I visited the Baroness Farmhouse at Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve (also known as Rhino Base Camp) a week ago and was very pleasantly surprised.

Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve is situated about 15 minutes outside Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route. The game reserve houses lots of plains game as well as rhino, buffalo and hippo. There are lions on a seperate part of the reserve which you can also visit.

The lodge on Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve is called the Baroness and is a 3 to 4 star farmhouse lodge. The Baroness is the original old farmhouse complete with thick stone walls and creaky wooden floors. There is massive character and this hasn’t been compromised by the extensive renovations.

The rooms at the Baroness are very large and all of them have some special feature, from outside shower to massive lounge and fire place. Each room is completely different.
The two new cottages at the top of the Baroness are absolutely stunning. Very Hog Hollow in style. Both of these have wonderful verandas with views of the mountains.

The staff both at the Baroness and the rangers of the Plettenberg Game Reserve were incredibly friendly and welcoming and nothing was too much. For a guest house of this type, I think this is possibly the best staff I have come across.

The game on the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve consists of plains game, rhino and buffalo. There are lions in an enclosure as well. While this is very different from a large game reserve experience because of the size of the property, this reserve is nice in that the animals are everywhere and you can get great pictures.

For people that aren’t able to afford the bigger reserves or don’t have the time, this is a great option. Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve is also great for families because kids of all ages are welcomed both on the game drives and on the horse safari’s.

It is also a nice option for people that want to be close to Plettenberg Bay, but want to be out of the hub, on a farm.

Contact us for more information

 

Recent clients of our from Australia stayed at the Bantry Bay Luxury Suites in Cape Town and sent us this review :

“Our family of five have just returned from our holiday in South Africa for the Easter Break and we all had a wonderful time especially as it reminded us of Australia. We found Cape Town was an easy town to drive around and good base to experience most of the the tourist attraction in and around the Cape districts. Through ‘Southern Destinations’ we stayed 4 nights at Bantry Bay Luxury Suites in Cape town, on the 3rd level and had views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Hotel itself was nice and clean, it was an older building with a bit of character supplemented with a fairly recent refurbishment to give it a more modern look. It had all the facilities we were looking for: small kitchenette, separate lounge, bedroom and ensuite. No laundry / washing machine though very affordable laundry / dry cleaning service.

I found the rooms in good condition but felt the shower cubical could have been better, the sliding doors didn’t really work, the titles were extremely slippery and rather dangerous - particularly for little or older people. The light switches were an endless source of confusion / entertainment depending how you look at it.

Room service was good though with five of us ranging from 2yrs up, it would have been nice to have the bath room floor mopped at least daily.

At the reception desk we found the staff accommodating and I can not say enough about Kristi who was definitely multi skilled. We arrived at midnight to discover that our room was not ready for us and she was the one to make up the beds and put up the cot, she was there the next morning to answer all our questions, she was there at the bar to make us coffee and banana smoothies, on the internet to get us maps for the wine region or the exchange rate, ringing around to find out what was opened etc so someone give her a pay rise!

As for the other staff in the hotel I found them rather friendly and very warm towards my children. My two year old fell over in the secure car park and they just rushed over and cleaned him up and gave him a biscuit.

Breakfast was provided in a very light and fresh feeling dining room and consisted of a hot and cold selection that seemed to suite the hotel very well. No Soya on offer though.

There is a pool but it was not heated hence it was far too cold to dip your toes in.
Overall the stay was pleasant not sure about the rating. Comfortable, yes; but not Luxurious hence I would rate it a good 3 low 4 star.

Liked: helpful receptionist and it was open 24 hours
Disliked: Cold swimming pool and shower recess “

 

KURLAND near Plettenberg Bay - Reviewed by recent clients, a family from Australia.

After traveling around the Cape with 3 children and the weather turning for the worse, we thought we found heaven when we arrived at Kurland, situated near Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route. This place was suggested to us by ‘Southern Destinations’ who said that this hotel was part of the Relais and Chateaux group (at the time I had no idea who they were) well it certainly lived up to it’s name. If your horse enthusiast this hotel is set on an estate surrounded by horses and rolling green hills hence my children couldn’t have been more happier.

What we loved about Kurland was that they really looked after the children.

The estate has a rustic English country charm with hints of the Dutch architecture, with very well appointed rooms. We had a Rose Garden Luxury suite - which was situated between the rose garden and horse paddock. The suite itself had a loft so we were downstairs in a king sized bed, oversized chairs, roaring fire and heated ensuite floor and the children were upstairs with their four poster beds, the books, the toys and their own bath. I must say that the stairs are quite steep and the children must take care. There was no oversized TV (one small TV tucked away) in the room but there was a small library of books - approx 200 books for you to chose a novel from.

Oh I should probably add that they use bore water, so try not to wash your hair to often as by the end of your time there your hair does start to feel like cardboard! The girls (aged 6 and 9) went riding every morning which was inclusive in the rate and in the afternoon if they wished they could have polo lessons (we didn’t explore this). Other facilities that we didn’t explore was the professional tennis, swimming lessons, Pilates, yoga, and adult ballet tuition.

However there was a Kids Club with an attached tennis court, swimming pool (not heated), and playground.  They would go on walks around the estate, biscuit decorating (they were only allowed to keep 2 and the others were given away to the staff which I felt was a good idea, no over dosing on sugar!), colouring in, tennis etc, it was all organised but was flexible to suit the ages within the group.

We were there at the end of the polo season so we were able to see a number of polo matches one from our room…our 2yr old loved it…especially waking up to the horses neighing in the front paddock. If you love horses you will love the stables as they are full of beautiful horses varying from Shetland ponies, to world class polo horses with Argentinean polo riders to be found near by!

We had breakfast and Supper as part of our package and they were provided in a lovely dining room heated by an open fire…children can dine with you in the relaxed though more formal surrounds of the dining room or at the ‘chefs table’ in the kitchen…a great idea that provided something a little more ‘child centric’ this was really well received by the kids as they were part of the kitchen action - I must admit Greg, the English chef, just said ‘what is your favourite dish’ to the children and he made it. All the children loved it in the kitchen, the atmosphere was great and for me a great opportunity to meet some of the other parents. Greg was rather personable and made your general chit chat important.

Also within estate we explored the grounds on quad bike, they supplied bikes if you wanted to go cycling around the estate, we walked up to the stables then onto the pavilion, jog along the jogging track (not that we did this) or go paddling on the lagoon (gave this a miss as it was cold). We mostly hung around the estate as the children didn’t want to leave. However we were able to convince them to go down to the beach (10 mins away) and the chef packed a very healthy picnic lunch and gave us towels and umbrella’s.

So to end this review we totally and thoroughly enjoyed this 5 star hotel and if you have children and you want to get away to a relaxed environment this is the place…our children certainly loved it!

 

The Fowler family enjoyed their quick trip on Rovos Rail and safari to Honeyguide Khoka Moya Camp

Dear Lise

Just got back from our trip. We had such a fantastic time - best holiday ever. My son said it was better than Disney.

The hotel in Joberg was spot on - my type of hotel .

You were so right about Honeyguide Khoka Moya, it was great for my son. He made lots of friends and whenever we weren’t on a game drive he was playing football. Our Ranger - Fanuel and tracker Philip were brilliant. What Fanuel didn’t know about birds you could write on a postage stamp and Philip could see things in trees when I was struggling to see the tree! I have to say the 1st night was very scary and I sat bolt upright all night with the whistle in my hand but by night 2 I was used to it.

The food was amazing, I liked the size of the portions too not too big - just right. I’m glad we didn’t go to a really posh lodge. Can’t say 1 bad thing. Oh yeah - hated the small plane- but we got through it! Cameron (my son) only threw up once!

You did a fantastic job - feel free to send us some ideas for next year. Cameron wants to go back to Honeyguide but I’ve told him there is a whole world out there waiting for us.

We really enjoyed Rovos - boy do they know how to look after people. I thought my son might get bored but he loved just sitting at the end of the train staring at the countryside.

Any way thanks for everything and have a very happy and healthy 2007.
Lindsay and Cameron.

Want to take your family on safari ?  Shamwari is the perfect destination.  More and more people are traveling with their kids these days. In the past the thought of kids on safari was unheard of (they’ll get bored, they’ll disturb other guests, they’ll get malaria, they’ll get eaten etc) BUT believe it or not,  a family safari at Longlee Manor is the perfect family holiday.  Your children have lovely lawns to run about on.  The camp is enclosed.  Game drives are tailored to each family’s age profile and concentration levels in the event that you want exclusive use of game vehicle.  Or there are kiddie’s drives between normal game drive times which are shorter and less scary  (they don’t drive up close to the predators)      The rangers are great at entertaining and EDUCATING them about nature.  The staff are willing babysitters while Mum and Dad enjoy romantic dinner !   The rooms can be readily configured for families with young children as well as teenagers. The Game Reserve is in a MALARIA–FREE area.   We were there for 2 nights  - it was the best family holiday, but  I recommend 3 nights.¼br /> #1 Shamwari fan

Went to visit the Nellie yesterday and felt rather posh - even put on a bit of makeup for the occassion! The Nellie or the Mount Nelson is one of the oldest hotels in Cape Town and is the grand old dame of the city.

Last time I went to see the hotel, a few years back, it was looking a little shoddy so I was a little worried. Since I was last there, the hotel has had a complete face lift, the rooms have been totally redecorates and the hotel has been painted. I was wowed. Gone are the frills and most of the Biggie Best and instead the hotel is chic and luxurious. Biggie has still been consulted on the wall paper which is singularly floral, but strangely it suits the old historical buildings.

The great thing about the hotel (besides the lunch buffet which has me wearing bigger than normal pants today!) is the space. For kids it is perfect because the pool is huge, the lawns are endless and there are two tennis courts. For moms the spa and the nearby trendy shops are a definite draw card. Dads tend to enjoy the pool and tennis courts as well but can finish off the day with a drink in the trendy Panet Bay.

If your budget is tight, then the Mount Nelson isn’t going to work for you, but if you are happy to splash out on your holiday then the Nellie will keep everybody happy.

Shamwari Game Reserve is the Sabi Sands of the Eastern Cape. And for people wanting to avoid malaria areas, this is the place to go. If your children are older than 7 years and you want to treat them to the very best safari in a malaria free environment, then look no further than Shamwari.

Shamwari is well known for its excellent safari experience. During a 3 night stay you are vertually guaranteed to see the big five on your game drives in open air vehicles.

Long Lee Manor at Shamwari, a restored Edwardian Manor House, offers guests a Colonial feel. This less than traditional safari lodge accommodates 38 guests in luxurious en-suite rooms. Families are well catered for with special family suites.  

If your children are under 7 years, then they are not allowed on game drives in Shamwari. If this is the case, then I would rather suggest another game lodge that gives the smaller kids the opportunity to experience the wild as well. Contact us for details for your family safari.

If you have visited Hog Hollow near Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route in South Africa, you will know what I mean when I say that this guest house is completely unique and utterly charming. Hog Hollow is owned by the slightly eccentric Andy Fermor who has single handedly (but with a bit of help from his friends) made Hog Hollow a homely, pan African and luxurious getaway.

What strikes you about Hog Hollow is that the staff are well trained, well cared for and obviously enjoying their jobs. This is one of the few hotels in South Africa where the staff is the main reason that people keep going back. That and the stunning rooms of course.

All the suites at Hog Hollow are large and offer amazing views of the tropical forests and mountains. The newer rooms are set in the trees and offer complete privacy.

Kids are welcome at Hog Hollow and the duplex suites with a downstairs lounge that can be made up to sleep 2 children as well as an upstairs bedroom for the parents. Small children have seperate dining times giving parents time to relax in the evenings.

Romantic Vacation

The Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town has just been refurbished so I went along to have a look. I will admit that this was never my favorite hotel because it was always very stuffy and old fashioned. What a change! The hotel is now decorated in light colours and makes fabulous use of the amazing views of mountain and gardens. The hotel is now perfect for a romantic honeymoon with its stunning spa facility that has double treatment rooms. The two restaurants, Au Jardin and the Courtyard Restaurant are two of Cape Towns finest. After all that food, you will be glad for the gym and a personal trainer!!