Palace Of The Lost City Review: All You Need To Know 2024
The Palace of the Lost City at the Sun City Resort in South Africa is truly unique.
To help you decide whether it’s for you, we wrote this Palace of the Lost City review and crammed it with as much information about a stay there as we could.
If you want to find out more about Sun City in general, make sure to read our review of Sun City.
We have travelled a lot in South Africa and we weren’t sure whether a stay at Sun City would be for us or not.
We hadn’t been tempted before but we needed to find somewhere close to Johannesburg for a few days before flying home after our safari.
We read some Palace of the Lost City reviews and weren’t convinced. Some said it was dated. Others said that they didn’t feel welcomed.
Someone told us that the kids would love The Palace of the Lost City so we took a chance.
In fact, the hotel has been recently renovated and we were made to feel very welcome, but there were a few small issues for us which we detail at the end.
Also read to the end to find out about the secret view point at The Palace of the Lost City.
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Booking The Palace of the Lost City
You can book direct on the Sun City website – here.
It is also worth comparing the prices on Hotels.com and Expedia.com as they are sometimes cheaper.
Check Palace of the Lost City prices on Expedia.com
Check Palace of the Lost City prices on Hotels.com
If you need help booking a South African holiday (including a safari), we recommend speaking to Go2Africa. They are the leading luxury safari tour operator in Africa.
The Palace of the Lost City review
The Palace of the Lost City is a 5-star hotel at Sun City owned by Sun International. They also own The Table Bay in Cape Town – one of the best hotels for families in Cape Town.
Sun City opened in 1979 but The Palace of the Lost City was only added in 1992.
The only word to describe it is opulent. Or maybe decadent is another word you could use. Either way, it is a truly unique hotel.
It is based on an ancient African myth of a kingdom that was lost to the jungle. You will indeed feel like you are in a jungle once you step outside of the hotel.
As you can see on the map below, there is a lot of greenery surrounding the hotel.
The setting of Sun City is also unique as it sits within an extinct volcano. Beyond the hotel are the rolling hills of the Pilanesberg National Park.
This the view from the King Tower at the Palace of the Lost City. Greenery as far as the eye can see.
Where is The Palace of the Lost City?
The Palace of the Lost City is located in the sprawling Sun City resort.
Sun City is located around 150km north west of Johannesburg. If you are coming straight from OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, the drive will take around 2.5 hours.
One of the great things about the location of The Palace of the Lost City is that it is right next door to a fantastic National Park (Pilanesberg).
It offers the opportunity for you to experience a safari in a non-malarial area.
If you have never been on safari before, you might find some of our safari content helpful. Taking a safari in South Africa will be an unforgettable experience.
- Things you need to know about taking an African safari with kids.
- What to take on safari with kids.
- Best time of year to visit the Kruger.
- Where to stay in the Kruger with kids
- Where to stay in Timbavati Game Reserve with kids.
- Review of Jackalberry Lodge in Thornybush Game Reserve.
- Review of Thornybush Game Lodge.
If you look on the map, we have circled exactly where you can find The Palace of the Lost City in the Sun City Resort.
Arrival at The Palace of the Lost City
Arriving at the hotel you will be wowed.
Whether you draw up to the main entrance in your car or a shuttle bus, it really feels like you are entering a palace.
You will be warmly welcomed by staff ready to help you with your bags and shown to reception.
The entrance is just stunning and it is hard to capture in photos just how impressive (and huge) it is. Our kids stood looking up at the ceiling in the lobby lost for words – which never happens!
Normal check-in is 14.00 and check out is 11.00.
At check-in, you are given a credit card sized card with the details of your stay. You will need to keep this card on you to gain access to the Valley of the Waves and to the hotel pool at The Palace of the Lost City.
Is there free parking at The Palace of the Lost City?
If you drove yourself to Sun City, you will be pleased to know that there is free parking for guests of the Palace of the Lost City hotel.
By the way – we hired our car at OR Tambo Airport through Rentalcars.com as we always find the best rates there.
The closest car park is an underground car park just across the bridge by the main entrance to the hotel.
There are lots of car parks around the resort and all of them are free for guests.
Best time to stay at The Palace of the Lost City
In general, the best time to stay at The Palace of the Lost City is between May and October.
This is winter in South Africa and the weather is a bit cooler and drier.
The evenings during the winter months can get quite chilly, especially in July and August, so it would be advisable to bring layers.
The main advantage of staying here in the winter months is that the hotel is far less busy.
Not only are the summer months much hotter but South African schools have their main holiday in December and January. This is peak family holiday season at The Palace of the Lost City.
We stayed here at the very beginning of November after a two week safari in and around the Kruger.
During the week, the hotel was not at all busy but we saw a big increase in guest numbers at the weekend.
In the mornings, we would have the main pool area almost to ourselves. You need to be a hotel guest to access the pool. Guests from other hotels in the Sun City Resort cannot access the pool.
Rooms at The Palace of the Lost City
There are 336 rooms and suites at the Palace of the Lost City. They are a mix of junior suites, superior suites, luxury rooms and family rooms.
The Royal Suite, The King Suite and the African Suite are their Presidential Suites.
We stayed in a superior luxury family room which consisted of a King Size bed and a double sofabed for the kids. It was perfect for a family of 4.
The room had been recently renovated (in November 2022) and I would describe it as elegant African chic.
We were never bothered by noise in our room, despite being close to the lift lobby.
Our balcony looked out onto palm trees so the view wasn’t amazing but there are pool facing family rooms so you could enquire before you check in to see if you can get one.
The room was not huge, but considering how little time we spent in it (because there is so much to do at Sun City) – it was just fine.
Interleading rooms are available for larger families.
Restaurants at The Palace of the Lost City
There are two main restaurants at The Palace of the Lost City and a couple of bar areas where you can get light bites.
Crystal Court
The Crystal Court is open for breakfast from 06.30 to 11.30 and for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays from 18.30 to 22.00.
The Crystal Court is one of the most beautiful settings for breakfast we have ever encountered.
Breakfast is included in your room rate and is not to be missed. It was one of the highlights of our stay with almost anything you could ever want for breakfast.
For the kids, this was the non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice that made them feel very grown up. And, of course, the unlimited freshly cooked waffles with unlimited toppings!
Outside of service hours, it is worth taking in the view from the top of the stairs. During service hours, it is incredibly busy and easy to overlook just how lovely it is.
We ate breakfast outside on the terrace which we much preferred. It was away from the hustle and bustle of the main breakfast area.
For some reason, the service outside was better than inside. Maybe it was because we were more visible and not swallowed up in amongst the sea of tables inside.
The Grill Room
The Grill Room is a formal steakhouse restaurant. It is open from 18.30 to 22.00. Dress code is smart casual. Bookings required.
The Palace Pool Deck
The Palace Pool Deck is next to the main pool and serves snacks and wood-fired pizzas from 121.00 to 17.00. Dress code is very casual.
Tusk Bar & Lounge
The Tusk Bar & Lounge is a safari themed bar. This is where you can also enjoy high tea from Friday to Sunday at 15.00 to 17.00.
Facilities at The Palace of the Lost City
Swimming pools – there are two pools for hotel guests only at The Palace of the Lost City. The main pool by the hotel is huge and there is another adult-only pool closer to the Valley of the Waves. Pool towels are provided.
By the way it takes around 10 minutes to walk from the main lobby to the Valley of the Waves via a dedicated (and quite spectacular) path.
Royal Spa – there is an onsite spa which is open from 9am to 9pm. If you are planning on spending the day there, you can grab a light bite there.
Boutique – there is a small gift shop close to the main lobby.
Gym – there is no onsite gym at the hotel but guests can use the gym facilities at the Gary Player Golf Centre.
Things to do while staying at The Palace of the Lost City
We couldn’t write a review of the Palace of the Lost City without mentioning the activities at Sun City in general because they are a big draw for people wanting to stay here.
There are so many things to do at Sun City – all of them are available to guests staying at The Palace of the Lost City.
It would be worth your time talking a walk to the Welcome Centre to speak to them about all of the activities available during your stay.
Here are just a few of the activities at Sun City:
Valley of the Waves – the Valley of the Waves is included if you stay in any of the Sun City hotels. Note that you need to bring your own towels (or rent them there).
It is a fabulous waterpark with lots of water slides of varying levels. The main attraction being the beach pool with wave machine which creates an enormous wave every few minutes.
Best time to visit here is at the beginning and end of the day. We were one of the first ones there in the morning and then came back later in the afternoon and were the last ones there.
It is open daily from 9am to 6pm. You don’t get early access to the Valley of the Waves being a hotel guest, but you can get there for just after 9am from the hotel. There is usually an attendant at the top of the path leading to the Valley of the Waves and they check your hotel credentials (card given to you at check-in) and are strict about not letting you past until 9am.
Maze of The Lost City – the Maze of the Lost City is actually surprisingly hard but thoroughly entertaining. Accessed from the Entertainment Centre via a 100m rope bridge.
There’s a bar at the end where you can have a well-earned drink. In case you have a couple of alcoholic drinks, there is a quick exit so you don’t have to worry about finding your way back out afterwards!
Sun City Casino – If gambling is your thing, then obviously a visit to the Sun City Casino is a must.
Golf – There are two golf courses at Sun City, both designed by golfing legend, Gary Player.
Kamp Kwena – if you are visisting The Palace of the Lost City with kids, you might be interested in Kamp Kwena. It is a kids’ club located at the Cabanas Hotel and offers a whole range of fun activities for kids aged 1 – 12.
Pilanesberg safari – there are a variety of safari tours you can book at Sun City. The Pilanesberg National Park offers safaris in a malaria free area and one of the best safari destinations in South Africa.
Sun Central – The Entertainment Centre is full of shops and restaurants as well as a cinema and escape room.
See here for a list of all activities at Sun City.
Is the African resort in Blended real?
In case you have watched it and also wondered, we can confirm that the African resort in Blended is Sun City. More specifically, The Palace of the Lost City.
Coincidentally, we watched Blended before we booked Sun City. To us, it looked a bit too ‘Disney’ but the kids thought it looked fun.
This Disney-like setting must be popular with film makers because there was filming for another movie going on when we were checking in.
Secret view point at The Palace of the Lost City
As promised, the best view of the Sun City Resort can be had from the King Tower at The Palace of the Lost City.
To access it, you need to take the lift to the 9th floor and then climb the remaining steps.
When we visited, staff were just setting the scene for a romantic meal for someone, including laying rose petals up the steps. After we left, the clsoed the area for further visits that evening.
It would be best to check with concierge when would be a good time to visit.
For us, sunset was the best time but sunrise over the Pilanesberg is also spectacular.
Final thoughts on the Palace of the Lost City
We really enjoyed our stay at the Palace of the Lost City – but it was mainly the whole package that we enjoyed, rather than just the hotel.
The fact that there was so much for the whole family to do was a big bonus.
In terms of the hotel itself, for a luxury 5-star hotel, we would have expected better service. Service was slow at breakfast and we had issues with housekeeping not providing bedding for the kids.
In terms of facilities, we would expect a gym onsite too.
We hope you found our Palace of the Lost City review helpful. Enjoy your stay!