St Lucia Wilds Garden Cottages and Flatlet

The small coastal town  of St Lucia, is uniquely situated within the  World Heritage Site,  iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which makes it an ideal base from where to experience the unspoilt natural, with beach, bush, lakes and forests around.  Watch the sun rise over the sea and set over the lake in one day. Experience a game drive, snorkel/swim in the sea, birding, fishing, a boat trip on the lake and short walking trails in a nature reserve from here or just relax and enjoy the sunshine, clean air and tropical forest smells and sounds.

We are located in the main street, on the lake side,  away from the busy noisy town centre, still within walking distance to shops etc. Accommodations  are set in a natural tranquil garden. No view of the lake but shrubs and wildlife. All units have access to the lake via a communal path through the premises. of the lake. Guests enjoy the front garden surrounded by mostly indigenous plants, relax on a lounger chair under the trees or cool down in the swimming pool. The garden is visited by Vervet monkeys, Banded mongoose, Tree squirrels, buck, insects etc. and we try to maintain a healthy food chain by using environmentally friendly products and practices.

We offer self-catering holiday accommodation. The owner family lives on the property too. Units are standard, rustic, old style with a mix of new and old, bought and crafty décor, comfortable, no-nonsense, very well equipped, clean and neat.  We have 3 joined  cottages and 1 affordable (budget type) flatlet unit.

On site is an outdoor swimming pool. Fish cleaning place. An art Gallery and Art Cafe which offer art and craft for sale and art and craft projects as a relaxing activity. The Art cafe has a small menu of home baked foods and sweet treats, which varies.

All units are equipped as follows:
Beds with bedding and bath towels, money box safe, hair dryer.
Cutlery, crockery, pot & pans and cooking utensils, Stove (with oven), Microwave oven, Fridge, Toaster and Kettle, dish towel and dishcloth and dish washing liquid.
1 parking bay per unit, under roof cover, at the carport on site.
Once daily cleaning service.
Braai/bbq facility with grid and garden furniture.
Insect netting at all opening windows and doors

 Cottage/Apartment Units
2 Adjoining units, ground level, face brick walls inside and out, ceramic tiled floors, carpeted bedrooms and extra high pine ceilings. 2 Separate bedrooms per cottage. One full bathroom with a bath, separate shower, basin and toilet. Kitchen – lounge – dining area is open plan concept. The kitchen is very well equipped and there is a back door leading to a laundry drying line. The dining area has a table and chairs. The living area has lounge chairs and 2 single child beds. Entrance glass patio sliding door in lounge opens onto own garden area with a patch of grass separated by plants for some privacy. One bedroom has an aircon and the other bedroom a ceiling fan and an oscillating fan floor fan in the lounge area. The television is high on the wall.

Sleep maximum 4 adults or 6 persons including children (1-12 years) per unit.
Extras: Coffee plunger, Tea pot, Satellite Television (Free channels only- optional bring own decoder+card+cable), washing pegs, braai grid and tongs. Free limited WiFi inside units.

Affordable Flatlet
This unit is part of the 100 year old original house, converted into a flatlet with some of the old fittings and quirks. The building is elevated. The entrance has the only door with 6 steps which lead into the open dining lounge area. To the left is the bathroom with shower, toilet, and basin, through the kitchen. The only bedroom has 1 double bed and 2 single stack beds. The bedroom and lounge have a ceiling fan each. Lounge-dining area has 2 single child beds also a couch, a dining table and lounge chairs. This flatlet is next to the swimming pool with a scattered view of the pool and garden. Communal path leads past the entrance. This unit has windows all around and is light.

NO TV.
Braai facility is a few meters away in the bush.
Sleep maximum 6 (4 persons/adults and extra 2 children) children are 0-18 years per unit
Not suitable for children under 4.
Extras: Coffee plunger, Tea pot, washing pegs, braai grid and tongs.
Free limited WiFi and internet inside.
Small laundry drying line.

What to bring to St Lucia Wilds
Food, all Toiletries, Swimming towels, Insect repellent, Sun Protection (creams and clothes), Beach gear (gazebo/chairs/snorkles), Emergency non-flammable light (torch), Wood / charcoal/ blitz.

Outdoor Activities and Things to do
• Boat Cruises on flat bottom boats to see hippos
• Bicycle riding on walking trail or tours (bring own or rent)
• Birding: self or guided (walks and hot spots)
• Fishing: Surf, Rock, Fly and drop shot and deep sea.
• Hiking & walking trails ( self or guided)
• Game Drive / Watching ( Hluhluwe/Imfolozi Game Reserve Big 5: self or guided,
• Horse Rides (Beach and/or Bush)
• Night Drives (into Wetland Park 8-11pm guided only)
• Turtle Tours (Nov – Feb guided only)
• Eastern Shores - visit for the day Cape Vidal game drive route - Picnic /snorkel walking to tower/ fishing/birding and swimming in the sea.
• Eastern Shores - Mission Rocks – rock fishing, tidal pools explore, picnic, walking to bat's cave, Mount Tabor viewing deck dune walk.
• Eastern Shores game drive with bird hides, loop roads and viewing decks along route.
• Western Shores game drive, visit Charters Creek, a viewing deck, picnic area. Birds.
• Whale Watching (Advantage Charter June - November)
• Read a book, sleep late, relax.
• ART activities: painting (easy step by step guided) and art cafe at The Gallery.

General Information
• Water: Rive and borehole treated with much chlorine. Purified bottled water is recommended for sensitive systems, supply own purified water.
• Climate: Sub-tropical, very humid summers, warm winters, all year rainfall peak in summer.
• Malaria: no risk area (non-drug measurements recommended). Season starts October, peaks Feb/Mar, ends May. Drug related precaution is your choice and responsibility.
• Permits: Ensure you have the necessary documents for activities that require permits on your person. You are responsible to familiarize yourself with sizes, bag limits and specific activity areas park rules and regulations.
• Swimming: Beaches are unprotected, no shark nets, no lifeguards. Lots of rip currents and strong side currents.
• We are surrounded by wild animals and share their living space. We do not kill poisonous or dangerous wild visitors to our property, we rather use this opportunity to educate.

Facilities in town
Laundromats - Post Office - Police station – Pharmacy -  Restaurants - Butchery at BananaBox - Supermarket shops -  Hardware -  Hairdresser -  Beauty Salon Nelique – Curios - Fruit Market - Brand Beach and Clothes shops - Bait & Tackle Shop - Photo & Internet Shop -  Stationery/Business/Book/Craft Shop - Petrol Stations - Banks: FNB open weekdays. Bank teller Machines: Bidvest, FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank and Capitec inside BananaBox - Speciality art and craft shops.

General Terms and Conditions
We charge a refundable key & breakage fee of R300.00 that will only be refunded after a unit has been checked.

We reserve the Right of Admission as per Conditions of Stay policy.

- Reservation will automatically be cancelled if the deposit payment is not received by due date.
- No persons other than those quoted for are permitted to share accommodation and facilities.
- Children are counted as part of persons per unit, no extra mattresses/beds.
- No day or over-night visitors are allowed to visit at your unit.
- All accommodations and public area are Non-Smoking as required by law.

Operate the air-conditioner and other equipment as requested only.

The following can not be allowed on the premises
 Plastic wheel bikes/trikes, skateboards, noisy toys, ketties, toy guns, any type of fireworks or crackers. Quad bikes or motorised toys and drones. Loudness unruly and drunken behaviour. Litter & cigarette butts on our premises. Drinking and eating in the swimming pool.

Directions

From Kruger National Park, Swaziland, Johannesburg, Mozambique & Pongola: Get on the N2 and turn off left at the Mtubatuba turn off (Road sign), turn left on the bridge and turn left again at the first traffic light. You will pass the town (on your right), you are now on the R618 to St. Lucia about 25km further.

From Durban, Cape Town, Richards Bay, Empangeni
Take the left side turn off at the Mtubatuba turn off (Road sign), turn right and go under the bridge. At the T-junction, turn left, go straight across first traffic lights and turn right at the second intersection traffic lights. You will pass the town (On your right), you are now on the R618 to St. Lucia about 25km further.

At St Lucia: Turn Right at traffic circle t-junction just after you have crossed the bridge. Drive though town, about 1km is another traffic circle and go straight across it. We are 380m along on your right, it is a dead end street. Name board reads St Lucia Wilds at the parking entrance.

Distances approx
St. Lucia - 28km - Mtuba
Mtuba - 165km - Pongola
Pongola - 120km - Piet Retief
Piet Retief - 100km - Ermelo
Ermelo - 75km - Bethal
Bethal - 50km - JHB
St. Lucia - 260km - DBN
St. Lucia - 650km - JHB
St. Lucia - 660km – Nelspruit

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations will be refunded as follows:

31 days and longer before arrival date - full refund less R75.00 admin fee and commissions paid
15-30 days before arrival date - 50% refund of deposit received and commissions paid 
14 days and less before arrival- NO REFUND
No Arrival / Early Departure for whatever reason – NO REFUND
Arrive with Pets / Request to leave premises - NO REFUND

A Refund will be considered when the period cancelled was filled again. The refund will be calculated pro-rate for days filled, less R75.00 admin fee and commissions paid by us. Refund will only be paid after period booked has past.

Arrival & Departure Times
Arrival from 1pm /13h00. Early arrivals may not enter until units are ready.
Kindly advise if you will arrive later than 6pm so that we can be sure to be available on arrival after working hours up to 9pm. No later arrival will be accepted.
Departure latest 10 am 10h00 daily.

Terms Of Payment
We require a 50% part payment, as deposit, to secure a booking. Deposit is due within 1 days (24 hours) of making a booking or as agreed to. If not, the booking will automatically be cancelled. Preferred payment method is electronic transfer. Please use your surname as reference then no proof is necessary. No Cheques. Charges for cash deposits and foreign bank transfers will be added to your account. Credit Cards (Master or Visa only) and debit cards accepted, paid via link.

The balance payment is due, ON ARRIVAL, in full. The person who made the booking is responsible for payment. NO changes to a booking will be accepted on arrival, unless in our favour.

We charge a refundable key & breakage fee of R300.00 in cash only, per unit that will only be refunded after a unit has been checked. Should you depart earlier than 8am, you need to advise at reception the day before your departure, we will not open to check or refund earlier. 

Rules/Conditions
No persons other than those quoted and paid for are permitted to share accommodation and facilities on site.

• No visitors at your units or on site. - Please do not buy from vendors or invite them into the property.

• No day or over-night visitors are allowed on the premises.

• Children are counted as part of persons per unit (no child rates), no extra mattresses/beds.

• No groups of couples / ladies or men only. No parties allowed. 

• No drunken, unruly and loud behaviour will be tolerated.

• All units inside and at the WiFi spot is Non-Smoking areas as required by law. 

• Children must be supervised by an adult at the swimming pool and other shared areas. - No eating or drinking inside or on the paved area around the swimming pool. 

• Operate the air-conditioner unit as instructed, manager checks at any time. 

• No pets of any kind allowed. - Do not feed any wilds animals i.e. monkeys. 

• Do not break damage or steal our plants on the property. - Do not litter in the garden or at the car port – cigarette butt buckets are available. 

• The following will not be allowed on the premises:  Plastic wheel bikes/trikes, skateboards, noisy toys, ketties, toy guns, any type of fireworks or crackers, bicycles, Quad bikes or motorised toys and drones. 

• No car washing on our premises. 

• We are surrounded by nature and wild animals etc. roam free and move through the garden.

• INDEMNITY and DISCLAIMER St Lucia Wilds, its agents and/or its employees shall not be liable for and the guests hereby waive and abandon any claims of whatsoever nature including, but not limited to, that for theft, injury or damage of whatsoever nature against the proprietors whether arising from the proprietors default, negligence or otherwise. The guests in addition to the aforesaid, hereby indemnify the proprietors its agents and or its employees against any claims which may arise from whatsoever nature, whether arising from the proprietors default, negligence or otherwise. 

• We, St Lucia Wilds cc, are not responsible for electricity load shedding or breakages outages and safe continuous water supply, note restrictions due to drought and or breakdowns. Also not responsible for any satellite connections and internet Wi-Fi supply, as it is not in our control or problems predicted. Please note we are in a rural area. We do our best to provide these services with alternative sources as best we can.