 25-metre heated lap pool.
Rooms
The freestanding suites of the four lodges are linked to reception, dining areas and spa by wooden walkways lit at night, and each has a deck with a pool looking out over the bush. Malewane Lodge takes up to 20 guests, Waterside up to 16, Masiya’s Camp up to 12 and Farmstead six.
Ceiling fans, air conditioning, tea and coffee, minibar, safe, telephone, Smart TV, Wi-Fi, international adaptors, hairdryer and a deck with a private pool.
Malewane Lodge Luxury Suite
A freestanding suite at Malewane Lodge with a fireplace, a king-size bed (four-poster in most; two can be set up as twins) and a bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers. The deck has a heated pool and a thatched sala; for two guests.
Malewane Lodge Royal Suite
A two-bedroom suite at Malewane Lodge: two en-suite bedrooms either side of a lounge with fireplace, a dining area and open-plan kitchen, and a deck with a heated pool and sala. A private chef, a host and a private vehicle with guide and tracker come with it; for up to four guests.
Farmstead Luxury Farm Suite
One of Farmstead’s three suites: a spacious bedroom with a super king-size bed that can be split, a bathroom with bath and shower, an outdoor shower and front and back verandahs. The deck has a heated pool overlooking the bush; for two guests.
Waterside Luxury Suite
A Waterside suite with a fireplace, king or twin beds and a bathroom with a freestanding bath and indoor and outdoor showers. A deck with a plunge pool and sala; for two guests.
Waterside Baobab Suite
A two-bedroom suite at Waterside with a fireplace, a private deck with plunge pool and outdoor showers; a private vehicle with guide and tracker is included. For up to four guests.
Waterside Aloe Room
A compact room at Waterside with an en-suite bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers and a private deck with its own pool. For two guests.
Masiya’s Camp Luxury Tented Suite
One of Masiya’s Camp’s six tented suites, each styled individually, with indoor and outdoor lounges, floor-to-ceiling windows, salas and an indoor-outdoor shower. The wooden deck has a heated plunge pool; for two guests.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.