Thulamela

Thulamela is an owner-managed retreat of six wooden cottages for adult couples on the R40 between Hazyview and White River, about 2 km from Hazyview town centre. It is rated 4.7 out of 5 on LekkeSlaap from 143 reviews, with service scored 4.9 and cleanliness and safety 4.8 each. The cottages sleep two, so the whole place takes no more than 12 guests, and children are not accommodated.

Each cottage has a queen bed, an en-suite shower, a private entrance and its own jacuzzi on the wooden deck, with a private braai beside it. Breakfast is included and brought to the cottage each morning. A kitchenette with a two-plate stove, microwave, fridge and bar fridge covers simple meals, and the braai covers the rest. There is a pool in the forest setting, air conditioning in every cottage, daily servicing, free Wi-Fi, free secure parking and a generator for load-shedding.

Guests on LekkeSlaap keep coming back to their host, Penny. One wrote: "What an absolute gem hidden in the forest! Penny and her amazing team went above and beyond — from the warm welcome to the incredible meals that made us feel completely spoiled." Another summed it up: "Absolutely amazing, extremely secure and private. Our stay was out of this world. Thank you, Penny." For a quiet couples' base close to Hazyview, that privacy is the point.