Protea forced to evict unwelcome guest

THE reputation of the Protea Hotel Kruger Gate hotel's "exceptional hospitality" appears to have spread far and wide since July when the property began operating under the Protea banner.
So says general manager, Rob Kucera, who has noted in his weekly report that a number of somewhat wild guests have been paying regular visits over recent weeks. The property borders both the Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sand Wildtuin (game reserve) in Mpumalanga.
"First, a leopard decided to stop for breakfast, chewing on a kudu carcass at the entrance to the lodge. Then we hosted a leopard family, including three cubs, who decided to do a site inspection between the timeshare uints, inviting themselves for a braai at one.
"Obviously, the word got around for, last Sunday night, a big, white rhino broke through the fence from Sabi Sands to come and experience our hospitality. As an unwelcome guest, we tried to escort him back through the fence but he enjoyed the attention so much that he decided to stay the night and played 'hide and seek' with the rangers, much to the horror of the staff.
"The word has even spread to the snake world. A twig snake made himself comfortable in the assistant food and beverage manager's shoe to spy out the secret of our success and to see how we do this hospitality thing."

(Elizabeth Sheridan)