Umtamvuna River Lodge

Capacity

Style

On-site stay

Catering

We booked the venue for our wedding, but unfortunately, Covid disrupted our original plans. Rescheduling was a nightmare, with heated arguments over picking a new date and whether we could keep the discount we received for paying everything upfront months in advance. Ended up paying a lot more. We were assured the venue would be for our private use, but on the wedding day, the owner invited his friends to wakeboard in the same area we had planned for the groomsmen to get ready. Despite providing all guest details for access, the gates didn’t work, and there was no one around to assist. We paid extra for bar staff, but they never showed up. Midway through the evening, we had to switch to self-service when we realized they weren’t coming. Tables for welcome drinks, the cake, and other items were only brought out less than an hour before guests started arriving. During our vows, the owner walked groups of people through the venue to show them the facilities and later took more people on a boat ride. At dinner, strangers wandered in and helped themselves to our drinks. The venue is in a stunning location, facilities need some maintenance but the management was awful. Be cautious when dealing with the owner—they’ll promise you everything but fail to deliver, very helpful until you make payment after which you are on your own. I wish we had just known the truth from the start.

Wow!! What an awesome experience, from a very friendly receptionist to an exceptional owner. Thank you for the great boat ride. A great way to spend our daughters’ birthday.

Tranquil, relaxing, owners are also awesome and friendly, def a place to unwind.

What an experience. We had friendly staff helping us. Amazing views. Everyone in our party was treated with respect and kindness. I will definitely bring my family back here as often as we can. The place is a hidden gem and Kevin was a blessing to our children. Thank you so very much. Oh and the pizza's were fantastic.