Areena Riverside Resort

4.0 star property

Room options

View all photos for Double Room

Double Room

Double Room

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • Lake view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed OR 2 Single Beds

View all photos for Traditional Bungalow

Traditional Bungalow | View from room

Traditional Bungalow

  • Lake view
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 4 Single Beds

View all photos for Cottage, 2 Bedrooms

Cottage, 2 Bedrooms

Cottage, 2 Bedrooms

  • Lake view
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

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Superior Double or Twin Room | View from room
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  • Breakfast included
  • Spa
  • Parking included
4.7 out of 5, Exceptional, 8 reviews
The price is AU$231
includes taxes & fees
16 Feb - 17 Feb
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About the area

Great Kei

When you stay at Areena Riverside Resort in Great Kei, you'll be near the beach and 8 minutes by car from Olivewood Private Estate & Golf Club. .This spa hotel is 4.7 mi (7.5 km) from Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve and 5.4 mi (8.7 km) from Cintsa Beach.

What's nearby

  • Olivewood Private Estate & Golf Club - 7 min drive - 8.1 km
  • Yellow Sands - 7 min drive - 3.5 km
  • Kwelera Island Local Nature Reserve - 7 min drive - 3.5 km
  • Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve - 9 min drive - 9.5 km
  • Cintsa Beach - 13 min drive - 10.2 km

Getting around

  • East London (ELS) - 42 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪KFC - ‬25 min drive
  • ‪Governors House - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪The Clubhouse - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪KFC - ‬23 min drive
  • ‪Heavenly Pancake House - ‬27 min drive

About this property

Areena Riverside Resort

Hotel in Great Kei with a full-service spa and an outdoor pool
Areena Riverside Resort offers 26 accommodations with hair dryers. Rooms open to patios. Accommodations at this 4-star hotel have kitchenettes with refrigerators, stovetops, microwaves, and cookware/dishes/utensils.

Bathrooms include showers. Plasma televisions come with satellite channels. Irons/ironing boards and change of towels can be requested. Housekeeping is provided daily.

Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

The onsite spa has couples treatment room(s). Services include facials, body wraps, body scrubs, and body treatments.
Make yourself at home in one of the 26 guestrooms, featuring kitchenettes with refrigerators and stovetops. Rooms have private patios. Plasma televisions are provided for your entertainment. Conveniences include desks and microwaves, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments, and facials. Additional amenities at this hotel include wireless internet access (surcharge), an arcade/game room, and a television in a common area.
Satisfy your appetite for lunch or dinner at the hotel's restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the room service (during limited hours). Wrap up your day with a drink at the bar/lounge. Full breakfasts are served on weekends from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee.
Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, luggage storage, and laundry facilities. Free self parking is available onsite.
Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on weekends.
Onsite venue - This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: WiFi (ZAR 160 per day)
  • WiFi in public areas has a 1-device limit

Parking and transport

  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking

Food and drink

  • Weekend full breakfast available 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee: ZAR 80 to 130 for adults and ZAR 80 to 130 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Arcade/game room
  • Archery
  • Billiards/pool table
  • Canoeing
  • Fishing
  • Full-service spa
  • Hiking/biking trails
  • Library
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Ropes course
  • Segway rentals/tours
  • TV in common areas
  • Ziplining

Family friendly

  • Arcade/game room
  • In-room kitchenette
  • In-room microwave
  • In-room refrigerator
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Playground
  • Snack bar/deli
  • Trampoline

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Change of towels on request
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)

Business services

  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Pool loungers
  • Terrace

Full-service spa

  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Facials
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Massage

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No lift
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)

More

  • Banquet hall
  • Designated smoking areas

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Plasma TV with satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Kitchenette
  • Limited room service
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator

More

  • Desk
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:30 PM; Check-in end time: 5 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10:30 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions; front desk staffed during limited hours
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 5 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets allowed for an extra charge of ZAR 65 per pet, per night
1 total pets
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately ZAR 80 to 130 for adults, and ZAR 80 to 130 for children
  • Fee for wireless internet in public areas: ZAR 160 per day (1-device limit, rates may vary)
  • Pet fee: ZAR 65 per pet, per night
  • Housekeeping is available for an additional fee

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

National rating

Quality Graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) – South Africa's official quality assurance organization.

Property is also known as

Areena Riverside Resort Great Kei
Areena Riverside Great Kei
Areena Riverside Resort Hotel
Areena Riverside Resort Great Kei
Areena Riverside Resort Hotel Great Kei

Areena Riverside Resort Reviews

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 7 out of 14 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 14 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 14 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 14 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 14 reviews

8.2/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

7.4/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

8/10 Good

Pregalathen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great place friendly staff only downside was the outdated bathroom and an exceptionally small room television.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

8/10 Good

Debbie

Travelled with family, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We checked in after hours and the guest next door were very loud. They partied until after midnight and nobody on the staff are security told them to be quiet.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

zamikhaya

Travelled with family
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Stacy

Travelled with family and small children
It is such a fantastic location and has so much potential but it needs a facelift.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Douglas

Travelled with family, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very special place had our sister inlaw with us, who is from one of the local hotels, she was very impressed Met Abby the graffiti what an amazing experience. Low shedding happened every couple of hours wich i thought would impact our stay, but wasn't an issue. Loved and would go back if we ever come back to East London. You wont be sorry
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Franck

Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Aloma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

2/10 Terrible

Amanda

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Anton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Was a quick night on route home to PMB, So didn’t get to do much, restaurant was good enjoy the time we did have. Would definitely consider a longer stay next time
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2019

8/10 Good

Jonathan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved the surroundings but a bit disappointed with the en-suite accommodation not the fault of the resort I thought I booked into a hotel and not self-catering
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Neil

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Lars

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Katharina

Stayed 1 night in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Katharina

Stayed 1 night in May 2023