Leopard Sands, Kruger Park

Staying at Marriott Leopard Sands was truly a first-class experience from beginning to end. They went above and beyond in every possible way and completely exceeded my expectations. From the moment we landed, the service was exceptional. A driver was waiting at the airport with a sign with our names on it, helped us with our luggage, and then escorted us to a shuttle where a table was beautifully set up with welcome drinks and snacks. On the scenic drive to the lodge, we even spotted elephants and other wildlife, which set the tone for the entire stay. When we arrived at the lodge, we were greeted with songs, warm smiles, and hot towels to refresh ourselves. Our luggage was delivered to our room while we enjoyed a snack before heading out on our first game ride. The food throughout our stay was delicious, with thoughtful menus and plenty of great options. I was celebrating my birthday, and the staff went out of their way to make it memorable. I requested rose petals in the pool, and they accommodated it perfectly. They surprised me with a welcome charcuterie board in the room, a small birthday cake, and even serenaded me both at dinner and at sundowners. It was incredibly special. Our hut, as I like to call it, was spacious, beautifully decorated, and so peaceful. We could see wildlife right outside—we spotted a buffalo and even an elephant nearby. The early morning game drives were unforgettable, and the lodge prepared tasty and filling breakfast boxes to take with us. I also appreciated the complimentary laundry service, which made the stay even more comfortable. One gesture that really stood out was when I needed tampons during my stay. They had maxi pads on hand and kindly offered to pick up tampons for me and charge it to the room. That level of thoughtfulness shows just how much attention they give to every detail. Every single member of the team contributed to making this an outstanding stay, so I don’t want to single anyone out—it was a true team effort. Even the general manager took the time to meet with guests and was warm and personable. This was one of the most peaceful, relaxing, and memorable vacations I’ve ever had. Marriott Leopard Sands made me feel like royalty, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. ~Shareen Anderson

The staff at this hotel is its most outstanding feature. This is saying a lot because the rooms, the views and the game drives are all excellent. The staff is universally friendly, helpful and welcoming. We never got a no for any requests. We did a total of 9 hours of game drives in 2 days, but saw every animal we sought by the end of the first three, going out for repeated sightings. The food is good, but not fabulous. It's a bit farther from the gate to Kruger than I expected, about a 15 min drive. Overall though not a big deal. The free laundry service is generous and extremely helpful.

My family and I had a fabulous 5 days at Leopard Sands! The staff were welcoming and wonderful. I had many questions before we came, and Anita happily answered all of them in a very timely manner. The food was lekker (delicious) and abundant, and they allowed for substitutions. The rooms were very nice and we loved having an option of the inside and outside showers (I loved the outside one!). The bed was very comfortable and it was always spotless. We enjoyed the turndowns in the evening, and as we were celebrating my husband's 70th birthday, they made a special effort and "decorated" our bed and made and served him a cake and the whole staff also sang to him. We had Goodwill as our safari guide, and he was very knowledgeable and friendly. We saw all of the Big 5 and he answered all of our varied questions. The snack and drinks on the safaris were appreciated. It was a fantastic place and I highly recommend it!

From the magnificent food to the warm, friendly staff, every detail at Leopard Sands is world-class. The safari drives are unforgettable, with guides who work seamlessly as a team to bring you the best possible sightings. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind safari done in true style — Leopard Sands is the place to be.

From the moment we pulled up to Leopard Sands Lodge in the Kruger, we knew we were in for something special. Anita, McNeil (the wonderful GM, Van Heerden), and every single member of the team greeted us like old friends rather than first-time visitors. That feeling never faded – throughout our stay, nothing was ever too much trouble, and every little detail seemed to be handled before we’d even thought to ask. The lodge itself is breathtaking – a perfect mix of style, comfort, and that unique feeling of being surrounded by the wild. But as beautiful as it is, it’s the people who make Leopard Sands unforgettable. There’s a warmth and genuine care here that you can’t fake; it’s clear they love what they do, and it shines through in every interaction. We left with full hearts, incredible memories, and the sense that we’d found something truly rare. If five stars is the limit, Leopard Sands deserves more. We’re already counting the days until we can come back.

Better than expected! Service, overall, was great. Our favorite is Anita, Room Operations Director, who had the most wonderful smile, super kind and super friendly. We loved seeing her and she made us feel welcomed. Service at the restaurant was great as well. Agreeable was very friendly and understood what we wanted and got our orders right. It’s refreshing when your orders are understood and cooked right. Pastor at front desk was so lovely. He’s been there since opening and you can tell he’s fit for the job. Super helpful guy. The room is nicely set up and clean. Housekeeping did a good job daily, along with turn down service. It’s nice to come back after the game drives to a clean room without ever having to ask. Laundry is included and you put in the hamper in the morning, and it’s cleaned and folded and returned same day. There is heater in the room too, which is helpful during winter time. The bed is comfortable and the pillows as well. Even though the entire room layout is open, they put a divider up between the room and shower so that we can still shower and have some privacy. One feedback would be to have separate hair conditioner and not a combined shampoo / conditioner. Because it was combined, then conditioner wasn’t really strong so our hair was more tangled up. Game drives. We had Santos as our shared game drive guide. He was a very knowledgeable guy and helpful in answering questions and telling us about the animals. We love hearing about the different animal stories. We did have a hiccup with our private game drive booking. We initially thought private game drive meant with leopard sands but it was with a outsourced company and the guide was not up to standard. He was friendly but did not have the in depth knowledge we wanted, especially experiencing Santos the day before. However, service recovery was good and Anita resolved it and made sure we had Santos for the remaining of our stay. There’s two game drives a day included, morning and afternoon. Morning in winter is very cold and poncho blankets are included. Food is wonderful! Different menus for lunch and dinner everyday and we were there for 5 nights. Very flexible and able to change dishes, especially since I’m vegetarian and my daughter may not like the fancier food options. Flavors though were great. Definitely didn’t expect amazing food at a safari lodge. Overall, we had a great time at Leopard Sands. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality!