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Reviews of Zimbali Lodge

3 out of 5
Zimbali Lodge
5 Corkwood Dr, Zimbali Coastal Estate, Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal

Reviews

8.2

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 116 out of 270 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 86 out of 270 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 36 out of 270 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 18 out of 270 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 14 out of 270 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

6.6/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our room was wonderful - clean and spacious. Staff were helpful and friendly. The top pool area was restful. There was no restaurant facility and the trek to and from the Fairmont Hotel tiresome, having to wait for both a buggy and minibus to get us from the Lodge to the Hotel and vice versa.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The smell in the room was not pleasant, the carpet are not clean n I saw cockroach in our room a big one
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Shiraz

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
perfection @ its best
perfect
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
It was amazing, really enjoyed the stay. The aircon did not work very well and we had to reset the card we were given 3 times as it did not work when using the exit gate
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2020

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This property is no longer a “hotel” in the true sense and really should not be sold as such - it is verging on misrepresentation. It was clearly once a very attractive place but has been seriously neglected and is being turned into a downmarket timeshare resort. On checking in we were told that a) there are no restaurants, no room service and no bars other than a pool bar that opens only during the day. b) the only restaurants were at the Zimbali Fairmont - 3 km away, within the same estate, but that a transfer service was provided (as if this was a benefit!). We found this completely unacceptable and asked if we could upgrade to the Fairmont, but there were no rooms. As we were only there for one night and had had a long drive we weren’t really in a position to start looking for another hotel in the area, but did at least manage to get some lunch in a cafe in nearby Ballito. We would never stay there again in any circumstances and frankly Expedia should be ashamed of marketing it as a “hotel”. I’d be happy to give you a very long list of observations about this dump (including the utter farce of the dinner “arrangement” which didn’t include the ability to sign for the meal-cash or card was demanded. Most tellingly of all, ex Lodge staff who worked at the Fairmont told us it was embarrassing to see a once luxury resort run down like this,
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Barry

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Sianne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

6/10 Okay

Tanja

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful ....but personally think the estate set up is too large and impersonal. The fact that there is no restaurant or room service at the Lodge was dissapointing and had to wait a very long time for a shuttle to the main resort , so we ended up walking the 2.4kms.....
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019
Response from General Manager on 26 Feb 2020
Dear Tanja, Thank you for sharing your views with us. We hope that you might consider staying at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort in the future to better match your stay needs. Thank you again for sharing your review. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Michelle

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good stay at Zimbali Lodge
It was a good stay, our room was very nice. I was a bit upset that staying at the lodge we did not get breakfast and were told we had to pay for it at the Hotel. People should take note of that also. there is a fee charged for travel to the valley of Pools (R50 per person) which surprised us a bit. otherwise going everywhere else is covered.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Location is excellent but the lodge is looking tired. Guests need to use the Fairmont Hotel for food and drink as the main lodge building has been downgraded. Staff on the whole were very good but unfortunately there are some light fingers and property was stolen from the room. The room safe is not big enough for every item, so be wary.
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Nhlanhla

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

8/10 Good

Shobhana

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The place was amazing however not much consideration for the guests convenience. We had gotten soaked 3 times as shuttle vehicles were obstructing parking and left unattended, Forcing us to park in the rain before checking inn and out. We did advise the guy at reception on departure however he seemed amused to sèe us wet. The cleaners were noisy and created a disturbance outside the room, so much so that we had to wake and go outside to see what the commotion was about at 7.30am No consideration was shown to guests that are on holiday and want to wake a lilttle late.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

4/10 Poor

Dale

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tsholofelo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Tsholo
The experience was amazing. There is a guy by the name of Duncan, he made our stay magical. There entire staff is professional
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Chris

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from General Manager on 18 Nov 2019
Dear Chris, Thank you for taking the time to rate us. We are happy to see that you had a good stay at the hotel, and we hope you will be back again in the future. Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

6/10 Okay

fathima

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The lodge needs upgrading..
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from General Manager on 18 Nov 2019
Dear Fathima, Thank you for taking the time to rate us. We are sorry to see that your time with us did not meet your expectations, and we hope that in future you will consider visiting us again for a better experience. Thank you for your feedback. Sincerely, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Nikayla

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2019
Response from General Manager on 18 Nov 2019
Dear Nikayla, Thank you for your review and for your support! We hope to welcome you back again soon. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

philip

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019
Response from General Manager on 12 Nov 2019
Dear Philip, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are delighted to see that your stay with us exceeded your expectations! We look forward to welcoming you back to stay with us in the near future. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Vusumzi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019
Response from General Manager on 12 Nov 2019
Dear Vusumzi, We appreciate your review regarding your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your rating is shared with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Pretty

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
okay for a short stay.
It’s okay for a short stay. There’s no breakfast served but the club house is near. I found something so basic as not having a bin in the room The most annoying thing ever. The shower is very small and I found it a bit awkward. The lodge room directions are not marked clearly on the pathways hence you will get lost trying to get to your room if you don’t use the shuttle . Overall it was doable.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019
Response from Zimbali Resort Team on 6 Nov 2019
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback from your stay at the Zimbali Lodge. We appreciate your honest feedback and we are sorry that you felt that certain aspects of your stay were lacking. We take note of your concerns for future improvement. We hope we will host you again in the future for a better received stay. Kind Regards, The Zimbali Resort Team

8/10 Good

Judy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
The service and staff were all really amazing and friendly. The rooms need a bit of TLC and possibly an upgrade, but cannot fault service!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Response from General Manager on 4 Nov 2019
Dear Judy, Thank you for your lovely feedback. It is a pleasure to hear that our staff and service stood out strongly for you, and we thank you for sharing your compliments. We look forward to hosting you again in the future. Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Owen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Relaxing
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Response from General Manager on 29 Oct 2019
Dear Owen, Thank you for taking your time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to know that you had a restful time with us. We hope to host you again soon. Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Asiphile

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019
Response from General Manager on 24 Oct 2019
Dear Asiphile, It is wonderful to see that you had a fantastic time with us! Thank you for taking the time to rate us. We hope to host you again soon. Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Heleen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019
Response from General Manager on 17 Oct 2019
Dear Heleen We appreciate your review regarding your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your rating is shared with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope your next visit will be as memorable as this one. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Zimbali was great.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Francois

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place with fine detail
All very good apart from noisy neighbours one evening and early morning the next day in the room next to us. Did not report it as it stopped but the noise continued again the next morning around 8am. The staff was always very professional and efficient. Thank you for a lovely stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Response from General Manager on 15 Oct 2019
Dear Francois, We appreciate the time you took to share your feedback with us. Thank you for reviewing your stay. We are glad to know that you were pleased with our stay and found our staff to always be professional and efficient. We look forward to welcoming you back soon! Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Response from General Manager on 14 Oct 2019
Dear Valued Guest We appreciate your review regarding your stay at Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your rating is shared with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope your next visit will be as memorable as this one. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

6/10 Okay

ElKarien

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Zimbalie review
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019

8/10 Good

Ayanda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 9 Oct 2019
Dear Ayanda, We appreciate your review regarding your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your rating is shared with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as an encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope your next visit will be as memorable as this one. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Frank

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 2 Oct 2019
Dear Frank, We appreciate your review regarding your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your rating is shared with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope your next visit will be as memorable as this one. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Beautiful but dissappointed.
the lodge was very average with no view at all. I had a few issues with the room in which I was in. The fridge didn't work.We didn't get a shuttle for over 30 minutes.We didn't get towels for over 45 mins. the duvet feathers were coming out.However the surrounding visits where the hotel and golf course was ,were world class.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 30 Sept 2019
Dear Valued Guest Thank you for sharing your stay with us at Zimbali Lodge. We are sorry to hear that your experience with us did not fully meet your expectations. It is always a pleasure to receive feedback. I will share your ratings with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as an encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services, as well as allow us to address your concerns for improvement moving forward. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope you will visit again allowing us the opportunity to provide you with a more memorable experience in future. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Wilhelm

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Zimbali Lodge
Very relaxing and comfortable room. Relaxing on the balcony in a tropical garden
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 27 Sept 2019
Dear Wilhelm, We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback of your recent stay at Zimbali Lodge. We are thrilled to see that you thoroughly enjoyed your stay and that the room was relaxing and comfortable, as well as the balcony overlooking the tropical natural surrounds. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a beautiful place. It's confusing that there is the lodge, and then there is the resort or hotel, both called Zimbali. This causes some issues with pickups and logistics, and at the lodge where I stayed, there are very limited services (ie only the bar for meals, wifi is patchy). However it was less busy than the 'valley of the pools' area, and very beautiful set up a bit from the beach. The room was quite spectacular.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 27 Sept 2019
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for your kind words regarding your stay with us. We are pleased that the beauty of the lodge and the spectacular feel of the room left a lasting impression on you! I am sorry to hear of any confusion between the 2 hotels. Please let us know if you still have any questions regarding the different properties. Thank you for your feedback, we hope to host you again soon at either hotel! Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Garden setting. Lots of wild animals and birds. Beautiful wood work and views
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 23 Sept 2019
Dear Valued Guest Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are delighted to hear that your stay with us exceeded your expectations! It brings us great pleasure to hear positive feedback and we will definitely share this with our Team. There is a certain peacefulness to starting one’s day with breathtaking views and the beauty of nature surrounding you. We are happy to be able to share this with you. We hope that you will visit us again soon giving us the opportunity to provide you with many more memorable moments. Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The location of Zimbali lodge was great, tucked away in lots of tropical greenery. The room was lovely, private and serviced daily. The pool and surrounds were really great. There were a few niggles : - we waited in the bar for over half an hour but no-one was around to serve us - one of the staff members in Reception was not very friendly/approachable - it would have been great to have some simple bar food available at the lodge (toasted sandwiches, burgers etc.) - we had to go elsewhere to get our meals
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 18 Sept 2019
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you very much for taking the time to provide us with feedback on your stay at Zimbali Lodge. We are very glad to hear that you enjoyed the breathtaking scenery and relaxed ambiance of the beautiful hotel tucked away in tropical greenery. It is wonderful to know that the room and servicing of the room was also a pleasing part of your stay. We are sorry that you found that service was not readily available at the bar, and that you were not able to dine there at will. Please note for future that the nearby Fairmont Zimbali Resort has 5 dining outlets and a shuttle service available at cost to take you there for good meal experiences. We would look forward to hosting you again in the future. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Nozuko

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful escape
Amazing stay..
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 16 Sept 2019
Dear Nozuko, It is wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort! Thank you for sharing your comments with us, and we hope to host you again soon. Warm Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

2/10 Terrible

MARK

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
very bad service
We were very very disappointed in the service and the way we were treated. I would definitely no recommend Zimbali and anyone.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from General Manager on 8 Sept 2019
Dear Mark, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are disheartened to hear that your visit at the hotel did not meet your expectations. We are sorry that you left feeling dissatisfied with the service you received. This is not in keeping with the Fairmont standard, and we apologize for any inconvenience you experienced. Please rest assured that we will be discussing your concerns with our team to ensure improvement moving forward. We hope that you will view these circumstances as once-off occurrences, and that you will consider staying with us again, giving us the opportunity to provide you with a memorable stay. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Errol

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from General Manager on 20 Aug 2019
Dear Errol, We appreciate your review regarding your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your rating is shared with our team serving as encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Thank you for sharing your memorable experience with us. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019
Response from General Manager on 14 Aug 2019
Dear Valued Guest, We appreciate your review regarding your stay at the Fairmont Zimbali Resort and we are pleased to see that you delighted in your stay with us! Thank you for sharing your memorable experience with us, we hope your next visit will be as memorable as this one. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Tamatha

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019
Response from General Manager on 23 Jul 2019
Dear Tamatha, We appreciate your review regarding your stay at Fairmont Zimbali Resort. It is always a pleasure to receive positive feedback. I will ensure that your comments are shared with our team. I am sure that this feedback will serve as encouragement to all of our staff as we strive to continuously improve the quality of our services. Thank you again for sharing your experience, and we hope your next visit will be as memorable as this one. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

4/10 Poor

Hemduth

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from General Manager on 22 Jul 2019
Dear Hemduth, We are saddened to see that your stay with us did not meet your expectations. Please consider reaching out to us so that we can learn how we could better your stay in the future. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

10/10 Excellent

Kholiwe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Royal experience it was!!
It was amazing experience to me and will definitely come back soon.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from General Manager on 22 Jul 2019
Dear Kholiwe, We are thrilled to hear that you found your experience with us to be royal! Thank you for taking the time to share your review with us. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Misrepresentation on 5 star
The Lodge has been advertised as a 5 star Lodge. This is misrepresentation as we confirmed with staff that it is not. No room service, breakfast facilities, restaurant, Fridge in room empty. Anything but 5 star. extremely inconvenient place to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from General Manager on 10 Jul 2019
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. I am sorry to hear that you felt that the Lodge was represented incorrectly. The Lodge is an ungraded property since 2017. It is unfortunate that you were presented with the incorrect facts which impacted on your stay with us. We are sorry that the Lodge was not as you expected it to be, and hope that you will return in the future to one of our properties that meet your expectations. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

4/10 Poor

Sean

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

4/10 Poor

jonathan

Not impressed at all, directions to the lodge are terrible
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from General Manager on 28 Jun 2019
Hello Jonathan, I am sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We hope that you will consider revisiting one of our properties again in the future to provide you with the memorable stay which other guests return to time and time again. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

6/10 Okay

itumeleng

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
A pleasant stay but it has changed, I cannot rate it 5 star
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019
Response from General Manager on 24 Jun 2019
Dear itumeleng Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are sorry to hear that your stay although pleasant did not meet your expectations. Please consider sharing your feedback with us directly so that we may understand how we can better improve your stay in the future. Kind Regards, Mike Jackson General Manager

4/10 Poor

Skip

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Think twice going here
This used to be an amazing hotel. Now, not so much. The beds are almost unusable, a weird spring mattress made it horrible and it's not just me saying that, my three co workers said the same thing. The bar shuts at 6pm!!!!! No food there, you have to go to their 'other' hotel for food and drinks.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
The view is amaxing but the rooms are a bit aged. The staff were not rude but not always friendly like other resorts we have stayed at. For food you have to shuttle to the resort. We had dinner at the buffet which cost about $20 pp and not one person checked on us during our dinner and we had to seek someone out just to get some water.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019