The Elephant House is an exclusive owner-managed lodge set on a racehorse stud farm. It is surrounded by rolling lawns and indigenous trees, close to the entrance to Addo Elephant Park in the Sundays River Valley.
When it opened, owners Clive and Anne Read set new standards for sophistication in this part of the world, which had been better known for cheap and cheerful farm accommodation for South African families visiting the national park.
Antique Persian carpets, collectables, historical ephemera, and family heirlooms complement the décor. You will enjoy the deep verandahs with comfy sofas into which you can sink and sip a sundowner before a sumptuous dinner prepared with personal attention and flair.
Accommodation
There are eight spacious, beautifully decorated bedrooms, all with air-conditioning, as well as a stable cottage which accommodates families at a reduced price.
Facilities / Activities
The lodge conducts its own guided game drives in Addo Elephant Park in open 4WD vehicles, which can be pre-booked from £42. These game drives are good value, since the price includes your park entrance fees and refreshments. Also, they know where to find the ele’s!
Also includes complimentary massages and body treatments by the in-house masseur in high season (weekdays October – May); and swimming pools to while away those sun-drenched afternoons. You can play squash or tennis at the Addo Polo Club. Nearby, there are cultural, historical and even agricultural places of interest, or try an elephant-back safari!
Children
Children are welcome here. There is a babysitting service and a club room with games, television, DVD etc.
Community
The Elephant House is very involved with all sections of the local community, from the polo club set to the most underprivileged. It has played a key role in the establishment of a crèche for AIDS orphans. It is able to source a wide variety of produce locally – Elephant House is situated in a fertile valley - and support as many local enterprises as possible.
