Amphitheatre Backpackers Lodge

20 reviews

Backpacker

Reviews

3.3/ 5

Based on 20 reviews

Cleanliness

3.2

Location

3.8

Value for money

3.0

Service

3.2

Safety

3.5

Mariana F

1 night stay

5.0

Mar 2024

Warm, inviting, clean and will camp here again. Amhitheatre Backpackers Lodge has a beautiful view of the Drakensberg. The receptionist was very inviting and friendly upon our arrival. The kitchen was spotless and dishcloths pure white. The lady who keeps it so neat and clean definitely deserves a Bells. We did not feel unsafe for one moment. Children went for a walk, played table tennis and sauna. Our two dogs ran around the world on the green grass. Nice!

This review has been automatically translated using Google.

Cleanliness

5.0

Service

5.0

Location

5.0

Safety

5.0

Value for money

5.0

Room stayed in

Camp Site

Stephen B

Short stay ⋅ Individual traveller

4.8

May 2025

Nice views from the campground. Good and affordable camping. Only concern is it seems you can now no longer do trail runs on the other side of the fence.

Cleanliness

5.0

Service

4.0

Location

5.0

Safety

5.0

Value for money

5.0

Room stayed in

Camp Site

Gia M

1 night stay ⋅ With friends

4.6

Feb 2025

We had a very restful 4 days. Stay was fantastic. The only thing I found challenging is that the staff at the bar were not always around and we had to wait for a long time for them to come or go and find them. There was also no ice on sale on site. Food was superb.

Cleanliness

5.0

Service

3.0

Location

5.0

Safety

5.0

Value for money

5.0

Room stayed in

Group Room - 3 Sleep...

Jacques D

Short stay ⋅ Family with teenagers

4.0

Apr 2025

Excellent weekend with beautiful views and good company and good service. We really enjoyed it, the view is excellent, facilities were comfortable and completely adequate for our group. The staff sorted out problems quickly, we really had a great time. Loved the setup. Would definitely recommend.

This review has been automatically translated using Google.

Cleanliness

3.0

Service

4.0

Location

5.0

Safety

4.0

Value for money

4.0

Room stayed in

Group Room - 8 Bunks...

Room stayed in

Standard Twin

Wayne A

Short stay ⋅ Individual traveller

3.6

Feb 2025

Pleasant stay! While a little more basic than the photographs suggest, it was a good stay. Unfortunately, the food menu was no longer applicable.

Cleanliness

3.0

Service

4.0

Location

5.0

Safety

3.0

Value for money

3.0

Room stayed in

Standard Double

Natasha F

Short stay ⋅ With partner

3.0

Jul 2025

Disappointing. Slow, uninterested, no hot water, no service. Tours poorly planned as only one guide and this time without a car.

Cleanliness

4.0

Service

2.0

Location

3.0

Safety

4.0

Value for money

2.0

Room stayed in

Group Room - 8 Bunks...

Juané V

1 night stay

2.8

Feb 2025

Quiet environment. Accommodation was acceptable. Unfortunately, it was not wheelchair or low mobility accessible at all.

This review has been automatically translated using Google.

Cleanliness

3.0

Service

4.0

Location

2.0

Safety

3.0

Value for money

2.0

Room stayed in

Standard Twin

Judy S

Short stay ⋅ Family with young children

1.6

Jul 2025

Very unpleasant bad experience. I took an 8-bed room for myself and two little girls. When we checked in, we were given a 6-bed. By the first night, a strange man was shared with us. I went to report it, because I was not at all comfortable with it. He was then moved to another room. Next morning – same story, another man was shared with us. I contacted the website that morning and explained my problem. Nowhere on the website does it explicitly say that you will be shared with strangers. The description of the 8-bed (which I booked) is also different from the 6-bed (which I got). The 6-bed says that you pay per bed. The 8-bed does not say this at all. I was then helped by the website and shared in a more suitable room. I feel that the website is misleading. If I had known that we would be shared with strangers, I definitely would not have booked there. I also had to pay an extra R2000 for the other room. The website supposedly told the manager that I, the client, had made a mistake with the booking. This is absolutely untrue. We were forced to pay the extra money. The next day the resort called me and attacked me very rudely because I had apparently not paid, after I had already. Furthermore, the toilet in the first room did not flush, the gas geysers were constantly giving problems, the rooms were dirty, no towels (as stated on the website), not enough toilet paper – complete disrepair of all the units (no maintenance). The resort's rates are also not in line or realistic at all in my opinion. They are basic and skimpy, and cost similar to much better options in the same area. I have been using the website for 20 years and do not believe I will use your services again. I do not believe that this resort is in line with the other resorts and your standards. No one wanted to listen to me as a client not knowing that people could be classified with us, and that the website's wording should be checked. How can it be acceptable for a lady and two little girls (8 and 10 years old) to sleep with strange men – without this being clearly stated on your website? I am of the opinion that it was the website's fault and I, as the client, was very badly harmed. We were also there with a very large group of people (fellow motorcyclists) and everyone is aware of what happened. In other words, not just one client was influenced by this and negative marketing was spread!

Baie onaangename slegte ervaring. Ek het ’n 8-bed kamer geneem vir myself en twee klein dogtertjies. Toe ons inboek, is ’n 6-bed aan ons gegee. Teen die eerste aand is ’n vreemde man saam met ons ingedeel. Ek het dit gaan aanmeld, want ek was glad nie gemaklik daarmee nie. Hy is toe geskuif na ’n ander kamer. Volgende oggend – selfde storie, weer ’n man saam met ons ingedeel. Ek het die oggend vir die webtuiste gekontak en my probleem verduidelik. Nerens op die webtuiste word dit eksplisiet gesê dat mens saam met vreemde mense ingedeel sal word nie. Die 8-bed (wat ek bespreek het) se beskrywing is ook anders as die 6-bed (wat ek gekry het). Die 6-bed sê dat mens per bed betaal. Die 8-bed sê dit glad nie. Ek is toe deur die webtuiste gehelp en in ’n meer geskikte kamer ingedeel. Ek voel dat die webtuiste misleidend is. As ek geweet het ons sou met vreemdes ingedeel word, sou ek beslis nie daar bespreek het nie. Ek moes ook R2000 ekstra inbetaal vir die ander kamer. Die webtuiste het glo aan die bestuurderes gesê dat ek, die kliënt, ’n fout gemaak het met die bespreking. Dit is absoluut onwaar. Ons het die ekstra geld noodgedwonge betaal. Die dag daarna het die oord my gebel en baie ongeskik aangeval omdat ek glo nie betaal het nie, nadat ek reeds het. Verder het die toilet by die eerste kamer nie gespoel nie, die gasgeisers gee permanent probleme, die kamers was vuil, geen handdoeke (soos op die webtuiste vermeld nie), nie genoeg toiletpapier nie – algehele verval van al die eenhede (geen onderhoud nie). Die oord se tariewe is ook glad nie in lyn of realisties in my opinie nie. Dis basies en skraps, en kos soortgelyk aan baie beter opsies in dieselfde area. Ek gebruik die webtuiste al vir 20 jaar en glo nie ek sal jul dienste weer gebruik nie. Ek glo nie dat hierdie oord in lyn is met die ander oorde en jul standaarde nie. Niemand wou luister dat ek as kliënt nie geweet het dat daar mense saam met ons ingedeel kan word nie, en dat die webtuiste se bewoording nagegaan moet word nie. Hoe kan dit aanvaarbaar wees vir ’n dame en twee dogtertjies (8 en 10 jaar oud) om saam met vreemde mans te slaap – sonder dat dit duidelik gestel word op jul webtuiste? Ek is van mening dat dit die webtuiste se skuld was en ek, as die kliënt, is baie sleg benadeel. Ons was ook daar saam met ’n baie groot groep mense (mede-motorfietsryers) en almal is bewus van wat gebeur het. M.a.w. nie net een kliënt is hierdeur beïnvloed en negatiewe bemarking versprei nie!

This review has been automatically translated using Google.

Cleanliness

1.0

Service

1.0

Location

4.0

Safety

1.0

Value for money

1.0

Room stayed in

Deluxe Double/Twin o...

Karmen S

1 night stay ⋅ With partner

1.2

Apr 2025

What was on the website doesn't match the place at all. Very disappointed with the facilities, the bathrooms were dirty and I was not impressed that the bathrooms and showers were unisex. We had to leave early the next morning and could not sleep because the common area/other guests were playing music until late. The hostess was not very accommodating or friendly.

This review has been automatically translated using Google.

Cleanliness

1.0

Service

1.0

Location

2.0

Safety

1.0

Value for money

1.0

Room stayed in

Simple Double

Frans V

1 night stay ⋅ With friends

4.6

Mar 2024

One night's overnight stay - perfect overnight stop for motorcycle tourers. Real genuine backpackers. Everything was as I expected. Had fun sitting around the fire and chatting with Americans, Swedes, Dutch and Brits.

This review has been automatically translated using Google.

Cleanliness

4.0

Service

5.0

Location

5.0

Safety

4.0

Value for money

5.0

Room stayed in