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But not just anywhere, that is. Just 'being' in St Lucia is a spectacular experience.
Hippo Hideaway is a luxury, self-catering resort. The chalets are beautifully appointed and decorated, giving you the luxury of a hotel with the convenience and privacy of self-catering chalet, with a breakfast option.
The proliferation of animal, bird and plant life is awe-inspiring. You will leave with no doubts as to why the St Lucia Wetlands have been declared a world heritage site. It's a natural paradise.
With a sparkling pool, loungey hammocks, braai (barbeque) facilities, and individual outdoor furniture for each chalet, it's hard to leave the Hideaway sometimes. Location is everything; and the entrance to Hippo Hideaway is on the main road of shops and restaurants in St Lucia, while the end of the property rests straight onto the St Lucia estuary. You might have some visitors in the form of the hippos ambling onto the Hideaway lawns at night for a munch.
St Lucia is just a part of the geographic wonder of the surrounding area. You can explore the unspoilt, expansive Elephant Coast beaches, catch up with the Big Five at the famous Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve or revel in the unsurpassed fishing, birding, whale watching and walking opportunities.
Hippo Hideaway is in the middle of it all; offering you the perfect place from which to explore. And then when you are tired of exploring, the perfect place from which to relax.
There are 21 luxury, air-conditioned chalets consisting of 2 and 4 sleeper chalets and a honeymoon suite
All the chalets are air-conditioned, and have a television for your entertainment, should you prefer to stay in. We have selected DSTV channels available. We also have lovely outdoor furniture and barbeque facilities.
Chalets consist of 2 sleeper chalets (one bedroom) and 4 sleeper chalets (2 bedrooms). There are a variety of single and double bed arrangements to accommodate all needs.
Kitchens are fully equipped with high-quality cutlery, crockery, pots, pans and cooking implements; as well as hob, oven and fridge. A laundry service is available through the resort.
We supply toiletries in the form of soaps and body creams, as well as towels and all linen and bedding (except beach/pool towels. Please bring your own). We even make sure you don't miss out on your morning cup of tea or coffee with a well-stocked hospitality basket that will tide you over until you get to the shops, which are across the road from the resort, making shopping super-convenient.
Hippo Hideaway is wonderfully family and child-friendly. There is a central thatched boma with tables and benches, great for socialising in the evening. The swimming pool is fully fenced and the entrance gates are latched. There is a smaller paddling pool attached to the swimming pool for little ones to splash about in. We also stock 'Hippo Kids' welcome packs with some colouring-in goodies and special treats for the Hippo Kids who stay with us.
The Honeymoon Suite is something exceptional, with extra-stylish décor and luxury in the detail.The Suite has a large corner-bath, exquisite toiletries and all the little extras that make a honeymoon (or just a romantic weekend), very special.
Check out the informative Guest Directory in each of the Hippo Hideaway chalets for an A-Z of what's available in and around town.
St Lucia and the surrounding areas are an absolute haven for nature and adventure lovers. The iSimangiliso Wetlands was declared South Africa's first Natural World Heritage site by UNESCO protocol. This has preserved the land as the most ecologically and historically diverse park in South Africa, with Nguni tribes as well as all the natural features living in harmony.
Five ecosystems are recognised in the site, yet they are intertwined in a natural dance so complex and perfect it takes a few days to understand this labyrinth of nature.
The Western Indian ocean's waters are warmed with a tropical Agullas current, so that water temperatures can easily reach 30 degrees Celsius; creating the tropical reefs that are home to hundreds of fish species, turtle and dolphin. A huge migratory population of whales makes an appearance in the area every Winter.
The beaches lapped with these warm waters have mineral-rich sands that form massive dunes that protect the ancestral nesting grounds of the world's largest reptile, the leatherback turtle. The tropical forests hide the secrets of Zulu exploration, trading routes and European expeditions. This tropical paradise is home to a variety of frogs, insects, reptiles, birds, buck and apes.
The massive coastal grassland is home to large and small mammals. This area is covered with a complex system of water tables that include the deepest peat swamp in the southern hemisphere, sacred Zulu burial lakes, tannin-rich freshwater streams and acres of verdant grassland covering ancient marine deposits formed as the sea retreated thousand of years ago.
After dark, 1200 hippo emerge from Lake St Lucia and lumber across the landscape to eat tonnes of grass from the coastal plains. In the daylight hours, they can be seen wallowing in the warm waters of the lake that they share with over 2000 crocodiles and other fish, birds and invertebrates. The hippos are the driving force of the area's ecosystem, releasing tonnes of droppings into the lake which fertilize the warm, tropical water, creating a prolific fish and prawn nursery ground.
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