*Denotes local charge
*Denotes local charge
This small family-run guest house will make you feel at home from the moment you step through the door. Ivy creeps along the bottom of the green roof and white roses line the terraces, their soft scent complemented by the lighting that makes this a pretty setting for an early evening stroll. With the town of Oudtshoorn less than a mile away, this is the perfect location for those that enjoy easy access with a peaceful retreat to return to at the end of the day.
Making the most of its stunning headland location, this elegant hotel has a slightly nautical theme, with pastel colours set off against wicker furnishings. The neutral tones and abundant natural light give the hotel a clean and cosy feel, and the ever-present General Manager gives the hotel an impressively personalised touch. An undeniable highlight of this exclusive retreat is the view. With bays either side and distant peaks towering on the horizon, sit with a refreshing drink as you gaze out across the glittering waters to spot the whales and dolphins that frolic amid the waves. SeaFood at The Plettenberg serves up a variety of delicious, local and seasonal produce. Delicate and carefully considered, each sustainable dish promises to delight, with marine flavours enhanced by those of the surrounding Garden Route. Leading off The Sun Lounge, The Sandbar is the perfect evening retreat. From the modern white bar-top, savour contemporary cocktails and mingle with locals and the South African elite. If you’re after a more secluded and romantic experience, candle-lit dinners for two can be served in the wine cellar. Capturing the hotel’s relaxing tempo, the spa is a sanctuary in which you can unwind in a serene atmosphere, with therapists who specialise in individual massage techniques and treatments. The hotel's rooms and suites are found in the main house and the blue wing. There's a classic theme of light colours and super-soft furnishings creating a chic and homely stay, and they're cleverly designed with black-out glass for privacy. All rooms include a welcome bottle of wine on arrival and a complimentary minibar.
This gorgeous boutique gem is perched high on a clifftop overlooking the Indian Ocean. One of our favourite stops on the Garden Route, this hotel sits above the sands of Wilderness Beach and from inside, huge windows welcome sweeping vistas of the sea. Stay here for peace and quiet by the sea where you're just half a hour's drive from George and Knysna or an hour from Plettenberg Bay. Relax in the fresh nautical interiors with aqua blues and reclaimed driftwood statement pieces. The restaurant serves up excellent local seafood and there's a deck where you can order sundowners and watch paragliders soar overhead. There's a state-of-the-art spa with a Moroccan steamroom, treatment rooms and a hydrotherapy pool. We recommend upgrading to a room or suite with a sea view to make the most of this sublime setting.
A strip of lush green grass is all that sits between The St James of Knysna and the tranquil shores of Knysna Lagoon. Two pools, a large Koi pond and a private jetty make up the grounds that look out to the dramatic Knysna Heads. With an Old English feel about it, a highlight of this country house is its Twin Palm Restaurant which serves sensational meals – enjoy local cuisine accompanied by regional wines. To really appreciate your surrounds, head out and dine on the terrace.
This quirky boutique hotel oozes contemporary chic while retaining the old power station’s original industrial features. Its bright-coloured reclaimed furniture and multitude of pipelines running throughout the hotel makes it unlike any other. It's a memorable addition to an adventure along the Garden Route, South Africa’s famous route for sweeping coastal roads, tranquil national parks, sand beaches and world-class golf courses. With an excellent location for exploring Knysna on the lagoon, you can easily explore with a whale-watching cruise (July to November for southern right whales), cycle along the glorious coastline or discover an array of restaurants, art studios and South Africa’s oldest microbrewery. From Thesen Island, it's just a 10-minute stroll over a bridge to Knysna's main waterfront. There's a cool, urban feel to the hotel, thanks to the original turbine elements that you'll find around the hotel including in guest rooms. There's also an Amani Spa for relaxation, a sports bar-style Gastro Pub and a Tapas Bar for light bites. In the hotel’s main restaurant, The Island Café, there is a wine cellar stocking local wines, from smaller, family-owned wineries for an authentic taste of the Garden Route’s offerings. The 24 bespoke rooms are charmingly decorated with light and bright colours, with different sizes and shapes due to the quirky layout of the building. For more space to play with, upgrade to a luxury room or for even more extravagance, the Honeymoon Suite includes a luxurious double shower and a standalone bath.
Lairds Lodge
4.5
Positioned between the towns of Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, Lairds Lodge is an exclusive retreat for those who enjoy the serenity of quiet provincial living. Hidden in the heart of the Garden Route, this delightful country house is set within beautiful landscaped grounds and has a refreshing outdoor swimming pool for guests to enjoy. For those keen to explore the area, the lodge is well positioned to visit the spectacular nearby sites of Thesen Island, Western Head and the artisan shops of Plettenberg Bay. The estate has one on-site restaurant, where guests can experience an authentic South African four-course gourmet dinner. The evening begins with pre-dinner drinks, served in the quaint candlelit courtyard or the informal brandy lounge. A delicious set menu is then presented to guests in the dining room, although you can choose to dine in the more intimate wine room if preferred. Although rooms are divided into a standard, deluxe or luxury type, every room is en-suite and features a charming high ceiling and generous private terrace. Simple, elegant furnishings and a delicate neutral colour scheme create a welcoming ambiance for guests, and reflect the natural tranquility of the estate's verdant surroundings.
The Cape St Francis Resort Beach Break is a rare gem on South Africa's southern coast. It has sweeping views of the Indian Ocean and nearby Seal Point Nature Reserve, and its luxury properties have private beach access for peace and exclusivity on your beach holiday. Dining is a delight at the resort's on-site restaurant. Joe's Fish Restaurant specialises in steak and seafood which is served by the pool – we recommend trying Joe's award-winning calamari. For an authentic South African braai (barbecue), head to the traditional boma or enjoy a light snack or drink by the poolside bar and coffee shack. The area is rich with nature reserves and rivers for hiking and cruises, and surfers are in for a treat with great surfing conditions straight from the beach. You can also tee off at one of the two golf courses nearby, which includes the well-regarded St Francis Links course. Divided into 23 rooms in five separate properties, the villas are the perfect setting for an intimate getaway or large exclusive group holiday. You'll have the privacy of your own suite and bathroom, as well as shared use of the villa's main facilities, including the large open-plan living room, a fully equipped kitchen, and an expansive private outdoor terrace with inviting private plunge pool. Beautiful large windows offer uninterrupted views of the surrounding beach and gardens, while calming hues and classic furniture help to accentuate the light and spacious interiors of each oceanfront villa.
Just outside of Oudtshoorn – a popular inland stop on South Africa’s Garden Route – this country house sets the bar high for classic country retreats. Every inch of the hotel has been meticulously restored, and the result looks like something straight out of a storybook. The grounds are immaculate with a rose garden which gives the hotel its name, and the building dates back to around 1852. Whether you’re stopping for a night while visiting Oudtshoorn’s ostrich farms and nearby Cango Caves, or looking for a somewhere beautiful to call home for a week, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with this classic little gem. Each room would look at home in an issue of Country Living, with warming tones of magnolia and olive green and plush, upholstered pieces. There are just 14 rooms and suites – rooms look out to the manicured gardens while suites have views of the distant Swartberg Mountains. Suites are located further away from the main house for added privacy and come with their own pool.
Housed in a National Monument building, The Old Rectory is a modern boutique hotel close to some of Plettenberg’s gorgeous, golden beaches. The original Cape Dutch features have been delightfully revived with clean white walls and bold colours, while quirky features like wooden beams and exposed stone walls retain the building’s original character. From a back garden gate, you can walk to the golden sands of Hobie Beach in just two minutes – at night you can even hear the ocean waves from some of the suites. For the local restaurants and coffee shops of Plett, as Plettenberg Bay is affectionately known, it’s a short drive, and there’s a spacious car park on-site for those guests stopping on their road trip along the Garden Route. Opposite the hotel, there’s another piece of Plettenberg history to discover: The Timber Shed is a National Monument, built by the Dutch East India Company in 1786. There’s a small pool with decking to lounge around and a small and perfectly formed spa for traditional massage therapies and beauty treatments. At the restaurant, the head chef is passionate about creating dishes of locally sourced and sustainable produce. Breakfast here is plentiful; choose from pastries, granola and fruit accompanied by a menu of cooked-to-order hot dishes. The bijou bar is a lovely space to spend an evening, where copper finishes and tapestry chairs pack plenty of character into the small room. The heritage building means the each of the Suites differs in layout. The décor is bright and calming – think elegant white-washed walls and modern furnishings. Garden Suites are accessed from a stone path and have their own private garden and semi-outdoor rain shower, which features a sliding door that opens up to a small courtyard. Closer to the pool, the Pool Suites have freestanding bathtubs and a terrace with retractable dividers that are great if you’re booking more than one suite for a stay with family or friends.
The drive up to Fancourt reveals a fairytale world of lush green landscape, towering trees and glassy lakes. Step inside and it’s more of the same – a genteel atmosphere that’s more swish weekend country manor than hotel. This is one of our favourite stops on the Garden Route for some stylish R&R beneath the Outeniqua Mountains Range. It’s sleepy and yet inviting, and never short on ways to explore the Western Cape. There’s mountain biking, horse riding, hiking and a fishing lake before you even get to the three stupendous Gary Player designed golf courses – all in the Top 15 in South Africa –including revered The Links. The leisure facilities outrival the kind you find in the area, like the decadent 31-degree heated Roman Bath indoor pool, a tepidarium, sauna, steamroom, gym and two further pools. And if you want to slink off for a hedonistic signature Basalt Hot Rock massage without the little ones in tow, children are well catered for in their own Teen Lounge or the supervised Kidz Club. A feast of different themes is found in the restaurants; warm and comforting Henry White’s celebrates the best of South Africa and fresh and al fresco Mediterranean food at La Cantina. Monet’s chic bistro has an artisan menu chased by coffee or Champagne and the slick Club Lounge serves up sports, gourmet sandwiches and quirky chilli poppers late into the evening. All of which can be walked off with a sunset stroll through the 10 kilometres of walking trails. Accommodation is just as covetable, with luxury rooms featuring mountain or garden views and balconies or patios.
Hlangana Lodge
The Plettenberg
Views Boutique Hotel & Spa
The St James of Knysna
The Turbine Boutique Hotel and Spa
Cape St Francis Resort Beach Break
Rosenhof Country House, Oudtshoorn
The Old Rectory, Plettenberg Bay
Fancourt, George
