Founders Lodge by Mantis
1 night
Rooms and Guests
1 room, 2 adults, 0 children
All Properties in Grahamstown
Founders Lodge by Mantis
Sidbury, Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, 1724, South Africa
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Mantis Founders Lodge, an hour's drive from Gqeberha's Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport 's in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, is a game reserve with 5-star hospitality focused on tailored and convivial service, authentic South African cuisine and magnificent game viewing. This 7-suite lodge and newly renovated Founders Railway Carriage offers a pampered safari with an intimate, romantic experience for couples or an engaging, interactive social environment for families and friends.Show More
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Highlights
Free parking
Delicious breakfast
Excellent service
Sparkling clean
Airport drop-off availableShow More
Amenities
Massage room
Billiards room
Childcare service
Private parkingFree
Bar
Wi-Fi in public areasFree
Conference room
Multi-function room
All Amenities
Property Description
Mantis Founders Lodge, an hour's drive from Gqeberha's Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport 's in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, is a game reserve with 5-star hospitality focused on tailored and convivial service, authentic South African cuisine and magnificent game viewing. This 7-suite lodge and newly renovated Founders Railway Carriage offers a pampered safari with an intimate, romantic experience for couples or an engaging, interactive social environment for families and friends.
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5.0/5
OutstandingCleanliness5.0
Amenities5.0
Location5.0
Service5.0
All 42 Reviews
Surroundings
Landmarks: Quatermain's 1920's Safari Camp - Check-In
(5.0 km)
Landmarks: Sidbury Sports Club
(5.4 km)
Landmarks: Kwantu Private Game Reserve
(5.7 km)
Landmarks: HillsNek Safari Camp – Amakhala Game Reserve
(6.2 km)
Landmarks: Shamwari Private Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape
(8.5 km)
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Rooms
Guest Reviews
Services & Amenities
Policies
5
Contemporary Suite
1 King bed
Non-smoking
Air conditioning
Private bathroom
Minibar
Towels
Check Availability
4
King Room
1 King bed
Non-smoking
Air conditioning
Private bathroom
Bathtub
Minibar
Check Availability
4
Suite, 2 Twin Beds
2 Single bed
Non-smoking
Air conditioning
Private bathroom
Bathtub
Minibar
Check Availability
3
Multiple Bed Room
3 Double bed
Non-smoking
Air conditioning
Private bathroom
Bathtub
Minibar
Check Availability
Guest Reviews
5/5
Outstanding
42 reviews
Verified Reviews- Cleanliness5
- Amenities5
- Location5
- Service5
Average for similar properties in Grahamstown
AI Summary
The Founders' staff provides exceptional, friendly service. Guests appreciate the spacious, beautiful rooms and luxurious amenities. Facilities include a full-size snooker table, swimming pool, and small gym.
Ruth P
February 18, 2025
This was a really wonderful experience for our first safari. The accommodation was lovely with a stunning view and super clean. In addition, the food was amazing and I can’t speak highly enough of all the staff. Every single person made it their business to make us feel special and we really appreciated it. Our guide, JV ,was fab. He had such passion for the animals and was so knowledgeable. Plus his tracking was amazing. Thank you all for a brilliant stay.
aisling M
January 9, 2025
Where to start with this review…. This place is heaven. From the moment we stepped foot out of the car (after taking the wrong road!!) we were made to feel like royalty. We were met by Glynns and some of the other staff and were given a tour. We were shown down to the water hole and Our kids were amazed by this part, to be able to sit in the peace and quiet and wait for whatever animal was going to show up was fantastic. The food here is to die for, you most definitely won’t go hungry and your clothes maybe a little tighter going home !! The amazing staff Cynthia, Ntombi and Nazi just could not do enough for you, such beautiful people. Our guide Cillie, this man has the patience of a saint. Every game drive was different, he went above and beyond for us. Spent time with my son showing him where things were in the distance when none of us could see!! Explained everything in such detail, all the questions we had and he was so full of information for us. He was brilliant. Glynn and Craig, you guys are fabulous , you made us feel so welcome from the moment we arrived until the time we had to leave. This has been a dream come true and we will remember this forever. Hopefully we will see you guys again xx
wombat-madness
November 15, 2024
A little bit late writing this review, but better late than never as they say! Our stay was fantastic (we stayed for 3 nights), from the moment we arrived until the morning we left, we were very well taken care of. The staff at Founders Lodge are very good, nothing is too much trouble and you never had the feeling of being rushed. It was all very relaxing. The food was excellent, especially the braii (the chef and team excelled themselves) and the locations to eat change daily, with the most beautiful views across the reserve. Every game drive was amazing. We saw so many birds and animals everyday (nobody can deny the beauty of a water buffalo!). Our Ranger, Cillie, was incredibly knowledgeable, from learning about tracking when we spent time tracking a leapard’s paw prints to understanding how an elephant is feeling just by how its ears move. It was an incredible unforgettable experience everyday. Thank you for giving us a beautiful suite (no 3, opposite the watering hole), the sunrises from our room were gorgeous and a beautiful start to each day. The view of the watering hole and all the animals that visited it was lovely to watch. We were addicted to going to the hide and to get up close to the animals drinking from the watering hole…now home, I love watching the live feed of it on You Tube. If you are thinking of staying here, please do! You will have a wonderful time! Myself and my husband would like to thank Glynnis and her team for a very lovely stay and to Cillie (our Ranger), thank you, the drives were amazing (and the views for the Sunrisers and Sundowners beautiful). Thank you :)
Jo K
October 23, 2024
What a fantastic place! All the staff were friendly and went out of their way to make sure we had a great experience. The room was amazing, looking out over the waterhole and with a little veranda we could sit on to watch the animals. The bathroom was enormous with a deep claw- foot bath and a separate shower cubicle. The food was delicious and exceedingly high quality. The game drives were well organised and we saw lots of animals. The addition of the viewing area at the waterhole meant we saw lots of animals up close. It was an amazing experience and we both wished we could have stayed for longer!
Annette V
September 30, 2024
The Lodge is Amazing . They have the friendliest staff. The managers made sure to make us feel welcome and the Contemporary Suite is so beautiful with all the luxury amenities. They cater to your evey need and would highly recommend. ❤️ The animals are just outside your door and the new Hyde is my favourite feature. Dont even get me started on the food its amazing, hats off to the chef.
melissaf854
September 29, 2024
Wow, Founders Lodge is an amazing place. Craig and Glynis are the most welcoming hosts and the lodge is just beautiful. Our meals were served each day in a different part of the lodge with outstanding food. We were unlucky with the weather but this did not take anything away from our time here. Cillian our driver was so knowledgeable and was happy to answer all our questions. We will definitely be returning 2 nights was not enough!
203cathn
August 12, 2024
Craig and Glynis have created something truly magical at Founders Lodge! The setting is stunning with beautiful views across the game reserve and rhinos, zebra, sable to mention a few strolling to the waterhole about 100m from your veranda. The service is exceptional with nothing being too much trouble. They went out their way to accommodate our children and make them feel welcome. The food was delicious and eating in different parts of the lodge at each mealtime added to the experience of being in such a stunning place. The team were super friendly and professional and made Founders feel like a home from home. Cilliè, our guide, was really knowledgeable and great at answering all our questions! The waterhole hide is a great spot to go and relax and get really close to the animals. And the icing on the cake for the children is that the action is live steamed on You Tube so it feels like we’ve brought a little bit of Africa home to the UK. This morning the children were watching warthogs at the waterhole!
cotswoldrhino
February 7, 2025
What an exceptional place, and what an exceptional experience. It’s a small hotel with about seven rooms, so you are pretty much introduced to all the staff on arrival. The initial vibe of the rooms is colonial, but there are some great modern touches, like the swimming pool, and the underground hide, that allows you a view of the waterhole. We got face-to-face with rhinos while they were drinking and rolling in the mud. Accommodation is spacious and comfortable, with generous complimentary snacks and drinks in the room. The morning and evening game drives were customised as there were only a few of us in a vehicle. The highlight was seeing a cheetah hunting, but we also saw a couple of male lions, rhino, zebra, giraffe, impala, kudu, buffalo, etc. sadly,no leopard, but they did look for them for us. The game drive is about 3 hours with a comfort stop part way through, which includes drinks and snacks. After the drive, the team join you in the bar for a drink so there is plenty of time for questions. The food at the hotel is excellent, but they do have a limited menu on any given night, so make sure you let them know any dietary requirements. They also did a ‘romantic’ meal for us, which was a little ill-judged, as we were in the library surrounded by candles on a sifflingly hot evening! Breakfast, on the other hand, was generous and extensive. It was also served outside so we could watch the rhinos wander past on the way to the waterhole. From the grounds you can see rhinos, giraffe, zebra and warthogs. All in all, a fabulous place and well worth a visit.
Services & Amenities
Most Popular Amenities
Massage room
Billiards room
Childcare service
Additional charge
Private parking
Free
Bar
Wi-Fi in public areas
Free
Conference room
Multi-function room
Gym
Airport drop-off
Additional charge
Restaurant
Airport pick-up
Additional charge
Outdoor swimming pool
Billiards room
Gym
Restaurant
Outdoor swimming pool
Restaurant
Restaurant
No additional info available
More Amenities
Internet
Wi-Fi in public areas
Free
Outdoor swimming pool
Parking
Private (exclusively for guests) is available On-site parking. Reservation not needed.
Private parking
Free
Transportation
Shuttle service
Additional charge
Airport drop-off
Additional charge
Airport pick-up
Additional charge
Business Services
Conference room
Multi-function room
Front Desk Services
Safe at front desk
Concierge service
Front desk (limited hours)
Languages Spoken
Xhosa
Food & Drink
Bar
Room service
Lobby bar
Public Areas
Picnic area
Smoking area
Water purifier
Garden
Health & Wellness
Massage room
Billiards room
Gym
Activities
Eco tours
Gaming area
Cleaning Services
Ironing service
Laundry service (on-site)
Additional charge
Clothes dryer
Facilities for Children
Children's meals available
Childcare service
Additional charge
Safety & Security
First aid room
Intruder alarm
Smoke detector
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Property Policies
Check-in and Check-out Times
Check-in: After 13:00
Check-out: Before 11:00
Front desk hours: [Mon-Sun]08:00–17:00
Child Policies
Children can stay in some rooms of this hotel.
Additional fees may be charged for children using existing beds. Add the number of children to get a more accurate price.
Cribs and Extra Beds
For all room types, extra beds cannot be added. Crib policies vary according to room type. Please refer to the relevant room type policy.
Breakfast
TypeContinental, Full English/Irish, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian
| Age | Fee |
|---|---|
Adult | Contact hotel |
Additional breakfast fees are not included in the total and need to be paid at the property.
Pets
Pets are not allowed
Service Animals
Service animals are not allowed
Age Requirements
The main guest checking in must be at least 18 years old.
Paying at the Hotel
Property Description
- Opened: 2008
- Renovated: 2022
- Number of Rooms: 5
Mantis Founders Lodge, an hour's drive from Gqeberha's Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport 's in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, is a game reserve with 5-star hospitality focused on tailored and convivial service, authentic South African cuisine and magnificent game viewing. This 7-suite lodge and newly renovated Founders Railway Carriage offers a pampered safari with an intimate, romantic experience for couples or an engaging, interactive social environment for families and friends.