Nothing much…the place was amazing.

Everything was spot on. Beautiful place and stuff. Amazing food by amazing chefs. It’s the little things that the stuff did to make us comfortable and enjoy our stay.

Stayed in March 2024

A few drinks in the fridge would have been good.

Beautiful location, great service, good food, delightful little spa, peace and quiet. Elephant encounter was awesome!

Stayed in March 2024

Everything was great. A very small thing - it would be lovely to have the candles lit in the main lounge area at night. It’s a lovely space but it’s large and atmosphere could be improved. It must look great when the fire is also lit!

A lovely contemporary main lodge restaurant/lounge with individual sleeping lodges scattered in the hillside. Walk with elephants and the botany/bush walk a must! Delicious food, friendly helpful staff and a nice pool area to relax by or have a dip. 15km of unmade up road but don’t be put off , take it slowly it’s worth the trip!

Stayed in February 2024

The approach road via Addo over the pass was somewhat tricky terrain, especially in a small hire car. More choice on the evening menu and a better selection of wines as we quite often asked for drinks on the menu that then weren't available .Some of the paths to the villas are steep and in places could do with a handrail due to the steepness and the paths cleared regularly..

The lounge restaurant area is lovely, the staff were very friendly and helpful. The elephant encounter was incredible well worth it. The evening food was good. The views from the lodges were fantastic.

Stayed in February 2024

We love that the cabins are remote from the main building but be careful if you have mobility problems as it is an uneven, gravelly hike up to them. Kids running in flip flops fell over a lot but this didn’t dampen our fun. We liked the adventure! If they weren’t where they were we wouldn’t have woken up to giraffe walking right past our veranda twice! Other guests said game drives on the property were not up to expectations, so we would suggest just the elephant walk (which was epic) then go to Addo elephant park for a day (1.5hrs away) which was amazing.

We loved the cabins- fun to be out on our own With view of the elephants (they stay in an enclosure at night and this is visible from most of the cabins). Food was great, especially breakfast with fresh fruit, yoghurt, muffins and hot choices if you like. Child-friendly options but children can eat the full adult meal (three courses) if they wish. Happy to alter things for taste (eg. No dressing on prawns). Swimming pool small but clean and fresh towels ready for us on loungers. Outdoor shower on veranda was amazing- can shower and look at wildlife at the same time. Tea and coffee in rooms and a good sized fridge with UHT milk. Staff friendly and helpful. Walking with the elephants was one of the most incredible experiences of my life and will never be forgotten. So glad we did that.

Stayed in February 2024

Access road took well over an hour to drive. It’s therefore too far to self-drive to Addo and back in a day (a 4-hour round trip) and still have much time to see the animals. The chalet was quite tired looking and could do with some updating.

Staff were fabulous, particularly Moffat. Elephant walk was a fantastic experience. Scenery was spectacular, especially the night skies. Food was very good.

Stayed in February 2024

It is really difficult to get to the lodge. We travelled from Addo elephant park and travelled through the Zuurberg Mountain pass. It was very challenging.

The accommodation is fantastic. You can just relax and soak up the beautiful Zuurberg Mountains. It is really something special and unique. The staff are excellent. They really go out of their way to make sure that your stay is pleasant.

Stayed in December 2023

Nothing

Everything was excellent, the lodges, the staff, the food. We did the elephant encounter, which was one of the best things we have ever done.

Stayed in February 2024

The mountain bikes were not operational, and you can only walk the "road".

Barefoot is picture perfect with a friendly and helpful staff, George, Moffet, Kelyn and Kristal, who made our stay very pleasant. The food was great. The room was welcoming and after dinner there was a fire in the fireplace and warm blankets on the bed. What a luxury. We took advantage of the two excursions, walking with elephants and the game drive. Mavusi made the game drive unforgettable and educational. Not only about the animals, but also the local culture. Dumasani, Thembani, Foster and Ignatius were wonderful amabssadors for the elephants. Unforgettable! The drive over the two passes was challenging, but doable with a Corolla (going very slow). It was worth it when we found paradise at the end.

Stayed in November 2023

exciting stay, our recommendation: do the elefant walk and the bush walk - see the animals behave without a fence in between. very luxury cottages and super service

Stayed in November 2023

Be aware that the location is via 25km of dirt road - we were able to do it in a saloon car but it took over an hour to do but worth the effort.

Fantastic facilities and design. Very relaxing and very good food. Loved the hot tub on the balcony and seeing the wildlife from the veranda. We even saw giraffe’s whilst having breakfast in the main lodge.

Stayed in January 2024

Wasn’t mad about the 25km dirt road in pretty bad condition after rainfall…..but what you discover at the end makes it all worthwhile

The beautiful , smiling , helpful staff, combined with the stunning location ……all came together to make for a wonderful, relaxing few days away

Stayed in January 2024

No problem for us, but the road in might be difficult for people who are not used to dirt roads.

This was heaven on earth. Comfortable accommodation nestled into the vegetation. A view across the valley to see wildlife. Fantastic food. Lovely pool. The lounge and dining area were gorgeous. The staff were unbelievable. Attentive, friendly and seeking to please.

Stayed in December 2023

Nothing! Apart from the 16km dirt track you have to take to get there….but even that was well worth it.

We liked everything! The communal lodge and outside balcony by the water, the view from our room, the room itself, the service from staff and the general tranquility was absolutely magical. The view is unrivalled. I have never had anything like it from a room. You can see giraffes, zebras, baboons, antelope, warthogs, eagles and more from the bed! Our stay was incredible. Thank you 🙏🏻

Stayed in December 2023

The road getting there was difficult but it’s something we were already informed about and we willingly took the risk.

Excellent views, wild life was amazing to see, elephant walk was excellent. Room comfort was incredible and the staff were very sweet and always on top of their game to help with no waiting time!

Stayed in September 2023

Magical place in the bush. Highly recommend the Elephant walk.

Stayed in August 2023

Nothing, Barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge is run exceptionally. A word of warning when traveling to the lodge, rather approach from the N10 than from the R335 when weather permitting. The R335 has exceptional views, but is at times a single-track mountain pass which is not ideal for vehicles closer to the ground. Contact the Barefoot team before traveling to check which road is best at the time.

Barefoot Addo Elephant Lodge was everything we needed and more! The staff were always around when we needed something, and very happy to assist. The accommodation exceeded what we were expecting and the view was magical, waking up with different animals grazing in view every day. The elephant encounter is a must, and very informative. We'll definitely be returning!

Stayed in August 2023

Reading through some of the negative comments from earlier reviews in order to make my choice of a breakaway weekend was very misleading. It was a priceless weekend with majestic views in nature and knowledgeable game ranger and elephant handlers. An experience to walk with the elephants and feed them. The tranquility and the beautiful setting of the diningroom with huge fireplaces. The sjef went out of her way to prepare tasty meals, seeing that our weekend was in a remote hideaway in the Zuurberg mountains and shops are miles away. We did not miss anything!

Stayed in August 2023

The dinner was "chicken casserole" - when it arrived, it was 2 chicken thighs, no sauce, rice and a small mixed plain stirfry - a bit disappointing. And also no milk/milk sachets in our room for coffee. But enjoyed the turn down service and welcoming fire when we returned to our room was a lovely surprise.

Game drive and our host was amazing.

Stayed in August 2023

Not applicable

Superb private location and property hidden in a mountain valley offering a unique experience, the elephant wal offering an interaction with these giant and intelligent mamals. We were accommodated in the tented house named plumage overviewing the valley fiitted with all necessary amenities incl a gaz stove which, in the winter season was a useful appliance in the early and fresh morning hours. The Jacuzzi pool at the west side of the wooden terrace was a top-on. No need to mention that food was excellent as well.

Stayed in August 2023

The last 15km to the lodge is dirt road which is doable (even with MB Vito) but requires some advanced driving skills.

High-end greatly equipped lodge. Maybe not cheap, but an absolute recommendation. Friendly staff, knowledgeable guides, excellent food and drinks, sufficient warming adds (cold during winter) and of course the mesmerizing elephant encounters with Duma, Thaba and Mukwa.

Stayed in July 2023

It was an incredible stay, the staff were very welcoming I 100% recommend an unforgettable experience.

Stayed in July 2023

the decline gradient to our tent was very slipary especially at night when you can't really see the path.

the nature. the beautiful lodge. breakfast was superb.

Stayed in July 2023

Nothing!!

All the meals was fantastic! Location wonderful-adventure to drive over the mountain!

Stayed in July 2023

We weren't allowed to drive around the reserve in our private vehicle to watch wildlife. As it is a relatively small, private reserve this isn't too unusual. I can imagine the chaos if all the tourists were driving around the reserve at the same time. Also, the reserve is close to other game reserves that can accommodate day-visitors for game-viewing, so not a major issue, just something to keep in mind.

The included meals exceeded my expectations. The area is really beautiful. The elephant encounter was a highlight for us! The room was spacious and comfortable and there are many small details which combine to make for a great experience. For example, returning to the cottage after dinner and discovering a fire already lit to warm up the room, and the electric blankets switched on. It's a small thing, but shows intentional care for guests.

Stayed in May 2023