The Palace

My partner and I stayed at The Palace from Wednesday, 22 July, to Sunday, 26 July 2026. We were very impressed with the quality of the accommodation, the food, and certain aspects of the service we received. Unfortunately, three incidents during our stay significantly affected our overall experience. On Friday, 24 July, we participated in water activities at Waterworld and finished at approximately 16:40. We asked the staff to contact The Palace to arrange transport for us from the Cabanas. Despite The Palace being contacted twice, we waited for approximately 30 minutes without being collected. Fortunately, a staff member from the Cascades, who had dropped off other guests, kindly offered to transport us back to The Palace. Had it not been for her assistance, we are uncertain how much longer we would have been required to wait. Upon our arrival, I reported the incident to the Concierge. However, I was merely offered a brief apology, with no apparent attempt to investigate the matter or provide any meaningful assistance. While such a response may be considered acceptable at a standard hotel, it falls well below the level of service expected from a luxury five-star establishment. A further incident occurred on Saturday, 25 July. We had a confirmed dinner reservation with friends at Legends Restaurant at 18:30. Despite advising the transport staff of our reservation, we were required to remain seated in the shuttle for almost 10 minutes while they waited for other guests. This caused unnecessary concern that we would be late for our reservation and again demonstrated a lack of consideration for guests’ scheduled arrangements. On Sunday, 26 July, we contacted Reception and requested assistance with our luggage. After waiting approximately 15 minutes, we called Reception again and were advised that someone was on the way. After waiting for a further 15 minutes without receiving any assistance, we had no alternative but to struggle with the luggage ourselves and take it down to the lobby. We extremely disappointed that the service we received did not align with the luxury five-star standard under which The Palace is marketed. This was particularly noticeable when compared with the service we have experienced at other hotels, resorts, and nature reserves in South Africa and abroad.

We had a wonderful stay at The Palace of the Lost City. The hotel is incredibly grand, with stunning décor and impressive architecture that makes it feel truly special. Our room was beautiful, exceptionally spacious and impeccably cleaned every day. The staff were friendly, welcoming and always happy to help. We also found the restaurant prices to be very reasonable, and the food was consistently delicious throughout our stay. The only downside was that the Palace pool was closed during our visit, which we hadn't realised when booking. However, the concierge team were fantastic at arranging transfers to the other pools and attractions across Sun City, making it very easy to get around. There is so much to do throughout Sun City, from safari game drives and boat trips to scenic walks, golf courses and multiple swimming pools. It's a brilliant destination for families with plenty to keep everyone entertained. Overall, we had a fantastic stay and would definitely recommend The Palace of the Lost City.

The service from the entrance gate to the reception, checking in & out was amazing. I enjoyed the pianist (Robert) choice of music. I particularly enjoyed the trail walks around the 'wilderness', the golf courses. This is by far the best experience we have enjoyed. Well-done to the entire management and staff.