Five Bedroom Historic Farmhouse with Splash pool | In-room safe, free WiFi, bed sheets

Reviews of Kiara Lodge

3 out of 5
Kiara Lodge
Golden Gate Road, Clarens, Free State

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 30 out of 66 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 28 out of 66 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 66 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 4 out of 66 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 66 reviews" "

9.2/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Kaspar

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very good value for money
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Kiara Lodge on 4 Mar 2024
Hi Kaspar, thank you for sharing this positive feedback with us. Providing exceptional value for our guests is at the heart of what we do, ensuring we exceed holiday expectations at every turn . Looking forward to your next magical mountain retreat with us!

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stop over
It’s a lovely place very family friendly
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Kiara Lodge on 11 Oct 2023
Hi Steve, we're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience at our place! Creating a family-friendly environment is something we take great pride in, and your kind words serve as a testament to our efforts. We appreciate your support and hope to welcome you and your family back soon. Thank you for choosing us

8/10 Good

Zakariya

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Kiara Lodge on 27 Sept 2023
Hi Zakariya, we're blown away by your fantastic score . It looks like you had a blast during your stay, soaking in the breathtaking mountain views and making the most of our incredible resort amenities .

10/10 Excellent

Floris

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Kiara Lodge on 11 Jul 2023
Hi Floris, it's always wonderful hearing what our guests thought of their experience . We are thrilled to know you had a perfect holiday at our picturesque mountain resort, and we hope we get the pleasure of providing with another fantastic stay in the future!

10/10 Excellent

Futhi

Stayed 4 nights in May 2023
Response from Kiara Lodge on 11 Jul 2023
Hi Futhi, we are so happy that you enjoyed your time with us . We try our hardest to offer a great stay to each guest and are thrilled that your overall experience met your expectations. We look forward to your next visit!

10/10 Excellent

PETER

Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2023
Response from Kiara Lodge on 17 Apr 2023
Thank you for the fantastic rating, Peter! We think it's safe to say you enjoyed a stunning stay at our well-equipped, upmarket resort, as well as the peaceful mountain surroundings. We loved being of service to you and hope to see you again soon .

2/10 Terrible

Portia

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from Kiara Lodge on 28 Mar 2023
Hi Portia, thank you for reviewing your recent holiday with us. We are gutted to find that your experience was not ideal, and would have appreciated more information to help us understand where we went wrong. We do hope to have another chance in the future to be able to prove ourselves to you.

2/10 Terrible

Karen

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Response from Kiara Lodge on 29 Sept 2022
Hi Karen, thank you for taking the time to rate your stay with us. We are very sorry that you did not enjoy a more impressionable experience at our resort, and would have appreciated more feedback so that we know how best to improve our service. Nonetheless, we will continuously work towards bettering our offering across all fronts, so that your next interaction with us is nothing short of exceptional!

10/10 Excellent

Antonio

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Kiara Lodge on 6 Sept 2022
Hi Antonio, thank you for the wonderful feedback! - It sure does let us know we're doing something right. Our resort certainly continues to stand as a firm favourite, especially with its unforgettable mountain views and pure serenity - we're so happy that you got to enjoy this too. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another unforgettable holiday!

10/10 Excellent

Craig

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay at Kiara Lodge
I had a great two night stay at Kiara Lodge. My apartment was well appointed, clean and well serviced. Wi-fi and amenities all worked well. Recommended place to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Response from Kiara Lodge on 10 Jun 2022
Dear Craig Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with us and for this amazing endorsement of our resort! We are so thrilled that you were happy with your unit, as we pride ourselves on exceptional service and well-kept facilities. We loved hosting you and hope to welcome you back in the near future. Have an amazing day.

10/10 Excellent

Phathutshedzo

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2021
Response from Kiara lodge on 29 Jun 2022
Hi Phathutshedzo, Thank you very much for the 10star rating, we appreciate you. 😊

4/10 Poor

M

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
Disappointing
We booked at Kiara Lodge because of the facilities they offered (cause no one just stay 12km out side of the nearest town) The hot water pools (which was supposed to be open on 1 Aug) was still closed on 13 Aug. The game room was disappointing. the xbox dont have remotes and if you have kids you know an xbox without a remote is usless. The other game console is a PS2 which is very out dated. The rest of the games in the game room was either broken or missing parts. There is absolutely no signal at this lodge and the "Free wifi" they advertise is only 100MB :( They (over) charge for absolutely everything. I am surprised that we did not get a bill for the oxygen we breathed over the weekend. This place is over rated and way over priced. Honestly we could have stayed at the Protea Hotel in Clarence and paid less.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Kiara Lodge on 19 Aug 2021
Dear Guest, Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’re sorry that your experience did not match your expectations. We will look into these issues with our team and resolve them promptly and accurately.

10/10 Excellent

Joy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great mid-week getaway for the family
Very unique and picturesque location with a quiet, comfortable feel. Children are safe to go to the play area while the adults enjoy a cappuccino at the restaurant. Many outdoor activities kept us busy all week. The accommodation was modern and clean and offered a cosy rest at the end of a long, busy day with a beautiful roaring fire. The staff are amazing, friendly and ready to assist. I am booking my next stay there very soon.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lots of activities, great for a family/friend get together. Very scenic and picturesque.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2021
Response from Kiara Lodge on 19 Apr 2021
Dear Guest, thank you for your review. We are happy to know you had a great family getaway at our resort.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Great resort but a bit disappointed that some facilities for kids like the jumping pillow was broken and there kids activities were not taking place .
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021
Response from Kiara Lodge on 18 Feb 2021
Dear Guest, thank you for your feedback, we are thrilled to know that you enjoyed your stay at the resort and apologize for any inconvenience experienced.

6/10 Okay

Aayesha

Liked: Room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021
Response from Manager on 23 Feb 2021
Hi Aayesha, We thank you for rating us. Kind regards

4/10 Poor

Vickash

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Big Dissapointment
We saved for an entire year to be able to go to a nice place. The checking took a long time. We finally got to our unit and settled in... the Channels on the decoder was not working. The maintenance guy was not able to fix it, The wifi stopped working was never, The games room was locked, The jacuzzi in the pool area never worked. When we asked the pool guy he was very rude and said it comes on automatically, which it never did. None of this was rectified our entire stay. We spoke with some other familys and they had been there 2 or more days before us and they cinfirmed, that it was the same way since their arrival.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2021
Response from Manager on 23 Feb 2021
Hi Vicash, We appreciate your feedback and apologise for those areas in which we fell short with customer service. Some of our guest facilities are unavailable to comply with covid 19 prevention regulations. Kind regards

8/10 Good

Hester

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

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2020
Response from Comm Specialist on 4 Mar 2020
Hi, Thank you so much for the amazing review. We are so thrilled to see that you fully enjoyed your stay at our beautiful resort. We can't wait to see you again! Regards👍🙂👍

10/10 Excellent

Anthony

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Shantal on 22 Jan 2020
Hi Anthony. Thank you so much for the excellent review, we really appreciate your feedback and support. We are thrilled to know that you enjoyed your stay at our beautiful resort and we look forward to hosting you in the future. Regards 👍😊👍

10/10 Excellent

Ashlin

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome Weekend Break
Excellent Stay at Kiara Lodge, the facilities at the resort are excellent and the staff very accommodating.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020
Response from Shantal on 22 Jan 2020
Hi Ashlin. Thank you so much for the excellent review, we really appreciate your feedback and support. We are thrilled to know that you enjoyed your stay at our beautiful resort and we look forward to hosting you in the future. Regards 👍😊👍

8/10 Good

Colin

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Comfortable, modern apartment
We enjoyed our stay here, despite the terrible summer weather! It was a family trip, and the 3 bedroom apartment we stayed in was very high quality with lots of new, modern fittings. Also appreciated the DSTV channels. On site restaurant was good, and enjoyed the walks on the property and mini golf. Clarens and the Golden Gate National Park are both a very short drive away. Only thing I would criticise is service levels could sometimes be lacking. But would definitely stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019
Response from Manager on 12 Dec 2019
Hi Colin, Thank you very much for your review and we are pleased that all enjoyed your overall holiday at our resort and we look forward to seeing you again. Regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The unit we stayed in was clean, modern and well furnished with just about everything one needs. The resort caters perfectly for families!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019
Response from Manager on 18 Jul 2019
Hi Guest, We are delighted that you all fully enjoyed your recent family holiday at our resort😊. We look forward to seeing you again, Regards

10/10 Excellent

Dave

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019
Response from Manager on 20 Jun 2019
HI Dave, Many thanks for rating us 10 out of 10. We are delighted that you so thoroughly enjoyed your stay. Regards

10/10 Excellent

Mmanko

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best accommodation ever
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019
Response from Manager on 27 May 2019
Hi Mmanko, Thank you very much for your kind words and it's great to know that you enjoyed your stay. Regards

8/10 Good

Izak

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Happy 30 anniversaty
Good and clean friendly service ,very good at restaurant.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019
Response from Manager on 6 May 2019
Hi Izak, Thank you very much for your kind words and we are flattered that you selected our resort at which to spend your 30th Anniversary. Regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property is located just outside the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, in a beautiful area. We stayed in a family chalet, that was really nicely furnished, clean and tidy. There was plenty to do for my 2-year-old niece - outdoor and indoor play areas, indoor swimming pools, and rabbits. We enjoyed nice walks in the area, BBQ facilities in or chalet and peacefulness.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2019
Response from Manager on 3 Apr 2019
Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your detailed review and we are delighted that you all enjoyed your family holiday at our resort. Regards

8/10 Good

Christa

Great Location
Great Location
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019
Response from Manager on 7 Jan 2019
Hi Christa, We greatly appreciate your support. Regards

10/10 Excellent

Selai

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018
Response from Kiara Lodge on 27 Nov 2018
Dear Selai We are so happy to read that you enjoyed your stay with us. We hope to see you again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Venessa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Picture Perfect
Gorgeous rooms, comfortable very modern. Loved the fire place and electrical blankets. Definitely going again soon, one of our favourite places. Beautiful views. Butternut soup was Devine! Close to the beautiful little town.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2018
Response from Kiara Lodge on 22 Aug 2018
Dear Venessa Thank you for your kind words. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you soon! Kind Regards Kiara Lodge

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Kiara Lodge review
Great weekend breakaway and quality time spent with family. Kiara always consistent in terms it top class facilities and service.
Response from Manager on 26 Apr 2018
Dear David, Thank you very much for your review and kind words. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Nabil

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stay was great
Response from Manager on 5 Apr 2018
Dear Nabil, Thank you for your review. We are happy that you enjoyed your stay. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Jane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Very pleasant stay
Very good resort, in lovely surroundings and close to attractive town of Clarins. Only complaint was that I emailed resort before arrival (having unsuccessfully tried to ring a couple of times) with a query and request and email was neither responded to or acted upon
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2018
Response from Manager on 23 Mar 2018
Dear Jane, Thank you for your review. We are happy that you enjoyed your stay. Our apologies for the communications breakdown. Regards Kiara Lodge

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The place we had was excellent .service was excellent too .facilities for little kids was excellent too bonus its indoor play area .
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017
Response from Manager on 14 Feb 2018
Dear Guest, Thank you very much for your grading and kind words. We are delighted that you all enjoyed your recent stay. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Gareth

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Nice location and units
We arrived for 2 nights, reception staff could not find our booking (they did eventually) The unit was clean nice amenities comfy bed etc our main issue was a leaking boiler necessitating a room move on day 2.No help moving all our stuff including fridge and groceries.No apology for the considerable inconvenience and no token of compensation. The wi fi was never available in the unit
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Public Relations Officer on 12 Feb 2018
Dear Gareth, Thank you for your review. Our apologies for the inconvenience of having to change units and the lack of physical assistance provided by our staff. We have raised this issue with the personnel concerned. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Basil

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Manager on 9 Feb 2018
Dear Basil, Thank you for your grading. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Family Holiday
The Hotel was excellent and clean. Three facilities for family and children are great. The only downside was that there is no lifeguards as the pool area and no warning signs that the steps rapidly lead to a deep end. The last point was some of the reception staff are rude and some are racist, which has been a complaint from other patrons.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Manager on 17 Jan 2018
Dear Guest, Thank you for your review. We are happy that your family enjoyed their stay. We have noted the negative issues raised and these will be addressed with the personnel concerned. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Fantastic resort with the worst reception staff, South Africa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic resort with the worst reception staff
Fantastic resort, stunning location, great scenery, Kiara Lodge is probably the best resort I have been to in ages, this stay would have been so much greater had it not been for their most foolish bunch of racist reception staff, the most unfriendly and unwelcoming reception staff in any resort. Many people at the resort had similar complaints but to no avail because there seems to be a strong link between reception staff and management. I will definitely take up this case to the owners of Kiara and hopefully they will sort this issue. For now all I can say is that Kiara Lodge is probably the most beautiful resort in its region and definitely I would rate it as 5star had it not been for the most unfriendly and unhelpful reception staff. I can say more regarding them but I don't wish to further embarrass them. The truth will soon be exposed to the board of directors who will hopefully handle this bunch of guys who fail to display good character especially to guests of the resort. Sorry I just forgot to mention that the rest of the staff from security to the house keeping etc were amazing, wonderful and great people.... Thanks
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2018
Response from Public Relations Officer on 17 Jan 2018
Dear Guest, Thank you for the review of your recent stay at our resort. Whilst we are delighted that our resort exceeded your overall expectations, we are naturally concerned with your comment about our reception desk personnel and your feedback will be discussed with them. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful surroundings
Clean and well maintained. Good beds. Not all units have good views...best check . Conveniently located...2 kms to Golden gate & 15 kms to Clarens
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2017
Response from Manager on 8 Jan 2018
Dear John, Many thanks for your review as we always appreciate guest feedback. Glad to see that you enjoyed your stay with us. Regards. Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Janet

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely stopover place
What a lovely site. Family friendly with mix of activities , lovely pool . Local walks and climbs. Nearest place( Clarens ) is a drive away so restaurant on site is useful. Lodge we stayed in was very nicely decorated and cosy in the thunder storm. Would stay again on a trip to Durban
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Response from Manager on 1 Dec 2017
Dear Janet, Thank you very much for your review and kind words. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Cathy

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Finally made it~
The stay was way too short! We stayed at one of the self catering unit. It really would have comfortably catered for a family of 6 if they don't mind the sleeper sofa~ The only catch is that is that it's so far from local grocery store. If one forgot something, you need to drive about 18km to buy it.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017
Response from Manager on 3 Oct 2017
Dear Cathy, Many thanks for your review and we are happy to read that you enjoyed your recent stay with us. Regards Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017
Response from Andrew on 29 Jun 2017
Thanks for staying with us. We appreciate your feedback!

8/10 Good

Andre

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Good stay near Clarens
Comfortable stay in a beautiful area with lots to do. Just be warned that the restaurant closes early for dinner due to staff's transport.
Stayed 1 night in May 2017
Response from Manager on 14 Jun 2017
Dear Andre, Thank you for your review of our resort. We are happy to see that you took the opportunity to explore our special corner of the Maluti's. Regards. Kiara Lodge

10/10 Excellent

Haili

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The two night stay was nice
The two night stay was nice. Located at the entrance of Golden Gate. Generally the area was a bit cold in end of May. But the facilities were perfect - inside the unit or in the resort. Indoor heated pool and the Jacuzzi is definitely the selling point even we didn't use it. The view and the hiking trails are also very good. Enjoyed our stay. The only disappointing thing was that I booked for a family of six including two kids but only got a four-sleeper unit and was blamed for overloading until I showed the receptionist my confirmation letter. Also you have to pay for WIFI.
Response from Manager on 31 May 2017
Dear Haili, Thank you very much for your kind words and we are delighted that your family enjoyed their winter holiday break in the Maluti's at our resort. Regards. Kiara Lodge

10/10 Excellent

Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Well accepted , stayed in comfort , Clean unit , over all clean on the resort. Food at the restaurant highly recommended.
Response from Manager on 31 May 2017
Dear Sydney, Thank you for your kind words and generous grading of our resort and facilities. Regards. Kiara Lodge

8/10 Good

Alfred R

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We were disappointed that the pool was not available when we were there due to refurbishment. It would have been good to receive some warning about this, or compensation, as it was an imprortant part of our holiday, and we had particularly chosen a venue with a pool
Response from Manager on 17 May 2017
Dear Alfred, Thank you for your review, Our apologies that our swimming pool was not available as our indoor solarium has replaced it. Regards. Kiara Lodge

10/10 Excellent

Francois

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The resort is just getting beter and beter. Fantastic holiday destination
Response from Manager on 28 Mar 2017
Dear Francois, Thank you very much for your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you once again. Regards. Kiara Lodge

10/10 Excellent

ernie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Had a good few days, enjoyed the ambiance and good service. Restaurant excellent
Response from General Manager on 26 Jan 2017
Dear Ernie, Thank you very much for your review and kind words. We are delighted that you enjoyed your recent stay with us. Regards. Kiara Lodge

6/10 Okay

Chad

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
No pool available- disappointing
Disappointing that there was no advice that outdoor pool was under construction and not available. What was worse was being told on check-in that the indoor pool would be available, and then find out when we go down there that it's closed for private function. Not great for two toddlers who were excited to go swimming.
Response from General Manager on 10 Nov 2016
Dear guest, Thank you you for our review and our sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused due to the lack of a swimming pool during your stay. We are in fact constructing a brand new solarium, which is scheduled open in January 2017. Regards. Kiara Lodge