Stayed there for 3 nights at the start of our South Africa holiday, and before spending 4 nights at SANPark lodges in the park. Had we known just how good it was, think we may have spent our entire 7 nights in Kruger there. It more than lives up to the great reviews it gets (which is why we chose Needles), the place is beautiful, the staff amazing, the visiting animals a daily treat, and the proximity to Crocodile River entrance gate does actually mean you could easily stay here, and go into the park for the day (which means you get the 5* benefit of the lodge, with all the animal viewing you could wish for). We had dinner, bed and breakfast, the cooked breakfast was fantastic (best mushrooms I have ever tasted), the dinners a delight sat outside with a glass of Pinotage. Within 30 minutes of arriving we had visits from a huge rock monitor, a family of mongoose and a Kudu. Lots of birds to watch and identify in the nearby trees, Zebra wandering over, the Bushbabies at night, amazing. We did a full day safari by way of introduction to the park, and I would recommend it. Patrick our guide and driver was just brilliant, spotting things well before we did (without binocs and while driving), he promised my wife 30 giraffe and he delivered, as well as lions, buffalo, white rhino, elephants, eagles, hippos (25 species we saw on that one day, plus it gave us great ideas of where to go when we were in the park, like Mpondo Dam). Perfect place to stay in every respect.