Review - The Kidaka Resort ⭐️
Introduction
Aerial view of the hotel, the savanna area is to the back
Edit - Sadly, the Kidaka Resort has now closed
The Kidaka Resort is an African safari themed resort from the creators of the (now closed) Lotus Palace. It features a low rise hotel / safari lodge set against a beach, and a larger savanna area where you’ll find elephants, lions and other wildlife.
Having been to similar RL hotels myself, the owners have done a pretty good job in creating something that mimics an actual safari lodge experience.
Given the setting and what you get, staying at the Kidaka is ridiculously cheap, with prices starting at 100L a night. It’s a pretty unique place, and I’d definitely highly recommend it for an SL vacation.
The look and feel
The main hotel is a low rise structure, where you’ll find the reception and the usual hotel features of a bar, restaurant, pool and beach. Just outside the main entrance you’ll also find a small exhibit all about (RL) cheetah conservation.
The lodges and tents are spread along the main savanna, which is where you will also find the animals. As mentioned, it is a realistic representation (within SL limits) of similar places in RL. Like the Lotus was, it’s really well put together and a perfect photo shoot spot.
Rating - 5 / 5
The features
Kidaka Restaurant terrace
The main hotel has a bar, restaurant, pool, spa and beach - the latter three areas are only accessible to guests. It’s quite a bit smaller than the Lotus was, and so doesn’t have quite the range of facilities. For example, the spa is a lot more compact.
However, it does have everything you would expect a hotel to have, and it’s a high quality build.
Rating - 3 / 5
The rooms
Lodge bedroom
There are three kinds of rooms. You can stay in a Lodge for 300L a night, in one of two tents for 100L a night, or in a hotel room for 250L. The tents and the lodges are in the main safari area. The tent is a kind of ‘glamping’ type structure with a bed, basic furniture and a shower around the back.
If you pay slightly more and stay in a lodge, you get a separate living room, and a private beach area.
Exterior of a lodge
My personal recommendation would be to stay in the lodge or safari tent, but I did notice this time around that a few of the rooms were occupied.
The rooms are of a good size with a separate bathroom, and have the advantage of privacy being located in a skybox. You could easily stay in the rooms for a longer period of time, making it your base and using the facilities, and I imagine many do just that.
Rating - 4.5 / 5
The anims
The majority of SL resorts and hotels use either the Ruckus or Rawage bed (which I prefer), and the Kidaka goes for Rawage.
Around the hotel you get the usual array of PG sitting, eating, drinking anms which are a little hit and miss, but to be honest I have yet to see an SL hotel that totally gets these right.
Rating - 4 / 5
Other things to consider
Privacy - all the rooms have security orbs, but as the main savanna area is open to non hotel guests, if you are concerned about privacy the rooms are a better bet
Lag - I experienced almost none
Adult anims are in the rooms, the rest of the resort has PG anims
Prices - Ranges from 100L to 300L a night
Overall - Highly Recommended
The Kidaka is definitely worth a stay. There are lots of tropical and beach themed hotels in SL, but only the Kidaka has a safari theme. The prices are a tenth of what you will find in some of the closed resort sims, and it’s perfect for a variety of vacation experiences - from a date weekend, to a photo tour .
