The lodge is fully equipped, clean and well maintained. It has everything you need for a relaxing bush breakaway, including easy access to Hoedspruit, to get provisions or go to a restaurant. The rooms are serviced and dishes are washed daily by James, the lodge overseer, who works in the mornings. We all drank the tap water at the lodge and it was fine. There is VERY little game in Canyon Reserve, so the area should not be marketed for game viewing. There are plenty of tourist attractions and sights to see, all within one to two hours drive of Bona Intaba. We had a wonderful time at the lodge!

I am aiming to do a very honest review. I had high hopes when making this booking for our honeymoon. Starting off with the good points:The lodge is very clean and very private.The sand road leading up to it is well maintained and accessible with a small vehicle. James, the caretaker, is attentive but not intrusive. Jessica the hippo was an amazing attraction which is close by.Suggestions for a better experience:Maybe heat up the pool as it is incredibly cold and cannot be used on hot days.Let your guest choose which bedroom they want. They paid for the whole lodge, they can at least get a choice especially if it is just one couple.Also, remove misleading photos of the view of the mountain as there are no views. It is just trees.The bad and the ugly:Upon arrival we saw an information leaflet in the room which we normally dont read. Luckily we did, as it then came to our attention that we needed to bring our own drinking water. The lodge has a mini bar stocked with sparkling water and unlike all other 4 star establishments we have stayed at, the water was not complimentary. Also, when we brushed our teeth using tap water in the bathroom, the water turned out muddy... mmmm. Awesome. Your guests kinda need to know to bring their own water WHEN THE BOOKING IS MADE as they are not allowed out after 18.00 as per the reserves rules. Also, the 6pm rule is just so restrictive. We knew we had to check in by 17.30 but at least thought we would get a pass to let us in and out as we pleased. If being tucked away by 6pm is not your thing, do not bother.You are not allowed to lay on the couches in the lounge area. Fair enough. But I paid to relax. So if I want to lay on a couch, I want to lay on a couch. We are very considerate people and do not go out of our way to damage property. It felt like a slap in the face.The single chair in the lounge area is broken. The 2 front legs wheels are broken and bent backwards and the back rest has a crack through it.The chairs by the dining table at the swimming pool are all rickety and is sure to collapse any day now. That is also the only place where you can eat around a table - outside. On the inside is a bar counter which is not exactly a table to enjoy a dinner with your partner.No scissors in the kitchen. Self catering right? Am I the only one that needs to cut open packets?No matching cutlery or kitchenware (this is supposed to be 4 star after all)Then the bedding. Never in my life have I experienced this at a 4 star establishment. The sheets on the bed are not even 100% cotton nor do they have that fresh, crispy feel. The sheets are probably as old as the lodge is. If I should have started a pillow fight with my husband, I am sure he would have gotten a concussion as they are about 2cm high and rock hard. Very old and just really, really not acceptable for 4 supposed stars. I just cannot get over this.And then folks, should you want to walk around in the game reserve you need to arrange with the care taker to babysit you AND you need to pay for the care taker to walk with you around the reserve as he needs to make sure we do not litter. It is definitely not a guided tour as he was way more interested in talking with whomever on the radio than he was in keeping quiet to look for animals. We asked what the best time would be for a walk and he suggested 14.30. Now, it is really hot and growing up in Phalaborwa, I know from experience that the animals are not really active in the afternoon when it is that hot. So we asked James if he was sure as we can do a morning walk or rather a bit later in the afternoon. He stuck to the time and when we got back to the lodge, he literally ran off saying Bye, I am going to have some fun at the gate. Now we know why the impractical time was given.This might have been a 4 star lodge back in the days when it opened but after downloading the Star rating guidelines I am quite sure it would rate between 2 and 3 stars. Which I would have been fine with if that is what I wanted. It was our honeymoon after all.