"Breathtaking experience."

It is definitely worth it. The workers there are very helpful and very friendly. The service is fantastic and the view is incredibly beautiful. Mahala View will definitely see us again.

"Relaxing close to nature."

It was nice to be in the woods and not have to drive far. Had a very nice view.

"Peaceful."

It is a wonderful idyllic setting. I went to find a peaceful place for a small retreat and to meditate, and it was perfect. Thank you.

"The best bush weekend getaway."

Absolutely amazing service and location. We could hear the lions from our room. Most beautiful view of the sunset and sunrise. The staff made sure we were good the whole weekend. So clean and spacious as well. Perfect bush escape!

"Nice, peaceful, beautiful view, roaring lions, laughing hyenas and jackals."

Tanz and her team carried us on their hands. Hospitable and friendly. Help with the smallest things. Carry wood and ice towards you. Put on new duvet covers in the evening, after hurting a leg and staining it with blood.

"The silence was delicious for us. Oasis in the woods. Most beautiful sunset. Will it for."

Beautiful accommodation. Clean, very neat. The silence and view invigorates your soul. Tanya's communication throughout was amazing. Well rested.

"Perfect."

Our stay at Mahala View Lodge was very nice, we rested well and could just take in nature.

"Amazing and awesome."

Our stay at Mahala View Lodge was awesome, with an amazing view. It was so quiet that you could hear everything. It was amazing to hear the lions and hyenas.

"A gem in the bush."

The place is a little gem and the owners are excellent. The place is clean and best of all, the sound of lions nearby at night and early mornings was such a treat.

"Very quiet and peaceful."

Very friendly staff and helpful.

"Very peaceful and quiet."

Very peaceful and quiet - staff very friendly and helpful. Could hear the lions and hyenas from the Sanctuary close by (which we went to and was amazing). Was just disappointed that the pictures of the accommodation near the fence line painted a different setup in our minds.

"Most beautiful view over the forest."

Very peaceful and nice visit - nothing "fancy" but everything you need for a forest break away from the noise! Lions from a nearby farm were beautiful to listen to.

"Incredible souls eat in nature - with beautiful views and excellent accommodation."

An incredibly nice weekend where your soul is fed. Just the silence and beauty of nature. Incredibly friendly staff. Clean and tidy accommodation. Will definitely go back!

"Bliss for the soul."

Nice and quiet, friendly service and you hear the lions in the evening. What an experience! Can really recommend the place to those who appreciate tranquility and nature.

"Quiet, neat."

Staff are helpful and friendly. The accommodation at Mahala View Lodge is very neat. The atmosphere is peaceful and the view of nature is beautiful. There are even roaring lions and hyenas in the background.

"Peaceful."

Staff were very friendly and very helpful.

"Thanks to everyone at Mahala View. We enjoyed an amazing weekend, you guys are awesome."

Only thing that was uncomfortable is the stairs. Otherwise it was.

"Tranquility for the soul. Everything you need in one place."

Absolutely nothing short of anything, except a longer period of time to be able to stay there. Short break that was needed and it was exactly what one needed. Silence, peace and quiet.

"Quiet, tidy and a perfect getaway to recharge."

The perfect place for a break and to recharge. Clean, tidy and a breathtakingly beautiful view. Would definitely recommend.

"Absolutely breathtaking views and tranquility."

The views from Mahala View Lodge were out of this world when it came to sunsets. The cool breeze in the afternoon as you sit by your braai, listening to the sounds of birds chirping and lions from the Sanctuary nearby, is perfect. It's a hidden little gem for couples who want to escape the rush of life and appreciate the peace of nature without any distractions. The rock pool was also stunning, and the aesthetic was pleasing to the eye as well. The hosts and staff were friendly and checked in every morning to make sure you're happy. I will definitely be returning soon! Thank you Mahala View Lodge for an unforgettable weekend.

"We really enjoyed and appreciated the environment, beautiful chalet and friendly staff."

The hostess was very helpful and the night sounds! Most beautiful view, we had a great time and relaxed.

"Beautiful stay."

Lovely and clean chalets with stunning views over the reserve. Tanya was a lovely and accommodating host as well. Ensure you bring your own tea and coffee as this is not included in the chalet. Will visit again.

"Warm welcome by owner Tanya and staff, very quiet, just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city, hearing lions, hyenas and jackal at night."

We enjoyed a week away from everything busy, loadshedding is a problem - bring enough solar lights, a camping gas stove and a fridge/freezer running on gas or battery, owners are upgrading the chalets however we found the rustic environment very relaxing, braai facilities cleaned every day, owner and staff very helpful and friendly, a game drive to the Lion and Cheetah Sanctuary is a must, an OK shop and Liquor is situated approximately 10 km from Mahala, stock most items and is reasonable, tar road in excellent condition and gravel road is maintained, relaxing on the deck is a must especially at night. Bed was firm and bedding was in excellent condition, Mahala provides bath towels, toilet paper, dish drying towels, dishwashing towels, dishwashing soap. Currently busy with upgrading, however, did not interfere with our stay at all. Will definitely visit again.

"Nice and relaxing."

Quiet and pleasant place for a holiday. Clean and well kept. Friendly and efficient staff.

"Only stayed 2 nights for family gathering nearby."

The fridge and plugs were not working when we arrived. The dog rushes in and jumps on the beds. The cat bothers and the door has to be closed all the time because the cat jumps everywhere. We have stayed in guesthouses with much lower prices that are much neater. No coffee or sugar put out. However, the view is excellent from up there. The lodges are obviously quite old and very "rustic".

"Just what we expected."

Wow, it was exactly as described. Nice and quiet with only the animal sounds around you. The place was very clean and tidy, with everything you need. Reception was very friendly and gave information about the area. The worker is just so friendly. The "Rock Pool" is stunning and the shade net over the ear is a bonus. I can easily recommend it if you like the forest and just want to be quiet.

"Absolutely amazing."

Very pleasant, clean, staff extremely helpful. Listen to the call of the lions, jackal and hyenas at night. Spectacular views. Great hiking trails. A must.

"Best place to feel better."

The place makes you feel great from minute one. Very quiet and you can just heal from whatever is bothering you. Walking is amazing and safe.

"Very calm."

You hear the lions right through the night. It's woodland. Love the bush shower.

"Nice and quiet!"

It was a nice peaceful weekend with the sound of lions, hyenas and foxes in the distance. Swimming pool area is very nice, weekend was just nice and cold. Would recommend for people who just want to rest.

"Great."

Very friendly manager.

"Peaceful if you want to get away from luxuries."

Already booked again. Primitive with essentials, if you want a camp atmosphere it's perfect. Can look at door that can't lock. Curtains and carpet very dirty, can upgrade. Lighting at braai area insufficient. Cushions for chairs at outdoor areas would be a bonus. Nice place with pets. Glad I could take mine with me. Nice short distance from city noise and rush.

"Very relaxing."

Nice and peaceful with a lovely view.

"Friendly and helpful reception."

We were in the King's View mountain cabins. The access road to the cabins is not really meant for a 2X4 or regular sedan. The stairs in the cabin are not comfortable for older people. Maintenance deserves attention, especially the furniture. Game drives with your own vehicle are not permitted. The hiking trail is a pleasant experience. Directions are clear.

"Abandoned Place"

Desolate. Dust and very old cobwebs. No interest from owner/manager. No worker/manager in sight.

"Excellent"

Views were phenomenal. And the dogs that visit you, make it feel like home.

"Fantastic, peace and quiet, view, friendly, game park atmosphere."

The lions roar, the hyenas laugh and the jackals call. The view is perfect, if you like quiet and rustic with the necessary luxuries, this is the place for you. The staff are hands down the nicest people and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts for everything. It's so nice and close, yet it feels like you're sitting in KNP. Will definitely go back there again. The meeting with the red cat was so special and so were all the other animals, the peacocks, geese, bunnies, nyala etc. I can go on, the list doesn't stop. It is so close to God and so peaceful.

"See stars."

Would love to visit them again. Enjoyed a lot. Friendly and helpful.

"Was great, but road condition needs to improve and code to get in and out needs to be fixed."

Will be better after everything is repaired at Mahala View. Can also improve stairs, was uncomfortable and can put a kitchen underneath as well and bigger freezer.

"Have a nice time."

The units and the resort need some attention, otherwise we had a great time. The caretakers are fantastic people, would love to visit Mahala View again. Location is perfect.

"Restful!"

Great break from the city, friendly management. We would love to go again, clean pool, lovely braai areas.

"Very nice in the forest."

Cloud of mosquitoes in upstairs bedroom, because roof and wall are not sealed. Very unpleasant. Sorry it's not located within Dinokeng, but it was nice to have the lodge to ourselves. Really enjoyed the forest around us. Peacocks' noise in the night disturbed and interrupted the night sounds that we could not hear.

"Wonderfully peaceful"

Kitchen accessories can be improved. Meat bowl, salad bowl and a sharp knife. The sink is very small and there is no drying rack. The cushions can be refurbished.

"It was nice."

The photos and description sounded great and it is quite a disappointment physically with the cabins. The pool is far and they should mention that the space is nice.

"We are easy going people but were not happy with this booking."

It is conveniently close to Dinokeng. There is not much to do on the premises itself especially with 2 young boys. It would be better suited for people who book a group and want to have a party as the hangout area is very nice (pool, bar etc). The beds were unfortunately some of the most uncomfortable I have ever experienced, the double beds should have been replaced a long time ago as the springs pushed through the mattress. The showers were also terribly uncomfortable. My husband is 2m tall and I'm 1.68m, I had to bend down to rinse my hair, so for my husband it was really uncomfortable. I would rather spend a few rand extra and stay in Dinokeng instead next time.

"Lovely area but definitely not the best facilities."

My friend booked the accommodation first and I did a few minutes after her (so 2nd out of 3). When we arrived I got the chalet at the back with hardly any view. There is no mention if its self catering but there isn't anywhere to eat for kms. So one would assume the accommodation would have facilities to keep food and drink since it has a braai area and disappointing cooking facilities. Luckily my friend had a fridge in her chalet but I had a little bar fridge where I could fit 6 cans next to each other. My son had to sleep in my bed as the roof was falling onto this bed. My chalet was also much smaller than the other 2 yet I paid the same price. A cupboard would also have been a nice touch.

"Weak."

We slept in Lion Den units. Was very dirty and full of cobwebs and moldy shower walls and roofs. Looks like the cottages have been granted for months. Not kid friendly at all. We were a group of people and the meeting area was also very dirty. Chairs were broken and cushions were very dirty. All that was okay was the lion's roar in the evenings.

"On first arrival excellent view and nice deep in the forest. But when the night came the picture changed a lot with the power that no one came to put on. Would rather stay outside in a tent. then we might have stayed the whole weekend."

The cabin was not cleaned well, cobwebs on the roof. Bathroom light and bedside light not working. There was a hole at the bottom of the wall and the inside was filled with loose, round stones. A mouse came to gnaw on our food at night. Door closes with a string on the inside. Power was out through the night. Reported it at 08:00 Saturday morning and by 11:00 when no one showed up, without being able to make coffee or breakfast, we just packed up and drove home.

"Disappointing."

No maintenance, chalets dirty, bedding torn and holes in it. Pool green and not usable. No TV in room as per website.

"Absolute disappointment! For the rates charged any guest would definitely expect more - no value for money!"

When we drove into the lodge's gate we were overwhelmed by the absolute neglect and deterioration, gardens unkempt, the reception area receiving guests years ago - the road to the Mountain View Chalets can only be reached with a 4x4, it's true, however, the road is very narrow, our vehicles and the couple who were also there got stuck between the side walls around the corner - the corner is too narrow, the host had to tow them out the next morning. The chalet is quite clean, carpets need a wash, already old, curled up on the sides, bed linen and towels, three out of five. They try to maintain what is still there, curtains need attention, holes in them, sun or fish moths? Definitely not three star quality! Difficulty getting in or out of security gate, no signal at gate to call host/wife. At least have to give credit to the host and wife, tried their best, visited often, and Piet was very helpful. The ash from the braaier is scraped right next to the braaier. The sewage system lacks attention, open and dangerous for children. The owners will definitely have to pay attention to upgrading the place, can't ride the wave of earlier years when the Lion Man was still with us! Rates are too high for what is offered there. We don't have a problem paying, but we are looking for value for our money. We have visited so many lovely places that we booked through the website, but this time, believe me, we hit a boobie! Advice to prospective guests, read all the reviews first.

"Very cute place"

We enjoyed our weekend at Mahala so much. Terribly beautiful views, nice neat unit and friendly service.

"Very cute place, enjoyed weekend."

Would only recommend that the pillows please. be replaced, because it is really very flat, as well as a larger fridge with freezer space. It's quite small to keep meat and drinks cold. Parking was also quite a problem.

"There are no lions at all as said, terribly steep stairs to where the kitchen and bedroom are. Slept through mattress. Nothing to do at place itself. No shop nearby. But we made the most of it and had a great time."

I have to say the view from the deck is very nice but they really need to look into a little more, like braai, better mattress and that you don't struggle so much to get up and down again with luggage, if you step wrong there you will get badly hurt . And if there was maybe a cafe nearby it would be better. But like I said we had a nice rest.

"Never again, not value for money at all."

Place is dirty inside. Urine stain on bedding. Toilet doesn't work. Microwave oven not working. Umbrella for the porch is unusable. Door doesn't close at all.

"Place is neglected."

Upon arrival we had to wait a full 30 minutes for someone to unlock. False advertisement that cottages overlook lion cages. Have to drive to another farm and pay R350 pp to see lions. The place is dilapidated and houses are dirty. Cottage for 6 people only has a small fridge with a small freezer compartment. Cottage for 6 also only has cutlery for 3 to 4. I do not recommend Mahala View Lodge in any way and think their prices are far too high for what you get.

"Disappointing and unfortunate."

Both the upstairs and downstairs showers were blocked. The downstairs shower was cracked and had been covered with a rubber mat to hide the crack. When the water builds up, the dirt from the crack would well up. The upstairs bathroom door panel would fall out every time one closes the door. The downstairs patio is extremely unstable and unsafe. The wood is close to snapping and the chair legs drop through the large spaces. It was very dirty and dusty. The dust had piled up in the corners and it seemed like it hadn't been dusted in months. The thatched roof and the walls weren't properly connected. There is a big gap between the roof and the walls and anything can crawl in through this space. We had left butter on top of the microwave in the kitchen overnight and awoke to find that something had gotten into the unit, most probably through the gap between the wall and the roof, to chew on it. The one plate of the small stove/hot plate doesn't turn off and it must unplugged to switch it off. We weren't given any keys for the unit and each time we left the place, we had to hide our laptops and valuables as we couldn't lock the apartment. After mentioning that there were some problems with the unit to the manager, the host contacted us and asked if there was anything they could fix, but due to the extent of the lack of maintenance on the property, we let her know that we will make do, as it would have been impossible to fix all of the problems and that which needed refurbishing in just one night, as there was only one night left of our stay.

"No manager on site. "

We were greeted by a neighbour as apparently the manager resigned, I wasn't sure if it was months or weeks before. The lodge we could clearly see was not maintained for years. The stairs not safe walking up, thatch roofs need repairs, I have pictures. We were not informed the accommodation was on split level and kids access to the other level was outside the kitchen and double bed WC upstairs, downstairs double bed and single bed. Water temperate was very low, only one person could shower on arrival. This was only resolved on Monday and was informed temperature on geyser was set to 25 when it should have been set at 60 at least. Old spider eggs were present on the ceiling of the top unit, informed owner, nothing was done other than to send someone to have a look. We were out for most of the day on Saturday and someone could have resolved the issue. Unit 1 and 2 was offered however there were water pressure issues at that unit. If you showered upstairs the water would leak to the downstairs bathroom. The lodge was not closed in the evening, there was a gate but the fence was damaged so no point in closing main gate. No keys were given to lock up units when we went out. Bar fridge available however not sufficient for 6 people and longer stays. Only 2 small pots available, pan was well used and should be replaced. No salad bowls and oven mittens. Loads of metal rubble in the ex lion enclosure, fence damaged. Creepy wasn't working but the pool pump was working. Coaches in TV/bar area was torn have pictures.

"It was an incredible experience."

It was a quiet and peaceful weekend. Will definitely go there again. What an experience to be able to hear nature and wild animals in the evening. The people are very friendly and made us feel very welcome.

"Very peaceful weekend in lovely surroundings, the accommodation needs attention, but the surroundings and the lions make up for it."

Leon and the staff were very friendly and helpful at all times. The lions with the kick-in were an absolute winner and amazing to be so close to them and be able to see them all the time in the camp. However, the stay was not what we expected. It is very small and the porch area where we could hang out was very small. Although this is a self-catering unit, there is no space to prepare food, no sink or any crockery to prepare food. It definitely needs a lot of attention to maintenance to get the accommodation up to standard. With a little TLC to the accommodation and living areas together with the view and beautiful surroundings it will surely be a very nice place to spend a weekend away from the city.

"Big disappointment. "

Get ready for the biggest disappointment. Nothing is according to the ad.

"Amazing experience with lions up close."

Really enjoyed our stay. Staff was friendly and willing to help with everything. Enjoyed the interaction with the lions and their calls at night. Chalet was clean and neat and beds were super comfy. Really enjoyed the break.

"It was peaceful and the management was friendly and helpful."

The view was fantastic and it was a peaceful week's stay away from the city noise. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The pool was nice and clean and it was lovely to cool off in it. The braai facilities were neat and clean. The lion talk presented by Leon was very informative and the feeding of the lions was amazing to watch. The game drive was just as interesting as what was offered by Daan and there was a lot of game to see.

"The place is very dirty and dilapidated."

Will not recommend anyone to Mahala View.

"I like that place and their service."

There's a guy by the name of Piet, he is so friendly, ever smiling, he knows his job and hows to keep customers happy. Even the ladies at the reception - I like them, that place is clean. We saw the lions and the owner took us on a game drive. I showed my friends my photos and they liked that place.

"Awesome, the lions were beautiful."

Would definitely go back there, awesome.

"Informative and calm."

Was an amazing experience, especially hearing the lions roaring through the night.

"Wonderful."

A peaceful place with the roaring of lions in your ears. Everyone is very welcoming and helpful. Will go back anytime.

"Stunning places!"

Neat, well equipped place. The roar of the lions while sitting around the fire was a bonus!

"Very calm. We rested well since it was fairly private."

We really enjoyed it. The kitchen is quite small and you can't really prepare big meals in that space. However, we did have a nice braai and rested well.

"Nice relaxing weekend."

We spent the weekend in Kingsview 3. They could consider replacing the double bed mattress as it was too flat. There wasn't enough surface space in the unit to prepare meals. The water pressure from the cold tap was very weak, luckily we could use the hot water tap for brushing our teeth. The deck had a bee nest, so we weren't able to enjoy our morning and afternoon coffee there as the bees bothered us. Apart from these issues, the weekend was really nice. Peaceful area. The educational talk about lions and the feeding session were very insightful. Leon's knowledge about lions is very thorough. Due to the weather we couldn't swim, but the swimming pool area looked really nice. Really appreciated the help with the dishes. Would definitely stay there again, just next time book number 1 so we can have a view of the area from the deck.

"It is not value for money"

The game drive is a look at other farms on a public road. The lion reading is for children.