Dumela Lodge

We stayed in the Dumela Lodge for one night as a stopover to go further to the Vic Falls. The welcome at the reception was very friendly and efficient. The tents are quite ok for one night, but beds very small. The restaurant was open for dinner and food was ok; as we left very early we got a good snack box with toasted sandwiches, fruits and juice which helped us on our way north. The swimming pool you can see on the photo was not operating resp. too dirty to use at the time we where there. All in all: good stopover place, but not for a longer vacation.

The lodge was stunning, lovely place very neat. The staff were particularly friendly and helpful - will recommend it to anybody.

First of all, the pictures on the internet give the impression of a new lodge. On arrival, the place seemed quite delapedated and not quite like the pictures. Secondly the mattresses in room 7 were old and very thin and the same for the bedding. When we complained, the receptionist said that there was nothing that they could do about it. Generally not a good experience.

We stayed over at Dumela Lodge in Francistown, Botswana on the 18th of July 2012. At about 01h00, while we were sleeping, the fence was cut and the guards overpowered. They then came to our tent and cut the tent open with a knife. Our friends travelling with us and another guest heard our screaming and came to help us. We were all assaulted and robbed of our cell phones, clothes and jewellery. We were very lucky that none of us was badly injured. The resort staff and police were very helpful and retrieved some of our goods but jewellery of about R70 000 was lost. This was the first night of our holiday through Botswana and Namibia and certainly put a damper on the rest of our trip.

Establishment Response:

We are also still very shocked about this incident and two of our security guards had to go for counselling. We have four security guards on 12 hours shift on the premises every evening. On that night we had closed for business at 00:30 and approximately 40 minutes later I received a call from one of the guards that they have been attacked by thieves. The burglars had cut both the security fence and electric fence then gained access through the opening. On entry they found two of our guards sleeping and tied them up injuring one guard in the process before attacking the guests in one of the chalets.

When I arrived at 01:28, the police had already attended the scene and dispatched a team to search the area. And these guests have already been offered alternative accommodation by Trudie’s brother who resides in Francistown.

I went to the police station the same night and pleaded with the officer in charge to arrange a wider search in the morning when there is light. The guests came back in the morning and I apologized profoundly and offered to refund them the full amount paid and to settle all their outstanding accounts on the restaurant. We searched the area outside the lodge (me and the guests) in case the burglars dropped anything. We could not find anything. By the time we came back from searching outside the lodge the police have already arrived. So we finished off helping the guests pack the remaining belongs, gave them BWP 1,200.00 in cash and wrote-off their restaurant bills.

Then the police escorted them to the police station to make statements. Around 12 midday (the same day), I was called by the police reporting that they had recovered everything stolen expect cash and jewellery and they have handed them over to the owners. The burglars are still at large and the police keep on updating us.

Accomodation fine, but you had no wine and only 3 fish, no mushrooms and no burgers. 7 guests very dissapoined. I wwould only recommend your lodge as a one night stop over.