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Lodge 96 is a great little place in Oudtshoorn, owned and run by a friendly, chatty Welshman. There are loads of common spaces and it's handy for getting to and from the town center.
The Location
Located about ten minutes' walk from the center of town, Lodge 96 is on Langenhoven Road, on the way to or from George. It's very handy if you are arriving from George by shared taxi, as they pass right by the front door. The trip from George only takes about forty-five minutes along a stunningly beautiful road through the Outeniqua Pass.
Rooms and Bathrooms
There is quite a choice here -- double rooms, the typically South African family room, or dorm beds. The rooms are housed in two buildings -- the main house, where the owner lives, and an annex in the back garden, which has four double rooms. The private rooms are very good value and are clean and nicely decorated. Guests will find budget, standard, and en suite doubles here and the family room has a double bed, three singles, and a sofa that can be opened out to another double bed. The en suite dorm is located in the main house by the front gate. It has eight beds (all sturdy wooden bunks) lined up along each wall, with a central corridor. The mattresses are good and firm and the duvets are clean and crisp with extra blankets if needed. There are large storage cubbyholes, but they are not lockable, and there are plenty of power points.
The bathroom is a little small, but it gets the job done and there is twenty-four-hour hot water. Hand towels and soap are provided. The common bathroom in the annex is also small, but is clean and well looked after. Behind the annex is a flat piece of grass that could hold about six tents.
Common Spaces
As you walk into reception, you pass through the patio, which has a number of tables and chairs and catches the sun first thing in the morning. There are parasols if it gets too sunny. Behind the main house is the back garden with a small, clean swimming pool and the annex further back, which has a nice patio with cushioned seats and tables. Inside the annex is the common sitting room, with a TV and a huge range of satellite channels. This is a very comfortable room with lots of sofas and a large glass table.
The common kitchen is also in the annex and has a kettle, two toasters, microwave, four-ring gas cooker, and a fridge. Guests will find plenty of pots, pans, cutlery, and crockery; tea, coffee, sugar, and creamer are available free here all day. The free Wi-Fi is strong and available throughout the house though the signal does become a little weak in the annex. Parking is available inside the gate for around half a dozen cars.
Summary
Just two hundred meters up the road, in the George direction, is a great little shop run by an elderly couple, who sell home cooked meals, bread, cakes, biscuits, and all sorts of delicious goodies at very cheap prices. You don't even have to go into town to get your food. Lots of trips can be organized at Lodge 96, including a visit to an ostrich farm, for which Oudtshoorn is famous.
Lodge 96 won't disappoint -- it's a lovely place to stay and we found it difficult to even get out of the front gate, so comfortable were we in the garden by the pool!
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+4
LondonroadMa
Hostelz.com Staff Reviewer
Published on Aug 17, 2018
Location and Contact
Location
• 10 minute walk from bus stop/capetown direction...head up Voortrekker road to the 1st traffic light and take a right onto Langenhoven road. 1km on is Lodge 96(96 Langenhoven Road) opposite a large pointy needle like church clock tower. • Coming from george we're one of the first properties in oudtshoorn...look for our sign in the middle of the road and take the next right hand turn as explained by our sign! • Baz bus people...please phone me first to arrange a shuttle bus and we'll pick you up.