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Singita Sabi Sand, Kruger National Park 1242 South Africa
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#1 of 2 Specialty lodging in Singita Private Game Reserve
Location
5.0
Cleanliness
4.9
Service
4.9
Value
4.6
Travelers' Choice
Set along the boulder-strewn banks of the Sand River in Singita’s privately owned reserve within Sabi Sand in South Africa, Singita Boulders Lodge has a unique sense of place and seamlessly merges the light, shapes and mood of its environment. The lodge was inspired by the ancient boulders on which it rests and its temperature-controlled wine cellar – featuring an award-winning collection and personalised tastings – was built around some of the organic-shaped rocks found on the site during construction. These shapes are echoed throughout the design of this contemporary sanctuary in the bush. Expansive decks and walkways invite continuous engagements with the surrounding wilderness, while each of the 12 glass-fronted suites features spacious interiors, a fireplace, private deck, outdoor shower and heated pool. Handmade furnishings and luxurious, textured fabrics echo the raw African beauty outside. Cleverly designed communal spaces such as the Copper Bar – serving freshly pressed juices, espressos and cocktails – provide intimate opportunities for guests to connect with each other and share stories of the sightings of the day. Offering a front-row seat to 45,000 acres of untouched wilderness, guests at Boulders Lodge enjoy frequent leopard sightings as well as encounters with a magnificent range of animals like rhino, lion, buffalo, hippos and wild dogs.
We had visited Boulders and Lebombo in 2019, and while both were excellent, Boulders was clearly the better of the two. So when we planned a return visit to South Africa, we made sure Boulders was on the list. The Boulders of the last week was nearly unrecognizable from the one we fell in love with three years ago. There are two types of hotels in the world since 2020, those who use COVID as an excuse to deliver an even worse product (at a higher price) and those, (like cheval blanc randheli, or aman tokyo) that use it as an opportunity to get even better. Boulders is part of the former, 5k USD/night (from 4k USD/night in 2019) yet not even one half as good as it was. Granted, for maybe half of that price, this experience may have been passable, but when you know what it once was, and you reach that kind of price point in Africa, you expect nothing short of exceptional. They are making a pretty penny off the guests, and so they just as well could retain talent, maintain upkeep, and deliver new updates, COVID or not, like any top of the line resort these days. The first thing that seemed off was the service and attention to detail. Last time, within minutes it seemed they already knew everything I wanted or could want and delivered it with a smile. I remember fondly last time coming back from a game drive and hanging out at the bar with the bartender who made an excellent old fashioned and then he brought some freshly baked snack-size pizzas from the kitchen, completely impromptu. I mentioned it on my first day this time in 2022, and wondered if they could make some of those again, of course it never came. But the real reason is that they used to have a fully competent staffed bar all throughout the day, serving drinks, coffees, snacks etc and now it is mostly empty. When you do go to ask for a coffee, they'll find someone who will come back 10 minutes later and the milk will be rancid and they won't give a spoon or sugar. Or if you ask for sugar, it'll take three people fumbling around for another 10 minutes looking for it and finally it comes back and your coffee is cold. This just would never have happened three years ago. Apart from whoever bakes the daily fresh bread (which is still excellent), they have clearly lost significant talent in the kitchen. They used to have personalized menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And while you could always request something, they would change the menus every day, and each dish would be more creative than the next. Now they've combined breakfast and lunch into 'Brunch' and the only breakfast dishes are 'Eggs' meanwhile the rest of the Brunch items are clearly more for lunch time and half the time won't even be available if you ask for them. Not to mention, very little of the menu will change any more. Dinner is now mostly just grilled meats and sides, with an occasional change in soup or salad. I remember last time they had an amazing antelope tartare, that looked like a modern sashimi dish from Nobu with beautiful garnishes and great flavor combos. They used to have some variation on that every other night or so last time, I asked what happened to it and they gave me the new version. Basically a dog bowl of raw meat with no garnish or side. I didn't even take a bite. I was sick of 'eggs' by the last day and asked if they could do a french toast, or any other sort of breakfast speciality (seeing as the rest of the brunch menu was 'off limits' due to it being too early) and they gave me some nearly inedible wonder bread toast with some sort of lemon essence, it was hard to eat so I left most of it, like a disturbing amount of the meals. Desserts are no longer worth taking, as they seem to be pre-made and frozen and then brought out at serving, hard, ice cold, and lacking any style or flavor. Finally, while the park is still breathtaking, and the wild life still phenomenal, the game drives too seem to have suffered from a lack of attention to detail. We were placed with a particularly obnoxious couple with the emotional intelligence and awareness of grade-schoolers, who wouldn't shut up and stop telling inane stories or asking that we look at their photos while we literally experienced the same exact visuals. There was no pause for effect, or any sort of allowing the moment to take you in like last time. The guide, bless his heart, seemed to notice our annoyance, and we stopped going on the game drives all together because we didn't have it in us to tell this couple to give the ear a rest. Nonetheless, no one from the lodge seemed to take notice, or check in with us, or see why we weren't going on the drives. They could've easily offered to put us in another car, or given us a different guide, anything, anything at all, but of course they did nothing. We even mentioned how we would have liked to see the canine unit one day, and of course it was peremptorily offered at 7pm on our last night, when of course it was too late to do anything about it. It's worth noting that very few of the current guests are repeat customers, we were one of the only ones. My guess is, like me, they don't see the value or can't bring themselves to experience such a lesser copy of the former lodge, and why tarnish the great memories with these poor new ones. The hotel hasn't been renovated in years, and the rooms are definitely worse for the wear. The windows and roof are like sieves for insects so you'll be getting plenty of insect bites. The beds are hard as rock. Another funny aside: we asked for a mattress pad our first night and they said housekeeping had done it, but it was just as hard as before. We asked for plain cotton sheets (I know, so much to ask) instead of the itchy linen ones and they again, did nothing. I had to take a picture, and show them what to change, so then they did the pillow cases but left the duvet. After the third time asking, I just gave up. I'm literally exhausted from the last four days, and writing this review was hard to do as it's painful to spend 20k on a vacation and be more stressed than you left it, but hopefully our time in Cape town (at a fraction of the price) will make up for that. I'll certainly get a meal at least (for less than 100 usd for two) that will be a million times better than anything I ate at boulders. They're literally kicking us out at the earliest possible time today. This after emailing me earlier this year before our arrival telling me to change my flight from Joburg to Capetown to a later time to 'avoid a tight transfer'. So now I have a lovely 7 hour wait at Tambo awaiting for a 1.5 hour flight to Cape Town, a fitting parting gift from Singita.…
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Go to cape town instead or safari in tanzania
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Dec 8, 2022
Dear luxurytravelenjoyer Many thanks for your detailed review even if somewhat disappointing. Thank you for taking the time to list all the touchpoints at Boulders Lodge that did not live up to your expectations from your previous stay with us in 2019. This review is particularly disheartening as we pride ourselves on offering an exceptional safari experience, often transformational and life-changing for our guests. We have taken your feedback to heart as there are always ways in which we can improve and have shared it with our lodge and operations teams to ensure that we don’t miss a beat to delight all guests who chose to stay with us. Warm regards, Graham Kennedy, Operations Director
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Boulders is just wonderful! Beautiful! The location along a river is spot on because the animals love coming to the water & large groups of elephants, giraffes, & zebras came by and entertained us during our outdoor lunches. In the morning we were picked up by our greats guides, Nick & Vusie. They knew just where to find all the animals and taught us so much about them. They took such good care of us too bringing us hot water bottles for chilly mornings, making us delicious coffee & homemade treats. On the afternoon rides they brought along cocktails & audhorves … it is a luxurious safari to say the least. Loved it! Our room was an enormous suite beautifully decorated as was the bathroom. On our deck over looking the river we had our own heated plunge pool. To sit in the pool and watch the animals in the river was something I won’t forget. In the evening we returned to a fire roaring in the fireplace… The staff is great as everyone has already said. They know you, remember you , your likes and preferences. They all go out of their way to make it special for the guests. They are ALL lovely! We had a wonderful time at the Boulders & at Singita Sweni also.…
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
From the second I stepped off the plane I was warmly welcomed into the Singita family. We were greeted with warmth and kindness that felt authentic. The entire staff was extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the area, the property etc. The service was top notch and the little things really stand out. The safari was spectacular. We saw the big 5 in the first few days and had some incredible once in a lifetime moments. The spa, the food and the service was impeccable. This placed exceeded my expectations. I hope I am lucky enough to return one day.
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Jun 14, 2022
Hi There, Thank you so much for you kind words, we are so happy that you had such a memorable stay with us, and are so grateful that you selected Singita to be a part of your African adventure. We trust you felt at home and we look forward to welcoming you back to your Singita family in the near future. Best wishes Jordan and the Boulders Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We have become addicted to Singita this year! We stayed with our kids in the family room during the December lockdown. We were welcomed on arrival by Mark and it felt like we were back visiting family! Mark is like google on steroids when it comes to bush knowledge and we have been very privileged to have him as our ranger for our stays. The game was spectacular. On one of our drives we were surrounded by buffalo, rhino and elephant! The leopard sightings were amazing with wonderful drives along the Sabi river tracking these magnificent cats. Our last morning drive we saw the Scotia leopard attempting to hunt impala which was the cherry on the top. The kids will always remember having smores freshly made and marshmallows braaied on a fire in the bush at one of our sunset drink stops. The experiences will stay with us forever. The rooms, food and service are exceptional. I mentioned I love creme brulee one morning and that evening at our boma dinner, we were served creme brulee ice-cream! The staff don't miss a thing, and will go out of their way to make every stay an unbelievable experience! Its tough to write a review about a place that exceeds your wildest dreams! I hope to be able to come back soon. A big thank you to every staff member that made this Singita experience truly magical!…
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Date of stay: December 2021
Rooms
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Service
Room Tip:All rooms are fantastic!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Jan 27, 2022
Dear Peter, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to write such a heartfelt review of your experience at Boulders Lodge. It always such a pleasure to welcome you back to your Singita Family. We are delighted you enjoyed yourselves and we really appreciate you acknowledging the team, we will definitely share your kind words with everyone. We look forward to welcoming you and your family back to create more lasting memories with your children. Warm regards, Kathryn and the Boulders Family Let me know if you happy with the response. Many thanks, Kath and the Singita Boulders Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
5star all round. What an experience. Rooms are beautiful, attention to detail exceptional, food delicious. We stayed for 2 nights and saw the BIG 5. Highly recommend this lodge. Nick and Vusi exceptional and knowledgeable game rangers.
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Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
As returning guest to Boulders we couldn‘t wait to be able to travel again. We thank the Boulders family for the exceptional experiences during our stay. Wildlife, culinarily top experience, wines out of this world and the personalized, warm hearted treatment - you can not top it. Enuel, Vivien, Gift, Selina,Return, Minnie, Nunu, Luke,,…we miss you all already. And finally the Bush Team, Musa and Mark. Many thanks for all the adventures and unforgettable moments.
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Date of stay: November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Boulders is unparalleled in terms of game viewing, hospitality and food. Vusi and Nick were our tracker and guide. Through them we had many wonderful sightings and felt connected to nature in a totally new way despite being on many other trips to Africa. We also had a lot of fun The food and wine at Boulders is beyond delicious. It was presented with warm professional attentiveness by Ernest. The sommelier, Minnie, presented the most spectacular wines from the vast wine cellar which has international fame for good reason. Minnie individualized her wine recommendations to our tastes and we were able to expand our knowledge of wine and try new wines. A wine tasting with Minnie was arranged to our delight. A special Hamilton dinner was arranged for us because Boulders knew we are fans. It was magnificent. The courses were named for songs from the show down to the cocktails. This is one example of many individual thoughtful touches.…
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Must stay at Boulders-everything you could possibly want.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Nov 7, 2021
Dear Suzanne, As General Manager of Singita Sabi Sand I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to write such a heartfelt review of your experience at Boulders Lodge. I am so pleased you enjoyed yourselves and we really appreciate you acknowledging the team. All the best and we sincerely hope we get the opportunity of welcoming you back in the near future. Grant and the Boulders Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
we had postponed our trip to So Africa several times due to Covid, but once vaccinated we decided to go and SO glad we did. We are a family of 4 (sons ages 21 and 25), and had 2 villas, there for 4 days and nights. First the people, everyone was so professional, interesting, kind and wonderful to talk with, to name just a few our wonderful guide Andreas who knew so much, not just "book" smart but also so many interesting cultural, anecdotal bush information, and who together with our fabulous tracker Phenwell (pls excuse my misspelling!) found every animal for us from the leopards mating, walking with giraffes, lions feasting on a kill, hunting with the wild dogs and so much more! And all the wonderful staff, Winnie who took such good care of us, Warwick talking with us so much and everyone else. As far as the lodge itself, it does not disappoint, it is absolutely beautiful, the villas look exactly as advertised but even bigger and more beautiful in person, and wonderful food and service. I can't recommend Boulders enough.…
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Date of stay: August 2021
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Sep 20, 2021
Dear Lori, Thank you very much for your wonderful review of Singita Boulders Lodge! It was an absolute pleasure hosting you and your family and we are delighted that you had such an amazing stay with us. We know it took a while for you to get here, but we are so glad that you eventually did. Along with some great game viewing and lodge experiences, we are thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed the people. Our team prides themselves on delivering the best experience possible for our guests and it is amazing how quickly you can form strong connections and friendships with people over just a few days. Andries, Phanuel and Winnie certainly form the backbone of our talented team and they really enjoyed sharing this time with you. We hope we will get to meet again someday soon and the entire team sends their regards, as do I. Please also say hello to Paul, Michael and Ryan for us! All our best, Warrick and The Boulders Family
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed 4 nights at Singita Boulders Lodge last month while on an extended private safari, and spent most of our stay tracking and searching for Hosana, a famous male leopard whose territory is on the Othawa property, which is part of Singita's traverse area. The lodge was very luxe and beautiful, and the staff, food, amenities, setting on the Sand River, and the guiding were absolutely first rate. No request was too much, no special needs were overlooked, and our experience was truly exceptional. We are avid safari-goers and wanted a very specific experience searching for Hosana. But in addition to finding him, we saw many other animals and had some very interesting sightings, so the overall stay was really perfect!
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Date of stay: July 2021
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Room Tip:All of the suites were river-side and truly exceptional. Huge rooms, huge bathrooms, fireplaces,...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Aug 20, 2021
Dear Lisa, Thank you so much for your heartfelt review of Singita Boulders Lodge. We know you had some big goals to achieve whilst here - we are thrilled they were accomplished. We are happy to hear your overall stay was so wonderful! We feel privileged to work and live in such a beautiful part of the world and grateful that we can share this with you. The lodge, the surroundings and the people are incredible, and we hope this will encourage you to return to Singita Sabi Sands. Paul, Emmanuel, Sylvester, and the rest of the Boulders team send their regards! All our best, Warrick and The Boulders Family
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
When we decided to go on a last-minute safari, Singita Boulders seemed like the obvious option. Traveling 15+ hours to go on a 4 day safari may have seemed crazy to some, but when you are going to Singita—it’s well worth the journey. They made accommodations for all of our very specific kosher dietary needs and were meticulous about ensuring every single detail was perfect. With only 3-4 other couples at the lodge at the time, we felt like we were the only guests. We had our own jeep and really felt like our driver and tracker understood quickly what we wanted to see and made sure to go above and beyond to make it happen. We saw the Big Five within 48 hours and a kill on our third day. The rooms are great. Having the fireplace in the winter is an extra-nice touch. We hope to be back at Singita again.…
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from Singita Traveller, General Manager at Singita Boulders Lodge
Responded Aug 20, 2021
Dear Diana, Thank you for taking the time to write such a wonderful review of Singita Boulders Lodge. We are delighted to hear that you and David had an enjoyable stay. We know it is a very long journey, but so glad we could make you feel at home in just a few days with us. We have an exceptional team who pride themselves in creating the best guest experience possible. Paul and Emmanuel are a great combo in the bush, and really enjoyed guiding you through all of nature’s wonders. We are also very glad that your dining experience was perfect and that your requirements were well catered for; Wesley and his team, is very passionate about creating the food journey Singita is so well-known for. We hope to welcome you back to Singita Sabi Sands soon! All our best, Warrick and The Boulders Family
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.