Three Tree Hill Lodge

Our family of 5 (2 teens & an 11 year old) have just left Three Tree Hill after having enjoyed a fabulous stay of 3 nights. From the moment we arrived we could feel the love & attention to detail that’s gone into creating this very special place. The decor is both stylish and comfortable and the location is stunning, with huge views over the surrounding grassland and the Spioenkop Nature Reserve. This is such a peaceful place but we had plenty to do. We throughly enjoyed our walk with Three Tree’s friendly and knowledgeable guide Ruben and loved both our trail rides led by owner Cheryl, whose patience and kindness made our daughter fall in love with riding again. Make sure not to miss the battlefield tour with Pierre, whose encyclopedic knowledge and passion is so engaging even teenagers can’t resist. And then there’s the food! Absolutely outstanding meals and kids options available for those that need them. The wine selection is also top notch. However, what really makes this place special for us is the personal service and care taken by the team. Nothing was too much trouble. Many thanks to Melanie for her kindness to me & the kids, who loved beating her at both archery and cards! Our thanks also to the kitchen and dining team and most of all to Cheryl, for sharing your time, knowledge and this wonderful place with us.

We have enjoyed our two-night stay at this lodge. It is low-key but friendly. Our room is a good size and has a great view of the nearby bush with some gorgeous aloes in flower when we were there right in front of the nice verandah. The bed is large and comfortable; there are two armchairs inside the room as well as the verandah chairs. The bathroom is good. There is a kettle with tea and coffee supplies, but no fridge, and the milk cartons were not replenished during our stay. The room is incredibly cold in the winter first thing in the morning, despite the panel heater being on all night and us keeping the towel rail on with the towels removed. The main lodge building has a very comfortable and warm lounge area with dining section, or you might eat on the terrace if it is warm enough (we came in winter), with a cute boma area for pre-dinner drinks round the fire. There is also a library with a large number of books (and the only reliable wifi on site, the room wifi being very patchy) and a wine cellar. The lodge is in a great place for exploring the nearby Boer war battlefields or the Drakensberg mountains. There is also a game reserve literally next door as well as walking, biking and horse riding offered on site. Breakfasts are very good, but my husband found quite a lot of the other food a bit too strange for his basic palate. I liked most things, though! This is the fourth lodge we have stayed in during our trip round KwaZulu-Natal, and although we have enjoyed it, it is one that I would not choose to return to.

Our stay at Three Thee Hill definitely warrants a 5 star or 10/10 review….. from the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by Melanie and Cheryl and showed to our lodge, which itself has the amazing views over the valley. We did an optional guided walk with Cheryl (the owner) which from the first steps was very special; we nearly stumbled into some Zebra and did a beautiful walk for circa two hours into the game reserve. Food that evening was excellent, as it was for the rest of our stay. Our main full day was spent with Pierre who is a walking history book on all things Spioenkop; his introduction over breakfast (wonderful again – surroundings and food itself) and his on-site explanations really brought the atrocities and mistakes of the battle to life; highly recommended for anyone with an interest into the past of South Africa.

Could not fault anything whilst we were here. The food was excellent and the staff were so attentive. I would recommend this place to anyone. It was a long slog to get here but certainly worth the journey. A big thank you to everyone who made our stay so memorable.

An understated and unpretentious lodge with charming atmosphere and staff. The comfortable rooms had fabulous views. The battlefield tours were fantastic with Pierre, our guide. The lodge had Boer War memorabilia dotted around to add to the interest. The food was innovative and delicious and the wine selection excellent. A weekend to remember !

I really cannot overstate how magical this Lodge is. The lodge and rooms are reminiscent of the Karen Blixen era of Africa….. save that her guests could not have had such amazing food. It would be wrong to pick out any member of staff as all were knowledgeable and friendly. They think of every guest need and then add a special twist to make it better. As for Pierre’s guidance on Spioen Kop, We shall never forget it… it was informative and emotional. Thank you everyone…. only one regret: we never got to meet Cheryl.