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Stonehill River Lodge

Portion 12 Bakkelysdrift Farm, Swellendam 6740 South Africa
Traveller (129)
Room & Suite (34)
Dining (5)

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Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.

About

5.0
#1 of 10 cottages in Swellendam
4.7 of 5 bubbles
Location
4.8 of 5 bubbles
Cleanliness
4.7 of 5 bubbles
Service
4.7 of 5 bubbles
Value
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Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
4.0 of 5 stars
HOTEL STYLE
Modern
River View
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Bicycle rental
Hiking
Babysitting
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
BBQ facilities
Internet
Hot bath
Lazy river
Outdoor pool
Fishing
Board games / puzzles
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Non-smoking hotel
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Room features
Housekeeping
Safe
Kitchenette
Microwave
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms

Location

Portion 12 Bakkelysdrift Farm, Swellendam 6740 South Africa
Getting there
Cape Town Intl Airport
110.4 mi•
See all flights
350Reviews9Q+A75Room tips

Reviews
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Detailed Reviews
Cosmopolitan28255 wrote a review Jan 2020
Mossel Bay, South Africa2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Great view, good layout, jacuzzi, fans, DSTV and braai (barbecue) area. We arranged fire wood and ice beforehand. They have daily activities, but we didn't have time unfortunately. We settled in quickly and loved the netted window areas, so one could easily open the windows. The reception registers your mobile beforehand to make access easy. We had visitors for dinner, they could easily come in. Last part of road is a bit steep, but overall ok. The shared swimming pool can be a bit cleaner and some of the bushes need to be cut down. View was fantastic. Equipment was easy to use. It is just a very relaxing place. We only stayed one night, but will go back for longer. Price is high, but if a few people share the cost, it is worth it. People of different ages will love it. Overall, it was fantastic. Clearly a lot of thought went into the design of the lodge. Thank you, it was an amazing place. We will see you in 2020 again. This place is a real gem. My dad loved this place so much, he wants us to go back ASAP and can't stop talking about it.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Great rooms, sleep 6 in our lodge. Had loose and ceiling fans, which is a must for the summer. ...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie N, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 3 Jan 2020
Thank you so much for this lovely review - we really do appreciate it and look forward to seeing you again later in 2020. We will certainly focus on the pool area and appreciate your feedback. All the best for 2020!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
250ismailp wrote a review Jan 2020
Cape Town, South Africa2 contributions1 helpful vote
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Great weekend with the family, the resort brings you close to nature and the grand children loved the outing. I will always promote the resort. The accommodation was clean and comfortable, will advise that the resort think about installing air conditioning as the heat can sometimes be unbearable.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie N, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 23 Jan 2020
Thank you so much for taking the time to do a review for us - we so appreciate it and thank you for your feedback.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
antheamosaval wrote a review Feb 2020
Cape Town, South Africa1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Stonehill River Lodge really met all my expectations. The Unit was clean well maintained and modern. It catered to all my needs. The kitchen was well stocked with all the appliances cutlery and accessories. The rooms were big and comfortable. Even during loadshedding we were well looked after with all equipment need to make it through the loadshedding period. The resort was clean and neat. Nature at its best. Peaceful and quiet. Our stay was heaven. I enjoyed the open air movie night. It was well orginised and the movie was perfect. Something I didn't expect and never expirienced at any other resort. The staff was friendly and very accommodating. A special mention to Ben and Jerimiah who made our stay extra special. If we have to mention one draw back it would be to clean the communal jacuzzi maybe more frequently because it was used and was left in a undesirable condition. I recommend Stonehill River Lodge to everyone who loves nature and good value for money 5 stars all round
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
3.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
4.0 of 5 bubblesService
4.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie N, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 4 Apr 2020
Thank you so so much for this outstanding review and for all your kindness. I am so pleased that you were looked after and especially by Jeremia and Ben. This makes me so proud and I thank you for your feedback regarding the jacuzzi. PLease stay safe and hope you wil visit us again soon!
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darrenfranc wrote a review Jan 2020
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Just nice and beautiful

Friendly staff just takes it up a notch or two.

We felt at home, your staff, especially the cleaning staff, they are beautiful people inside and out. We had a great time, just a pity it had to end.

Thank you to everyone at Stonehill
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie N, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 7 Jan 2020
Thank you for such a lovely review - you have made our day a whole lot better! We really appreciate your kind words and do hope you will visit us again soon! All the best for 2020....
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Explore36256104766 wrote a review Jan 2020
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Breathtaking views of the river and well maintained facilities. Beautifully manicured lawns and very clean facilities. The kids enjoyed the outdoor spaces and had a ball indoors as well. Everything was clean and the beds were comfy. I would suggest another pool or a larger pool as it was fairly hot weather and everyone wanted to be in the water which became cramped.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020
Room Tip: 8 sleeper unit no 3
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie N, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 30 Jan 2020
Thank you so much for this lovely review, we do appreciate it and hope that your next visit to us will be in the near future! All the best for 2020....
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
githavalentine wrote a review Nov 2020
Cape Town Central, South Africa78 contributions3 helpful votes
+1
4.0 of 5 bubbles
As a group of friends we decided to take an little break and booked Stonehill River Lodge.

We were lucky with the weekend we had during our stay as the weather was perfect and made the breakaway all the more amazing.

The house accommodates 8 people and has that you could need. The lodge is quite far into Swellendam and is quite the journey to get there. But it’s so worth it. The sounds of the river, the views of the sunset, the complete surrounds of nature are amazing.

As it is a time of the pandemic, the staff adhered to the strictest protocols ensuring all were safe.

They have a gas braai on the balcony for your convenience and you wouldn’t then have to go too far away from friends and family, there’s an awesome hot tub that overlooks the river and they offer activities like river rafting, archery and there are bike and running trails.

You feel like you’re off the grid but with all the amenities.
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie Nutter, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 30 Nov 2020
We are so happy that you enjoyed your stay with us and we do hope that you will visit us again soon. Blessing to you for the Festive season! Regards Debora
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BrendaWilliams_12 wrote a review Nov 2020
Cape Town Central, South Africa3,851 contributions90 helpful votes
4.0 of 5 bubbles
We needed a Holiday after enduring Covid 19 Lockdown.
We decided that a Monday to Friday stay would give us more time to explore the surrounds. We usually drive out.
We arrived the Monday evening and was duly welcomed and checked in by the Gentleman on dury and he did all the Covid 19 Protocol.
Our Chalet was neat and as always before it was very comfortable. I love to watch the River from the Deck. I also enjoyed taking off my shoes and walking on the grass, I needed to be grounded again.
On the Tuesday morning we discovered that the Resort had all sorts of activities and I knew I had to experience the river rafting. I told Neil that I was looking forward to the river rafting but hadn't done it for a long time and I am not so young anymore.
Neil kindly offered that I could go in his Canoe and I was very excited. We reserved for the Thursday morning.
The river was quite fast because of the recent melted snow and was I glad that Neil did all the rowing. The Rapids were quite something and I Thank you Neil for the experience. My son and his brother in law (his first time ) also enjoyed the River rafting and navigated the Rapids very well.
My son and his wife also did archery. My grandson remembered the pool from when he was last (he was 3 at the time and now 7) and wanted to swim all the time.
This was the first time we spent the whole week at the Resort and did not feel the need to go exploring outside.
Stonehill also has walks and Game and lots of other activities . It is indeed a place for families to spend time together
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Date of stay: September 2020
4.0 of 5 bubblesValue
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
4.0 of 5 bubblesService
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie Nutter, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 10 Nov 2020
We thank you for taking the time to do a review for us. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your stay and all the exciting activities on offer. We hope you will visit us again soon!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Heidi M wrote a review Jan 2020
Somerset West, South Africa353 contributions109 helpful votes
+1
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Stonehill River Lodge is an understated gem. We booked for a birthday weekend, and it honestly felt like we had been away for weeks. The units are very private, with a private jaccuzi. The surroundings are just trees, birds and the Breede down below. We took advantage of the many excursions offered. The river rafting was incredible. Serene, quiet glide down the Breede. No rapids because of the drought, but spectacular nonetheless. We really enjoyed the movie night under the stars with a picnic. They even provided Smoors for the kids. Amazing, helpful staff - always ready to help. They even left us a complimentary bottle of sparkling grape juice for my husband's birthday. It is a wonderful getaway for the whole family.
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Date of stay: January 2020
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
4.0 of 5 bubblesService
Room Tip: Unit 1 (4 bed) and unit 8 (2 bed) have no neighbours, so have the best privacy.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie N, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 23 Jan 2020
A huge thank you for this absolutely beautiful review - we so appreciate your kind words and it really makes all the hard work and effort really worthwhile. We wish you all the best for 2020 and do hope you will choose to visit us again soon!
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velesca wrote a review Nov 2020
2 contributions3 helpful votes
2.0 of 5 bubbles
The resort was ok but not as expected. At night it gets quite dark, and they don't have much lighting. The Friday night, my first night, I slipped and fell from the stairs outside due to it being very dark and missing a step. The jacuzzi was also not working in one of our units so our guests could not enjoy this. Lighting in rooms are also quite bad
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2020
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
3.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
3.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
3.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
4.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Debbie Nutter, General Manager at Stonehill River Lodge
Responded 10 Nov 2020
We thank you for taking the time to do a review for us. We do pride ourselves in being extremely conscious of our environment and the planet and part of this means that we do not want too much light pollution and use eco friendly globes and lights. We do apologize for the jacuzzi at unit 11. Even though we have a strict policy on maintaining them it is sometimes difficult as a pump can go at any stage but our Maintenance manager did his absolute best to get it repaired as quickly as possible. It did involve having to glue pipes that meant a waiting period before it could again be switched on. We thank you for your understanding in this matter.
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Climber49426626354 wrote a review Jan 2021
Cape Town, South Africa2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Beautiful and peaceful setting with a lovely view of the Breede River from our unit. We choose the 8-sleeper unit which had a modern look and furnishing. Resort has daily activities available during the week. The public pool could be modernized or a 2nd pool could be installed. Although we did not see any game, there was evidence that these do exist on the resort. We went away for a peaceful break and this was certainly provided by Stonehill.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2021
4.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesRooms
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
4.0 of 5 bubblesCleanliness
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
5.0 of 5 bubblesSleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
…
Answer from Debbie N
Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa23 contributions9 helpful votes
No
Answer from Debbie N
Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa23 contributions9 helpful votes
Good morning, we have received no correspondence from you - can you advise what email you sent it to. If you me your cell number we will call you. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. Regards Debora Nutter General Manager
Show all answers
Answer from Debbie N
Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa23 contributions9 helpful votes
Hi,you will travel for 8 kms on gravel. It is a gravel road and is rocky. We do our best to maintain it but rain and all the vehicles do impact the road. It can be driven in a normal vehicle but preferably without low prifile tyres. One needs to just drive slowly if you are not used to travelling on gravel. Regards Debora Nutter GM
Show all answers
Answer from Debbie N
Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa23 contributions9 helpful votes
Hi, Susan contacts all our guests in the week that you will be arriving with us. She will either email or call you and you can at that stage advise her that you would be keen to do the croc paddling. Please remember that it is weather dependant so lets hope the weather will be good for you. We look forward to your arrival with us. Debora Nutter General Manager
Answer from Stonehill1
Swellendam, South Africa
Hi Mr/s. Mitchell, unfortunately the units are not wheelchair friendly. There are 17 stairs to get into the unit so I do not think that this will work for you. Regards Debora Nutter General Manager
Mubashir S wrote a tip Mar 2020
Cape Town, South Africa1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"Don't be put off by the colour of the water, they use river water and it gets filtered and is absolutely safe to use"
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mdavey156476 wrote a tip Feb 2020
Copenhagen, Denmark1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"No air con. Use the fans"
Read full review
Explore36256104766 wrote a tip Jan 2020
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"8 sleeper unit no 3 "
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pauletteclaassen28 wrote a tip Jan 2020
Cape Town, South Africa1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
"Very clean"
Read full review
efjungmann wrote a tip Jan 2020
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
"If possible cleaners to top up drinking water supplied. "
Read full review
…
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PRICE RANGE
£128 - £145 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeOverberg DistrictSwellendam
NUMBER OF ROOMS
11
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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STONEHILL RIVER LODGE - Updated 2024 Prices (Swellendam, South Africa)

Frequently Asked Questions about Stonehill River Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Stonehill River Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and free parking.
Which room amenities are available at Stonehill River Lodge?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Stonehill River Lodge?
Guests can enjoy barbeque facilities during their stay.
Is parking available at Stonehill River Lodge?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Stonehill River Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Stonehill River Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Afrikaans.
Does Stonehill River Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the river view available here.