Dunkeld Country & Equestrian Estate

What a beautiful setting. All the right ingredients. Coloured huge leaves decorated the lawns with the autumn colours. Big shiny trout dams glittering in the sunlight. Overpowering trees with mysterious shades in the woods. Beautiful chalets built with rocks. This place had it all. It took my breath away. Soon to be disappointed. The unit was put together by unqualified people. Misaligned cupboards and drawers, drawers not closings, extractor fan installed sky high in the air, lights installed in dysfunctional places, dirty toilet under the rim, bathroom tiles filthy. The indoor swimming pool was milky. There were 2 huge holes on one of the dam's edges. Very easy for a fisherman to break a leg there. One could see that it was there for a long time. The bicycles were unavailable or broken. The tuck shop had 3 ice creams in stock. I bought 1 and it was frozen, melted and refrozen, not good. The receptionists were very friendly. The lady at the retail shop was very friendly and helpful. The restaurant was very good. They just played the same music every day for a whole week long. Rather frustrating. We did complain but apparently that was the manager's instruction to use only that music selection. In this day and age with the variety available at a rather low cost, that is really unacceptable. The food was excellent. David , the fly fishing coach was a star. All in all it still was a memorable stay. We will go back again. It is a lovely setting, but we do expect the Top Management of the group to pull up their socks. It is a beautiful place. It just needs attention to detail and a firm hand. It is a pity to see that such a beautiful venue is busy falling to pieces.

I really cannot rate this place enough!! I have never written a review before and we have stayed all around the world. It really is the MOST magical place! The grounds are absolutely beautiful! On my evening runs I was 2 metres away from zebras! SO much wildlife! The horses are so beautiful and treated amazingly- tehey are let out every evening to roam the grounds freely and come back themselves every morning. I saw some horrible reviews so was nervous which is why I had to write. I cannot fault the place! The staff were amazing, the food was amazing. Make sure when you check in you ask for a map and ask for everything they have on offer as they don't really advertise. I would recommend on day 1 going for a long walk around the grounds and getting a feel for the place. The two restaurants are on opposite ends of the property so you have to drive and one is closer to games area and other side closer to reception where you book everything. So many amazing places for fly fishing (the kids and I had a lesson which we loved) and also the horse rides are an absolute must! We were walking at sunset through a huge zeal of zebras! It really was so amazing! We went from here to Camps bay in Cape Town and I preferred here. The rooms aren't fancy here more lot cabin like but very comfortable and well built two stories w kitchen/ bathroom/ large bedrooms and comfy beds. But the place is so beautiful you won't be in your rooms much! Dunks the town was quaint and gorgeous too with lovely shops and restaurants. Can you tell I loved the place haha . We will be back!!!

Wow, wow, what an amazing hidden gem Dunkeld Equestrian is! I was truly mesmerized by the beauty it offered. The hotel rooms were charmingly decorated, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere. The General Manager was kind enough to show me the chalets, which are ideal for families. Some of these chalets overlook a serene lake where you can enjoy fly fishing.The best part of this resort is its family-friendly environment. My kids had an absolute blast with the various activities available. The food was delicious, satisfying every craving. I will definitely visit Dunkeld Equestrian again—it's a place that offers unforgettable experiences and cherished memories.

This is a lovely estate with a sense of calm and peacefulness. The fall colors of the trees along with the rustic vibe of the buildings, horses, cats, ducks and zebra (the first day) were so picturesque. The multiple ponds with various foliage and flora, and water features added to the serene feeling. There were four friend in my party - we each had a "Hotel" room. The rooms are right next to each other with doors exiting to an outside seating area for each room. Our rooms varied some but had the same basic setup to include a separate room with doors for the shower and for the toilet. There was a large tub in larger room outside the shower and toilet. Each room had either a gas or wood burning oven; the gas preferred. With regards to our tour, this establishment has the BEST, most comfortable bed and softest towels. A+ in that regard. Yes, there are some minor cosmetic improvements that could go a long way but, overall, the rooms felt comfortable and safe. Dining at the restaurant was typically good although there were instances of not having certain items, and some inconsistency in what we expected (a la carte versus a specific menu). In one instance, we were told they were out of caesar salad so one of the ladies asked what the vegetables were - and was told 'mixed'. Instead of getting what we thought of as mixed vegetables, we got salad. :-) I guess that a salad is mixed vegetables but not what was expected. Staff was a mixture of personalities. Some very helpful and pleasant with a couple more stoic non-personable type personalities. The spa folks did a great job on the services but were definitely ready to head out at 4. Note that the nearby town of Dullstrom seems enjoyable to explore - shop and visit the restaurants. All this said, I would go there again with specific expectations; if looking to relax and unwind with a book, to go for walks, and just disconnect from everyday life.

Don't expect a maintained unit. Don't expect clean kitchen drawers where your cutlery lies, expect rubbish and maybe half a two-liter Coke bottle under the sink. Don't expect a working stove top, you will find a replacement stove top lying on the current stove top with a plug just move it to wherever you can find the nearest plug. Don't expect any braai utensils if your unit has a braai, and also don't expect a working braai light. I would also be wary of the rails as you come down the stairs they might just fall over. All and all don't expect much for the R3800 you pay per night

The property as a whole is beautiful with lots of amenities, the accommodation is tired and in serious need of an upgrade, we paid extra for a lake view room, our unit was next to a busy road, which had little privacy and constant noise disturbances. Rather disappointing considering the units next to us were all empty for the duration of our stay. Check-in time is 16:00 which is extremely late and not in line with industry standards. We booked two different units as family joined us for the later part of our stay, on the booking platform the second unit was listed as a villa, which turned out to be an upstairs apartment. Management did change us from an upstairs apartment to a downstairs apartment, which was appreciated but we felt mislead as the price point was in line with a villa and our reservation made no indication we had booked an apartment. The animals overturned multiple dustbins throughout the property, making it look like a giant trash dump every morning. Something that could easily be addressed with animal proof dustbins, overall we were disappointed with the property and its lack of much needed maintenance.