Finally, after months of preparation, Travel & Things headed North to Hoedspruit with the new branding in place. I have to say that it made me feel special finally having the signs printed and in time for the first road trip of 2022.
After several bookings and cancellations, for a variety of reasons, I finally arrived at Nyaleti Lodge + Villa in Hoedspruit. I was met by Ann, one of the owners who showed me to my room, which was situated just behind the reception area. While showing me around the property, she inquired if I would be working during my sojourn at the lodge. I answered in the affirmative and her response was “Let me put you in our Villa as the Wi-Fi is better there”. And who am I to argue when I am being ‘upgraded’ from a bedroom/bathroom type accommodation(although having seen where I should have stayed, I was quite prepared to stay there) to a 3-bedroom Villa with ALL the bells and whistles?
The Villa is situated a mere 100m from the Lodge and for morning exercise, you can walk from the Villa to the lodge main building where breakfast is served via a tarred road.
This is the front door of the Villa and on my arrival, I had no idea what to expect once Ann opened the door…
This is what lay before me as the door opened! Lounge, dining room and a full kitchen that could cook up a tasty meal for the 6 people that the Villa can accommodate in 3 separate double bedrooms that each has their own en-suite!
But wait, there is more! A view of the garden from the dining room and across the spacious patio.
To the left is a large braai area and to the right a pool that was most welcome in the hot weather during my stay there.
Hiding in the foliage? More seating areas, this time with a firepit. I can just imagine sitting out here on a chilly winter evening sharing stories and enjoying a beverage or two.
I have to admit that when I entered the villa, this was not what I was expecting. This home could feature in a Home & Garden type magazine or could it could be in an upmarket urban setting anywhere in South Africa. Yet here it is. In the middle of the bush in the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate.
This is the rear of the building as seen from the immaculate garden.
Part of the patio, the fire pit seating as well as the aforementioned pool. I am not usually one for plunging into swimming pools, but the water in this pool was warmer than expected so in I went…
Once left to my own devices, it was time to investigate my accommodation and what I would have access to for the next two nights.
I started off upstairs where I discovered this tv room/lounge. It also had a desk and a working area that I could have used, but the view was not great, so I chose to work downstairs at the dining room table instead. That way I could slide open the patio doors and look out into the garden.
This is the view from the upstairs tv/lounge/computer room. It looks like a drone shot and it certainly gave a different perspective of the ground floor layout.
Upstairs also has its own balcony and you can look out over the green belt and see as far as Mariepskop in the distance.
And, once again a view of the fire pit area in the garden! The asymmetric layout reminded me of a labyrinth and from this vantage point, the design was more apparent. I could have walked the lines of paving stones while chanting quietly if I chose to.
Looking up from the ground floor. The vaulted ceiling fascinated me and it the highlighted architectural feature of the property for me.
Cooking with gas, but I chose not to and had take-out both nights that I stayed here. There are several restaurants within a short distance of the Villa making that the easy option.
Looking out over the garden from the pool…It had one of the quietest motors that I have encountered and it turned off at night so as not to disturb those guests sleeping in the master bedroom. (The other two bedrooms are on the other side of the villa, just behind the kitchen and would be unaffected by any noise terminating from the pool.)
Finally, after much wandering around, both inside and out, I get to see the master bedroom!
A very comfortable bed and superb linen made getting up in the morning a difficult exercise.
If I do have a complaint it is the fact that there is a full-length mirror on the wall opposite the bed. This meant that I was the first thing that I saw when I awoke, and I have to say that I was not happy with what I looked like. My reflection led me to question how I would like to be found by cleaning staff when I travel alone. I came to the conclusion that sleeping naked is not really an option and one should be covered rather than falling asleep on top of the duvet. But, seeing that I am writing this post my visit, I survived and did not scare the staff or the owners.
Not just an outdoor shower, but an outdoor tun hidden under the canvas covering. You can always take advantage of indoor facilities in the en-suite bathrooms attached to the other two bedrooms.
There is not only beauty in the house, but this Dragonfly added a splash of colour to the tiles surrounding the pool.
I do hope that you enjoyed the tour of this accommodation with me and that it has interested you enough to book a stay for yourself. I know that I will definitely be returning as I have booked dates for later in the year already.
My thanks to Ann and Marlon for hosting me.
Nyaleti means ‘Little Star’ and the lodge certainly lived up to that description, a shining memory to start off the year. To find out more about what they have to offer click on the logo to visit their website.
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