Kosi Bay Lodge
Karin Joubert, co-owner
Most of the lodges around Kosi Bay are run by ownermanagers, which makes a big difference to the guest experience – you get more personal attention.
My husband Neels and I are originally from Joburg. We bought this property back in the early 1990s. There was nothing here, just bush. When we started building, we put up an old army tent and lived in it. One day, this little boy called Enoch Mabusa arrived, offering to watch over our tent when we were away. Today, Enoch works in our reception office.
Nearly all our staff members are from close by – their family homes are within a 2 km radius of the lodge. As a retired teacher I'm probably a bit of a control freak, so I've always made sure we train our staff very well. They know how important every little detail is, from the way you talk to a guest to how food is presented. They're so dedicated, and it shows in the excellent reviews we get online.
I've been here permanently for the past six years, Neels for a little longer since he was doing construction work in Mozambique for a few years. Two of our three sons also work at the lodge – one is the chef. I knew what to expect when I moved here: a life with far fewer luxuries, basically! It's much cheaper to live here, and you must make do with the shops in Manguzi. If I want to buy a new T-shirt, I go to Pep.
I love to sit on the stoep in the mornings. Watching the tree squirrels and the birds in the bird bath, I realise how important it is to be close to nature. In Joburg, I had to drive somewhere every single day, to a shop, to see a friend, whatever. Here, sometimes two weeks will go by when I don't even start my car.
In the city you also tend to only focus on the wellbeing of your own family; nobody else pays much attention to you. But guests appreciate what we do for them here – they take notice. It's so satisfying to see the enjoyment they get out of a holiday in Kosi Bay.
STAY HERE
Kosi Bay Lodge has 18 self-catering chalets ranging in size from two- to six-sleepers, and 10 “hotel rooms” that sleep two people each. Most chalets and rooms have aircon and TV.
They also have two camping stands, each with
