Protea Hotel by Marriott, Kruger Gate

Kruger and surrounds, South Africa

Virgin rating

Superior Twin/Twin Room
Superior King Room
Lapa Restaurant, Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, South Africa
BOMA Area, Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, South Africa
BOMA Area, Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, South Africa
Library
Shillovo Bar
Superior Twin/Twin Room
Superior King Room
Lapa Restaurant, Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, South Africa
BOMA Area, Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, South Africa
BOMA Area, Protea Hotel Kruger Gate, South Africa
Library
Shillovo Bar

The hotel

The Protea Hotel by Marriott, Kruger Gate rests in one of the most enviable locations overlooking the Kruger National Park just outside Paul Kruger Gate. Wooden boardwalks and luscious gardens run throughout the hotel's grounds with the bar offering excellent views on a raised deck overlooking the Sabie River. The hotel is an affordable choice for those looking to self-drive in the Kruger National Park or who wish to relax in a hotel atmosphere and add professional game-drives as they please.

Amenities

  • Tennis
  • Safari
  • Bar
  • Restaurant

Where is it

An amazing location next to the Paul Kruger Gate and overlooking the Kruger Park. Transfer time from Skukuza Airport: 15 minutes.

Hotel information

96 rooms on 2 floors in 3 buildings. All with air-conditioning, TV, safe, tea/coffee maker and mini-bar*. Superior Rooms with twin or double beds, sleeping maximum 2 adults and 1 child.

Half Board includes: includes breakfast and dinner.

Superior Family Rooms are larger, offering ample space for families, sleeping maximum 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 children.

Open-air Lapa restaurant (International), Kudyela (breakfast and lunch). Pool/deck bar overlooking the Sabie River. Several hides for close-up viewing. Swimming pool. Dee's African Spa*. Mini-golf*, tennis court, volleyball, table tennis and children's playground. Game drives in the Kruger National park can be booked locally giving you the opportunity to search for the 'Big Five'*. Avis car hire available at Skukuza Airport and complimentary parking is available at the hotel.

* Denotes local charge.

Please note: Virgin Holidays guests also receive complimentary environmental patrol, bottle of water for self drive activities, free binocular rental (deposit required) and local area/sightings map. Park fee of R 204 per person must be paid locally.

Rating summary

  • Location Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Sleep Quality Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Rooms Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Service Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Value Image of the Tripadvisor rating
  • Cleanliness Image of the Tripadvisor rating

Traveller rating

  • Excellent (510)
  • Very good (420)
  • Average (144)
  • Poor (48)
  • Terrible (28)
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Poor Experience

May 8, 2022 Thomas R Bengaluru, India

The service is absolutely the worst . All employees look demotivated and not interested in their jobs . The hostess at the dinner buffet who was to allocate us the table seemed almost irritated that we had turned up for dinner . The servers behind the dishes were equally disinterested and gave us the feeling that we needed to finish our food and… Read more
The service is absolutely the worst . All employees look demotivated and not interested in their jobs . The hostess at the dinner buffet who was to allocate us the table seemed almost irritated that we had turned up for dinner . The servers behind the dishes were equally disinterested and gave us the feeling that we needed to finish our food and leave quickly as they had better things to do. When we entered, we gave our names to the security who relayed the information to the Front Office. In most hotels , the front office team would be awaiting our arrival, but no one was there and we had to take our luggage to the reception & belatedly a man appears asking if he can help with the luggage. We paid ZAR 4K and arranged a game Drive through Marriot who in turn outsourced it to another local operator. Another poor experience, the guide was not knowledgeable & just drove around for a few hours in the kruger without much explanation or story telling. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating A gem of a hotel

Apr 16, 2022 schreze Berlin, Germany

Truly a gem of a hotel. Location is amazing, staff super friendly. We saw hippos, elephants, buffaloes from the infinity pool. Dinner in the Lapa around the fire with a huge variety of food. Rarely had better money for value during a holiday.
Image of the Tripadvisor rating 6-star hotel

Apr 8, 2022 peeshtu Cambridge, United Kingdom

Wonderful hotel at the Kruger gate. We stayed 4 nights in this hotel and got one of the refurbished rooms. Breakfast and dinner were included and were delicious. Service was good, the infinity pool is just a dream, we saw elephants crossing the river several times.
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Excellent hotel

Mar 22, 2022 lambley Derbyshire, United Kingdom

Our third visit and it just gets better! We stayed for 2 nights as part of our self drive safari and we’re impressed by the great improvements made to the hotels infrastructure since our last visit. Our modern room was lovely and spotlessly clean, the infinity pool and pool bar were lovely and staff could not have been more helpful. We enjoyed our… Read more
Our third visit and it just gets better! We stayed for 2 nights as part of our self drive safari and we’re impressed by the great improvements made to the hotels infrastructure since our last visit. Our modern room was lovely and spotlessly clean, the infinity pool and pool bar were lovely and staff could not have been more helpful. We enjoyed our buffet breakfast and dinners very much, though I wouldn’t recommend the packed breakfast if you can avoid it - it’s pretty tasteless. My only quibbles were; no dry martini in the bar do no pre-dinner cocktail for me and - bizarrely- a total absence of egg-cups so I struggled to eat my breakfast eggs! I’m sure this has since been sorted out! We are Marriott members and I can only praise them for how they have improved this hotel. Read less
Image of the Tripadvisor rating Not Celiac/Gluten Allergy Safe.

Mar 14, 2022 Akiss429

Let me start by saying this hotel is in a wonderful location and offers an amazing experience. However. I cannot recommend this hotel if you have Celiac's disease or a gluten intolerence. --long story short-- don't stay here with a food allergy unless you bring your own food. After reading other reviews, I decided to reach out to the hotel in… Read more
Let me start by saying this hotel is in a wonderful location and offers an amazing experience. However. I cannot recommend this hotel if you have Celiac's disease or a gluten intolerence. --long story short-- don't stay here with a food allergy unless you bring your own food. After reading other reviews, I decided to reach out to the hotel in an email and confirm they could handle my "food allergy". I was assured that there would be no issue and that cross contamination/contact would not be a problem. This hotel only has a breakfast buffet, dinner buffet and pool bar. I usually avoid buffet's due to cross contamination but when I arrived at dinner the sous chef - quickly - showed me what items on the cold bar were gluten free. I went with her recommendations. I then asked a server if the chef that night could show me what items were safe on the hot bar and instead was brough out a plate of fruit... eventually the chef- again in a fast paced manner- showed me what I could and could not eat. Looking back it is not surprising that I got sick from something I ate this night and ended up being sick on my safari the next day as well. The second night I asked the servers what was available to eat and still ended up getting sick. At this point I spoke to a manager who was apoligetic and brought out the executive chef. He took down a list of items I was comfortable eating (rice, grilled meat, and steamed veggies). He said he would prepare the food himself and I was given this exact meal the third night without issue. I thought I was in the clear and was going to enjoy a safe meal my fourth night. I was served a dish of fish, veggies, and a grain. I had started eating the meal but then began to feel sick so I had the sous chef that evening come to my table to confirm what the grain was. To my surprise it was couscous. Couscous is ususallly unsafe and not gluten free. I asked the chef if it was made with semolina flour and she confirmed yes (semolina is not gluten free). When I told the chef this was not gluten free she argued with me. Unfortunatley, my safari experience was affected by these meals and even a week later I am still sick after being served food I cannot eat 3 out of 4 dinner meals. Read less