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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
On the shores of the Knysna Lagoon you'll find Amanzi Island Lodge, a tranquil beach house on Leisure Isle, with spectacular views of the Knysna Heads and Featherbed Nature Reserve. Spacious bedrooms open out onto a balcony either overlooking the lagoon or our private garden. Amanzi has a breakfast room opening onto the main terrace. Guests can enjoy an english breakfast while admiring the breathtaking view. Later, relax by the secluded swimming pool or sit on our terrace overlooking the lagoon and indulge in a sundowner. The complimentary bicycles and kayaks available at the guest house can be used for scenic trips around Leisure Isle.Our sunny and spacious rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with satellite TV. The bathrooms have under floor heating and complimentary Charlotte Rhys luxury products.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TGCSA - Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
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Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel stands out for its pristine rooms, often commended for their cleanliness, space, and modern comforts, with many boasting breathtaking views and private terraces. Guests consistently laud the service, citing the welcoming and attentive staff, despite an isolated incident of a refund delay.
The hotel's spotless state, value for money with luxurious touches, and a range of praised amenities contribute to its serene atmosphere that many find enhances their stay. Its desirable location offers tranquility and easy access to local sights, making it a popular choice among travelers.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Modern
Value
Good
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Outstanding
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I can't remember exactly when we first started staying at Amanzi, but it was certainly more than 10 years ago, probably around the 12 or 13 year mark, with us returning more or less annually for the Knysna Marathon and Half Marathon. Over these years we have seen Amanzi expand and improve (from an already high bar). Whilst we haven't done the run in recent years due to first being unable to travel due to covid restrictions and then being outside of South Africa at the time of the race, we've found other reasons to visit and stay, including most recently.
There is an unrivalled waterfront view across the lagoon, with clean tastefully furnished rooms. More impressive is the longevity of the staff, most of whom have been there for many years and who give a very welcoming, friendly and personalised service - thank you Fortune, Promise, Mariam, Mariet and the more recent face of Ashley. A credit also to the owners for being able to keep the staff on during what must have been very difficult times during covid restrictions.
Amanzi is situated on Leisure Isle which is a wonderful and safe place to wander around. You are about a 10 minute drive from the town centre, access to which is facilitated by Amanzi's shuttle service. That been said you may be quite content remaining at Amanzi - we ate their on the third of our 3 nights, the food and service was excellent.
Here's hoping that the date of 2025 race and our other commitments align so we can return again in July !
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Date of stay: November 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 9 Dec 2024
Dear Mr/Mrs Davies, I am so glad you had a great stay once again with us at our lovely boutique hotel! I always tell the guests it feels as if I am working in paradise and it is great when the guests also have that same experience when they stay here with us! We will look forward to your return visit. All of the best until we can host you again in the future!
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The hotel is so cozy and beautiful! Ours rooms were incredible: new, spacious and nice decorated! The staff was kind, friendly and helpful! They even washed our car when we asked for a broom to sweep the car's floor (it was full of sand). Breakfast is amazing and full of delicious options. The surrounding is fantastic, the hotel is situated in an island and we could enjoy some bike rides and the kids went kayaking (Amanzi lends the bikes and kayaks for free). It was MAGICAL! I keep imagining how wonderful it must be on summer time, since we had a blast even on winter!
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Date of stay: July 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 3 Aug 2024
Thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely review. It is wonderful to see how much you enjoyed your stay with us. We've loved having the opportunity to make you feel spoiled during your stay at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. We've made sure to let the staff know about your feedback - they so appreciate hearing back from guests. We look forward to welcoming you back in future.
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This review is relatively objective as this was my 17th road trip encompassing 18 properties over a 43 day period.
I stayed one night solo in March.
Easily found on Leisure Island in a great lagoon/Knysna Heads view location with sufficient private parking. An easy drive to the Heads or back into town, where I’ve stayed many times, but wanted a quiet location this time.
Excellent and efficient staff throughout.
The property was luxurious and comfortable making it good value at the upmarket price. Relaxing public areas with great lagoon views. Not sure of the power source, but not affected by load shedding.
My garden view room (Lourie) was large, comfortable and well equipped. Excellent quality bed linen. Instant coffee was provided rather than the increasingly customary Nespresso type machine in a property of this quality.
Excellent food at competitive prices served in the lagoon view restaurant. Breakfast was to a high standard.
Good WiFi throughout.
FOC bicycles to leisurely explore the island on.
My only real niggle was a total lack of water pressure caused by the municipality, resulting in me having to take a shower in a vacant ground floor room. Would suggest that the owners invest in their own pressurised system.
If passing through the area I’ll stay again.
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Date of stay: March 2024
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 25 Apr 2024
Thank you so much for taking the time to do such a detailed review of Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. We are so happy when guests enjoy their stay. It is always a pleasure when members of my team are able to address all needs of guests. We hope that you will be back to enjoy the magic of Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel again.
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Very nice small hotel (The Milkwood suite has a wonderful private terrasse facing the lagoon) with wonderful helpful and friendly staff and an ok restaurant. Sadly the water disappears almost every day around 08.00 am and first returns in the night (> 7.30 pm) so you have to time your showers... The power also disappears several times a day (the load shedding) and thus cuts off the wifi and TV that takes time to come back. After some days it gets annoying - we left a day early with the additional cost of paying for a hotel room elsewhere.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 11 Mar 2024
It was a pleasure having you with us and thank you for choosing to stay at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. Thank you for your valuable and positive feedback. It is only through feedback that we continuously make improvements and reach our best performance. We do hope we will have the opportunity to welcome you back soon.
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Oh my - as we drove up we knew that this was a great choice. You cannot get a better setting if you like a sea view. This hotel is beautifully appointed and decorated with large windows everywhere so you can take in the sea view wherever you are.
Mariet was a delight to deal with as were the rest of the staff throughout the hotel.
We were very fortunate in being given the Starfish Suite on the ground floor (this helped hubby with his golf bag). What a stunning room with a HUGE double shower. In fact, my only one little criticism is that the shower head arm is way too short. We loved our little patio where we could lay on the sun loungers enjoying the spectacular view of the Heads and the sea. This hotel has bicycles and kayaks for free use by guests which is a lovely added extra.
Our breakfasts were delicious and the choice was good. My husband was going to golf early the one morning (before breakfast service time) and they made him up a lovely healthy breakfast pack to go.
Beautiful hotel in a beautiful setting. I would definitely stay here again. Highly recommended. Treat yourself!!
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Date of stay: March 2025
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 3 days ago
It is evident that the team members made an impression on you and made your stay so much more enjoyable. Thank you for letting us know. Reviews like yours are appreciated and in return we would like to mention that we appreciate you and all our other guests that give us the opportunity to serve them. We look forward to welcoming you back.
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We stayed there for 3 nights during our trip of Garden route during end of September 2022. We had booked it originally for Sep 2021 but couldn't make it due due to Covid but they were so accommodating that they shifted our booking to 2022. We traveled as a family of 3 adults. We had booked Oystercatcher suite for us but we were in for a great surprise as we were offered an additional complimentary suite for our daughter. The lodge has a superb location facing Knysna lagoon with beautiful gardens. The suites are well appointed. The onsite restaurant provides excellent breakfast. If you prefer to have lunch/dinner there the choice is limited but the preparation is good. They provide shuttle service for drop and pickup at a nominal cost to the city. The vehicle is a new one and luxurious and the charges are very resonable. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there.
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Date of stay: September 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 17 Oct 2022
Thank you so much for taking the time to do such a detailed review of Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. We are so happy when guests enjoy their stay. It is always a pleasure when members of my team are able to address all needs of guests. We hope that you will be back to enjoy the magic of Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel again.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The restaurant location and view is fabulous, however, tonight as resort guests we tried to have dinner but did not have the best experience. We ordered a butternut squash and beetroot salad to share and 2 fish of the day from the printed menu. After 30 minutes I asked the waiter if our salad was coming. He assured us it was coming first but our mains would take so e to r even though there was only 14 people in the restaurant!!! After 55 minutes of waiting our waiter then informed us that there was a shortage of beetroot or no beetroot so our salad could not be prepared. Not happy we left.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 11 Mar 2024
It was a pleasure having you with us and thank you for choosing to stay at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. Thank you for your valuable and positive feedback. It is only through feedback that we continuously make improvements and reach our best performance. We do hope we will have the opportunity to welcome you back soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A beautifully decorated hotel with a warm welcoming atmosphere.
The views over the estuary towards the heads is stunning we sat on the patio and took in those views.
Some reviews here (not good reviews) seem to be for a different Amanzi Hotel as this one does not have game or game drives abs is immaculate in rooms and all areas. Leisure Isle where the hotel is based is on a beautiful island in Knysna where you can walk anywhere and take in the amazing views, swim or kayak in the estuary or go out on a boat trip.
We only stayed for one night but wish we had stayed longer.
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 3 days ago
Thank you for taking the time to write such a lovely review. It is wonderful to see how much you enjoyed your stay with us. We've loved having the opportunity to make you feel spoiled during your stay at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. We've made sure to let the staff know about your feedback - they so appreciate hearing back from guests. We look forward to welcoming you back in future.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Beautiful hotel, parking available. Such an amazing place and the little island is AMAZING we lent the bikes and rode the island would definitely suggest doing this!! Paddle boards and canoes also available for free from the hotel which was a plus. The no electricity at times was a bit annoying (know it can’t be helped but maybe a generator would be a good idea in future) and we had a bath but no hot water so it was cold but didn’t ruin the experience. Breakfast was good, buffet wasn’t the best but it was ok and sufficient. Given a free upgrade too! Staff where lovely, women at reception and the main man who served during the day/breakfast etc. Only thing that let it down for us … we got told they had sorted us a honeymoon meal so we said yeah we will stay for the evening to have food. Worse meal we had in our whole time in South Africa, the electricity went 5 minutes into the meal with one candle lighting up me and my partner. The waiter (different one to the one at breakfast) was slow in serving us and instead of seeing if we was ok or needed anything else he just stood at the desk and watched something on his phone out LOUD which ruined the experience and was really ignorant. Food that evening really wasn’t nice and drinks where limited, my partner had a beer I had to have a coke cause I don’t drink wine. Apart from that evening/meal. We loved it!!!! Amazing :-)
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don’t eat your evening meal here! Go to Nonnos on the island great place and the staff where...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Lovemore Kufahakurambwi, General Manager at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel
Responded 18 Oct 2022
Thank you for sharing your experience at Amanzi Island Boutique Hotel. As our valued customer, we appreciate your feedback and are delighted to hear that you had a great stay. With a spirit to serve, we take great pride in not only meeting, but exceeding your expectations. Your feedback is integral to our ability to continue to improve our service. Thank you again for your time and come visit us again soon!
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We booked this hotel using booking.com. The property immediately withheld a 50% deposit. Later, we canceled in compliance with booking.com's free cancellation policy, but despite persistent emails and phone calls we have still not received any refund, more than a month after the cancellation. Pay close attention to this structure!!
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Constantia, South Africa47 contributions14 helpful votes
Dear Terry
I am not sure what negative reviews you are referring to?
There have been a lot of incorrect postings for a lodge in another part of South Africa. We keep having to report the incorrect postings.
Amanzi has just won Best Sea View lodge for 2015 and has a 9.7 rating
We are very proud of our staff who are 100% African staff who are relishing the opportunity to grow with us.
Let me assure you Catherine and I are 200% committed to delivering only the best at Amanzi and we have very exiting announcements to make Amanzi even better in 2017.
I look forward to chatting about anything you feel we could improve.
All the best and thank you very much for your support
James 27823337337
Sandton, South Africa12 contributions6 helpful votes
You can reach the owner on 0823337337 after 10am tomorrow after he lands back in Cape Town.
We apologize for any inconvenience and Mr. Fisher will be happy to talk when you would like.
Kind Regrads
Lisa Nicholson
PA to Mr Fisher
There are more places to choose from in the Knysna area.
PRICE RANGE
$246 - $358 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeKnysna
NUMBER OF ROOMS
15
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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