Zimbali Lodge by Dream Resorts

Friendly and helpful staff, beautiful surroundings, great amenities and clean facilities!

The bed and the pillow were very comfortable and the rooms are beautiful!

Before booking, I specifically searched for hotels offering an airport shuttle, and this hotel's shuttle service was a deciding factor. I confirmed pick-up times and the shuttle's collection point in advance. On arrival, however, I was asked to pay R500 for the "shuttle" — only to discover that the hotel doesn't actually operate one. Instead, they charge guests R500 simply to phone a third-party company to arrange the transfer. Had this been disclosed upfront, I would have arranged my own transport, as I did on the return trip for R168. This is a significant, deliberate misrepresentation, and the hotel showed no willingness to acknowledge it. When I raised the issue with reception, staff spoke over me and didn't allow me to finish a sentence — a genuinely poor way to handle a legitimate complaint. Dinner was underwhelming and not worth the price; breakfast was the better meal of the two. A beautiful property, but the dishonesty around transport and the attitude at reception have left me undecided about returning.

The location of the resort is absolutely perfect.

The Spa didn't meet our expectation.

Beautifully decorated

Sadly our bed was very soft (we are used to a firmer bed mattress) but the room & linen was beautiful

The guy by the name off Mark should be compliment for the hospitality to and from all the pick up points aon all his arrivals very friendly and helpful and always smiling.

everything was great.

It was gorgeus and neat

The environment and peace

none

The food at the restaurant, the beach and pool area.

Nothing.

Calm, serene and not as busy as the hotel

Waiting for porters to fetch you with golf cart to and from room and gym. The porter told us to call the number on key card once done but the number didn't work so we whatsapped the resort number that was communicating with us prior. Multiple messages back and forth only to be fetched 45 min by later after we had Google and try different numbers for resort reception.

Nature, rooms, vacation feel and vibe

Restaurant is ridiculously expensive for a plate of food

Very efficient & professional staff. Cleanliness of the whole property.

The shower area is just too small in relation to the size of the whole room . The Bar did not stock Sherry and Port. Wine menu could improve eg stock premium wines

Food was great.

The room wasn't really clean. There were webs in some part of the unit. Bedding and gowns has turned cream white instead of white. Couch had burned marks. It looked old and uncomfortable

Het pad naar de zeer via de jungle

Vergane glorie

Manesh from the reception team was very helpful, prompt and clear with his responses. He was contactable on WhatsApp at all times and responded timeously to all requests. The porter was also very friendly and was willing to wait for us at various locations. He also took us on a tour of the estate and told us about many of the facilities that we otherwise would not have known about. The in-house restaurant was good with a wide variety of meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The rooms were aesthetic but we had issues with the AC (they did not cool and we had to call maintenance a few times), there were leaks in one of suites and the bed height was very high. However these issues were rectified by the property. The bathroom amenities were disappointing and so would recommend for guests to carry their own bathroom toiletries as the ones on offer in the hotel are not sufficient. The hotel also did not provide us with access tags for the padel courts so guests should be informed of this in future to avoid inconveniences. It is also quite a remote location so organizing Ubers / Bolts can be challenging and the hotel does not offer private shuttle services outside the estate.

Personnel très serviable

Chambre dont la décoration est un peu vieillotte et surtout très sombre en raison de la végétation .

The scene in the balcony is beautiful and the rooms are spacious

We got to the resorts, and we were given a room that was smelling of paint.. also there were lots of construction guys that were outside working and the machines were making noise.. it was chaos.. we went back to the reception and complained and we were given another room Also I believe they should upgrade their breakfast buffet. It’s limited and food was just okay

Beautiful

Beautiful estate. Breakfast was good. Friendly service from staff. Lots of activities for kids to do - Bushbuck, Valley of the pools etc. Great food and service at the restaurant in the valley of the pools. Stunning golf course and facilities.

Our room location was quite far from the main amenities, which made getting around less convenient. Several areas rely on the shuttle service as we are not allowed to self drive in residential areas. Unfortunately, the shuttle appeared to have only one driver servicing guests at a time, which often resulted in delays, when travelling to areas such as Valley of the Pools and Bushbuck Club. That said, the drivers themselves were excellent. A special mention goes to Joel, who went above and beyond to make our stay more comfortable and took the time to share some of the history of the estate with us. Housekeeping service could be better. Response times were generally slow and there seemed to be very little urgency when issues were raised. Lastly, the Wi-Fi signal was very poor, which added to the frustration especially when trying to work.

Site is special with its location, tropical flora and stunning views (when the high vegetation permits). Food at the restaurant was really good at a reasonable price.

Units are massive and a bit dated. Could use more rugs to make it warmer and not enough towels either. No sockets for charging phones at all. Walk path to the beach was sometimes a challenging hike and could benefit from paving. Valley of pools area was nice but far and shuttles running only on the hour is too sparse apart. Security gate staff was rude and unhelpful and other staff we encountered were not knowledgeable about the property.

Everything

Nothing

The views.

Room was not in good condition. Air conditioner was leaking. My friend staying there experienced a collapsed ceiling in their room. Seriously concerning. Phone lines not working to contact reception. Getting entry codes was a hassle.

Location near the beach

No view, distance to beach too long snd u cannot swim at zimbali beach. Maintenance not good, spiders, wasps etc Restaurant menu terrible no choice and super expensive. I can get better deals service and food at lekkeslaap venues

the staff was super friendly and helpful. I loved how clean and neat the facilities were. Great attention to detail the drivers were excellent.

Not a fan of the bathroom style but that's a personal opinion and the tvs aren't smart TVs so can't connect anything for the little ones. And the dstv didn't pick up majority channels.

I found it a little disappointing that there were no bath products provided, apart from two small bars of soap. It’s a small detail, but having basic shower and bath products would have made the stay more comfortable.

The room was clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. The pool area was relaxing and enjoyable, and the breakfast offered a good variety of fresh and tasty options. The staff were friendly and helpful throughout our stay.

none

The staff were so friendly, the room was so clean and spacious. Just a lovely place with good vibes.

Lovely location, a lot of great places to walk and explore with exceptional views!

The service. Outside of reception and the porters who were incredible, the rest of the staff were incredibly slow and more interested in socialising amongst themselves. • Breakfasts would have 3 waiters and 9 tables with only 2-3 people per table. Our food orders (eggs, toast, mushrooms, beans and a sausage) took 90 minutes to arrive, the orange juice ordered when we sat down came half way through the meal and the toast when we finished the plate of eggs, sausage etc. This was the food service experience all the days we were there. For dinner, we ordered an oxtail cottage pie, just to be welcomed by two fully bones pieces of oxtail with barely any meat. • We came back from a walk to find our room cleaned but that room service had unplugged our devices to charge their phone, which they left behind in our room. It took someone 2+ hours to come collect the phone. • We had maintenance and cleaners randomly entering our room during the day while we were in bed. No knocking,no announcements, just the door opening and walking in even with the do not disturb sign on. • There is only one bin available in the bedroom under the desk - nothing in the kitchenette/dining area in the room. We ordered takeaway one evening for a late dinner meal and neatly put everything into the bag for house keeping to clear the next day. We cane back to a cleaned room, but with the bag opened and our burger boxes on the floor….

Everything is top notch

Facilities

Didn't like the fact that there was maintenance construction at reception during such a busy weekend

The resorts gardens are beautiful, the rooms are nice and big and the breakfast is very good

Nothing

Location

The rooms are dated and need refurbishing

Everything

Dinner menu was nice.

We expect much more from a 5 star hotel. The service, rooms and breakfast was more like a 2 star hotel. The photos on the website lie - there is not much to do for a family with small children.

Le site est superbe, avec une végétation luxuriante. Très dépaysant. Le petit déjeuner, sous forme de buffet, est très copieux. Loger au Zimbali lodge permet d'accéder au parcours de golf qui est magnifique.

Le bruit de la chaudière la nuit

nature in the venue

My towels were not changed

Our stay at Zimbali was absolutely wonderful! We loved everything about it. The accommodation was spacious, beautifully maintained, and perfect for a family with kids. There was plenty of room for everyone to relax, which made our stay so comfortable. The beds were incredibly comfortable, and we had some of the best nights' sleep. Breakfast was another highlight—there was a great variety, and everything was fresh and delicious. From the warm atmosphere to the excellent facilities, our experience exceeded our expectations. We left feeling refreshed and already looking forward to coming back. Highly recommended for families looking for a luxurious and relaxing getaway.

Honestly, there wasn't anything I didn't like about our stay. If I had to mention one area for improvement, it would be the furniture. While it was comfortable and functional, I think it's starting to show its age and could benefit from a refresh. Other than that, everything was excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

It’s not far from the airport. Access to other pools and spaces for kids

Infants pay for the stay but restaurant food doesn’t cater for kids. The restaurant staff were not approachable and service was so slow.

Room was good -704 has great views and is not refurbished which i prefer as it has the old style furniture which looks opulent. Facilities and food and staff are excellent - 10/10.

We also stayed on the refurbished 1 bed, the trees are too high so there is no view, the ceiling has a water stain but otherwise its spacious and nice. Seems like a basic refurb than high end and is not in keeping with the original zimbali.

Beautiful

Nothing

Private beach and the deck

Customer care, bed and TV

Hospitality The Food The Rooms are clean Respect from the stuff members..... Even the transport guys were so Respective.......

At the Entrance they didn't allow us to take some pictures That was disappointing

9 months ago

All were good

lots of ants in the bathroom

Very clean rooms, swimming pool and top breakfast

nothing

The staff was absolutely amazing.

The place needs an upgrade.

The room was excellent, Pool we did not get to use it as the weather was not permitting. The breakfast if you can have a variouty on the Cold and Hot breakfast.

Dinner as well, you need to have variouty and also buffet at some point. the Staff still needs Training as most of the time they were found wanting. their service was really poor. Restaurant was really not comfortable, its was really COLD which makes you not to enjoy your dinning experience.

The host. The guy who owns this house is one of the most attentive people I have ever rented a house from. He’s t was a delight to stay there

Nothing

Quite, clean, exquisite, food is good

Noisy difficult to get in not communicating the entrance and the code

As above

Environment and location

Dirty and heaters and telephone not working

Facilities & my room was clean & modern

Nothing really

The revamped restuarant is worth the pricem from breakfast to dinner, the quality remains the same. The common areas such as reception, pool and restuarant was always kept clean. The staff OMG so accomodating, respectful and fun. From check in to check out, this was a necessary experience.

The AC in our room did not seem to work well. This did not really affect the stay considering that Durban does not really get cold.

The security and serenity of the estate is what we booked for and it did not disappoint.

Unfortunately what we weren’t aware of is that the actual rooms are located at a 10 minute walk away from the lodge reception / car parking area. So the lodge provides golf carts, however, there is waiting times, inconveniences and the golf carts don’t operate between 11pm - 6am. So often you’ll find yourself walking up or down the mountain to reach your room. Would not have booked if was aware in advanced, rather book at The Capital in Zimbali as that’s a normal hotel. The facilities and all advertised amenities are not near or around your room, you need to take a shuttle or golf cart (not a private on, you phone the reception and driver comes to you) to reach basically anything. The pictures on the listing are at the clubhouse / reception. Your room is a 10 minute walk down the mountain with nothing around you.

Everything was perfect, service, food and the environment. We monkeys, springbucks and bushbucks.

The lodge is well kept and the staff are especially friendly. We spent a week there and absolutely enjoyed every moment of it. The breakfast buffet was always full of great options to cater for all sorts of varying diets. We also tried the restaurants in the estate, and we were taken on a complimentary estate tour where we got to see the greater Zimbali estate.

The valley of pools only had one heated pool, which means demand for it was a lot, so getting a slot was a challenge. The closest swimmable beach is the camps bay beach, it's not too far, but the inconvenience of not being able to swim in the estate's own beach. E-hailing services are especially difficult to get, waiting an average of about 10 mins or more to get a ride.

Breakfast Peaceful

Location of apartment Cleanliness Bottles drinking water

A super breakfast

Everything was great !

The breakfast was great but we did not enjoy the dinner menu. Luckily there are other places to eat around the lodge too. This is just a personal preference and I am sure there are many people that would love it - it was just a little different for us.

The bad was too old and uncomforable for us. We requested a later check out on book few days before and we were told that they coundn't. Even after i suggested to pay the full amount for the room just to check out an ohur later but they weren't willing to accomodate us.

location

How versatile it is, we didn’t need to go out of the estate to see more because we had everything!

Nothing!

The lodge staff: porters, receptionist were great ( friendly and professional). It's best to have a hired car if you want to go outside the lodge.

The restaurant delayed with orders, but the staff were friendly and professional.

Loved the room overlooking the golf course and the forestry. Loved the facilities, pools, beach club

Breakfast could have a bit more variety. Waited a long time for eggs every morning and only got them closer to finishing my meal.

The customer service is excellent the room was big and very clean

We hada wonderful time with my family, thank you.

Not having room service, but no biggie! We will visit again.

The location was wonderful and I would like to praise all the staff for their hospitality, willingness to help, and always a smile on their faces.

It was clean, well organised and wonderful staff

None

It’s was a nice, peaceful, relaxing get away. The room was clean and the staff were very helpful. Food was amazing. Enjoyed the multiple facilities the estate had to offer. Really enjoyed the fact that the pool was open 24 hour.

The settling, ambiance, facilities and being right in nature. The staff are exceptional.

That I could not stay longer.

Everything was just great ❤️

Nothing

My boyfriend and I came here for leisure, and I kid you not — it was amazing! From the exceptional check-in process to the cleanliness, beautiful rooms, and 5-star facilities, everything exceeded our expectations. We truly felt like we were in Bali all over again. It was such a lovely and romantic experience, we had an absolute ball and would definitely come back!

Everything was exceptional

*Chambre impeccable, à priori refaite. *Excellent emplacement pour ceux qui aime pratiquer le golf.

*Piscine non chauffée. *Dommage que le petit déjeuner n'est pas sous forme de buffet, ainsi que le diner.

Poor service.

The location was great

Service was terrible from the reception, bar, and restaurant. People are not well trained not care about service. The bed was terrible.

Everything, the distance from the airport is not too far, the view from the entrance is beautiful, not overly done. Reveption staff was lovely, the complimentary drinks were great and the Biscuits, ooh the biscuits!!! 10/10. The golf cart driver was friendly and our room was just nothing short of exceptional. Everything baout the room was beautiful. The kitchen staff did everything to accomodate us an our 1 year old, they made her thee best oats, the second day I asked thr chef to make ger motoho an dit eas amazing. The overall service was top. Joel topped it off on our last day, went above and beyond to show us more emenities. He was so profesisonal and kind. On the the of the event ny husband went out to calm the babt, the lady from the massage area offered him a olace to sit. Wow we loved it. San also took us around.

Unfortunately someone must be hacking the booking systens as they somehiw got my details and trued to scam me, I am in the IT field so I managed ot spot it early but it was a disappointment for me.

We wish we could have a swimming wear we can rent or buy from the facility

Nothing

Amazing views, room was big and super well decorated with nice view Excellent breakfast. Super friendly staff

Der Pool war super und das Personal im Allgemeinen nett, besonders die "Golfwagen-Fahrer", welche die Gäste im Resort herumfahren waren sehr freundlich.

Das Personal im Restaurant waren überhaupt nicht aufmerksam und sprechen schlecht Englisch. Das Essen war nicht besonders gut und die Kellnerinnen unfreundlich; auch beim Frühstück. Die Zimmer dürfte man ein bisschen renorvieren und die Toiletten waren nicht so sauber oder evtl. auch zu alt. Die Lage der Zimmer ist nicht optimal. Zu viel "Urwald", daher dunkel und feucht.

The property and workers are very welcome i cant say much about them

I would like to express my disappointment regarding the room we booked. Unfortunately, the sink, shower, and carpet were dirty and had an unpleasant smell. As someone who suffers from chronic sinus issues, the condition of the room made it very uncomfortable for me to stay, and I was unable to sleep throughout the night. By the following morning, I decided to check out and book accommodation at The Capital for the next day because I could not continue staying in the room. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay for the full 2 days that I had originally booked. I hope you will take this feedback seriously and improve the condition and cleanliness of the rooms for future guests.

I enjoyed the views, friendliness of staff and the spa.

none.

Everything

Pillows were not fresh, like it got spoiled ( maybe wet at some point)

I liked the food offering at the Valley of Waves. The environment was clean. The estate is very well laid out

The food at the main lodge was boring and the menu pamphlets were dated and dirty

Nothing , having to use a golf cart for everything is not good

No room service