It’s mid-morning, and I’d opted not to get up at the ungodly hour that I’m usually more than happy to get up at for a game drive, but little else. Largely, it’s because, through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors of my double-storey suite at Elephant Point River Suites, the bush stretches out towards the Sabie River and, beyond it, the seemingly endless expanse of the Kruger. A few hippos wallow in the water, two kudu are locking horns on the outer bank, and a troop of vervet monkeys swing from the trees.
The suite is luxuriously vast. Downstairs, the bedroom, which has been designed with a certain safari minimalism du jour, looks directly out onto the bush, alongside a separate study which can be converted into an additional bedroom when required.
Upstairs, though, is where the suite really opens up: an expansive outdoor living and dining area features a terrace lounge and al fresco dining room — complete with a small kitchen setup and private plunge pool — all orientated towards that magnificent view across the river and into the Kruger.
There are multiple places to sit, work, eat, swim, or simply stare out at the bush — and with the suites ranging from an already generous 122m² to a sprawling 293m², space is very much part of the luxury.
It makes for a different style of safari stay, one which encourages you to spend time in your suite rather than simply use it as a base between drives. And considering the view from that second floor, it doesn’t take much convincing.
Each suite comes with dedicated 24-hour butler service, and the staff contingent throughout is where I find this property really shines. This, together with their willingness to offer a completely adaptable experience which stretches across their hospitality offering, seems to be the differentiator they are embracing — and it’s a strong one.
Where room service might usually result in silver cloches covering half-warm eggs and cold toast dropped off at the door — here it’s an experience in and of itself. I head upstairs for the brunch I’d requested, and the chef himself is cooking up a fairly extravagant breakfast for one. The creamy scrambled eggs are cooked to order; the salmon, the bacon, the chakalaka, and the mushrooms that accompany them are generous in portion and flavour. It’s a restaurant-quality experience from the comfort of your suite.
There’s an ease to it all, the privacy and freedom of having your own place in the bush, backed by the polish and attention of a rather fine restaurant. Though that’s not to say the actual restaurant itself should be missed.
The main hub, which houses reception and the dining areas, as well as the gym, is a grand, modern structure of concrete and glass. The space is complemented by art installations by Anton Smit and Mbongeni Buthelezi, which are featured throughout — it’s reminiscent of Legacy’s Johannesburg flagship. The Leonardo, which is structurally and aesthetically similar. And it’s within this impressive structure that the culinary ambitions of Elephant Point become most apparent.
At SAN, the property’s main restaurant, where fire is at the heart of much of the cooking, the offering features a series of menus that display an understanding of the complexities of safari dining — which is so rarely done well.
From a casual menu to an extensive à la carte menu and tasting menu — the latter two change daily — the food is well considered and well suited to ensure that there’s something for everyone, and unusually for a safari restaurant, it’s all made from scratch.
While the culinary programme was developed by Food Concepts 360, under Michelin-starred chef Conrad Gallagher, the kitchen is in the very capable hands of chef de cuisine Juan van Niekerk, with the food and beverage operations being overseen by F&B manager Bradley Quirk — both of whom previously worked at the now-closed Klein JAN at Tswalu Kalahari, as sous chef and GM respectively.
The menus run the gamut and include everything you may expect from a luxury safari. Expect elements which lean towards contemporary takes on African cooking, incorporating local game meats, such as the cured springbok carpaccio or a kudu loin cooked over coals, sitting alongside warm and comforting homemade pastas with rich mushroom centres and creamy sauces, or the luxurious likes of live-fire grilled langoustines or dry-aged grass-fed ribeye — cooked to order and served with moreish oxtail gratin. For dessert, think warm malva puddings or Amarula-infused crème brûlée.
It’s clean, concise cooking — which cleverly shies away from the overwrought and the overworked — made in-house, with fresh ingredients, and served by a team who are passionate about delivering a guest experience that surpasses expectations — and this, to me, is where the property is so clearly at its best.
It’s a food service matched with an equally impressive wine programme which features a considered yet surprisingly diverse list, especially for a safari lodge — Damascene Semillon, Saurwein Riesling, Erika Obermeyer’s Cabernet, and Gabrielskloof Landscape Series Cabernet Franc were just a few of the standouts.
There are arguably some beautiful lodges around, and most certainly in the Sabi Sand and the Kruger, many with magnificent rooms and equally magnificent views. What Elephant Point seems to understand particularly well is that luxury comes down to two things: the attention and care of the people who look after you and the time you’re left free to spend as you like.
The grand architecture, art-filled interiors and sprawling suites certainly set the scene, but it’s the staff who give the place its warmth and character — whether that’s the team arranging brunch upstairs, the chef cooking it in front of you, or reception reshaping the day simply because you’ve decided you’d rather stay in bed for an hour or two — game drive be damned, the great Sabie River and whatever may be wandering along its banks make for a pretty fine view once you do surface — don’t miss the brunch, though.
Wanted
