Feature: Golf

Belvidere Manor, Knysna, Garden Route

Belvidere Manor has sweeping views over the renowned Knysna Lagoon and is an historic property with a charming tavern

Experience the convenience of your own cottage in the grounds of Belvidere Manor  with incomparable views of the Knysna lagoon. Each of the 30 cottages has a lounge with open fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, a double bedroom with en suite bathroom and spectacular views thrown in as an added bonus! Breakfast is provided on the stoep (veranda) of the historic manor house. Reviews are generally very favorable but there have been some (very few) concerning service quality and the  need in places for some refurbishment.

About Belvider Manor’s  Location

Belvidere is the quieter side of Knysna – especially in the high season (December and January) but the town is easily accessible  with its restaurants and interesting boutiques and art galleries in addition to the beautiful lagoon side beaches on Leisure Island only 15 minutes drive away. You can stay here as a base for your stay in the Garden Route with Plettenberg Bay just a 30 minute drive, the Tsitsikamma National Park an hour away and the  spectacular coast at Wilderness a 20 minutes’ drive.


Kurland

Kurland, The Crags, Plettenberg Bay

Ultimate luxury in a parkland setting within a short drive of spectacular beaches

This is a fascinating and luxurious hotel set in the countryside with views of the impressive Tsitsikamma Mountains. Although Kurland is one of South Africa’s leading stud farms and is renowned for its polo field and events, the hotel has a very relaxed atmosphere and is designed to ensure that families are not only welcome but exceptionally well catered for. The 15 suites are beautifully decorated and very generous in size. The style is Cape Dutch and so very traditional South African. Some family suites have a separate first floor open plane bedroom and bathroom for children complete with stair gate and cuddly toys on the beds to provide your children with a feeling of their own space. Some of the extra large suites also have their own private plunge pool.

About the Location

There is a childrens’ playroom complete with equipment and games right next to their own pool and outdoor games area. Activities include horse riding and quad bikes and the beach is approximately 15 minutes drive away.  The Crags has some fascinating animal parks populated mainly by animals rescued from domesticity and here you will be able to get close to cats, elephants, monkees and even snakes, There is the largest aviary in the southern hemisphere and you can round off a visit with a tour and lunch at a local winery.  Storms River with the Tree Top Canopy Tour experience and the spectacular Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park is just 35 minutes drive while for the exceptionally brave, the World’s highest bungee jump is even closer.


St. James , Knysna

Very special hotel with perfect luxury situated on the Knysna lagoon

This is a luxurious, family run hotel situated just outside the main town of Knysna on a peninsula jutting out into the wonderful Knysna Lagoon. The 19 rooms and suites are some of the largest we have encountered, many of which have a lounge and study area and some with fireplaces for the cooler winter evenings. The bathrooms match the rooms in opulence. Some are in a  courtyard  building including 4 exceptionally luxurious suites set around their own pool. You can choose from garden, courtyard or lagoon facing suites.

About the Location

There is a boat available for guest use from the little jetty and the gardens provide a wonderfully restful place to sit, contemplate and just relax. The birdlife here is incredible down to the hotel’s resident owl! For clients looking for something a little different, St. James provides an experience at a price that is difficult to match in the Cape.


Houtkapperspoort Manor & Cottages, Constantia Nek

A excellent option for families set in a scenic location yet close to amenities

These are 26 cottages and suites set in beautiful surroundings in the heart of the Cape Peninsula. The accommodation, which is ideal for families, is prettily furnished in stone cottages with traditional green painted iron roofs. The cottages and suites vary from one bedroom to four bedrooms and are fully equipped with TV, and barbecue facilities.

About the location

The location is ideal for walking up onto the Table Mountain range and there is a jogging trail to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Hout Bay (with excellent seafood restaurants) is just seven minutes away, the centre of Cape Town is an 18-minute drive and Cape Point and the False Bay beaches are 30 minutes away. There are a good choice of restaurants in Hout Bay and in the Constantia region.


Hout Bay Manor, Hout Bay

Convenient location and pleasant accommodation in an historic manor house

Four-star accommodation in the bustling beautifully situated Hout Bay with its great restaurants (noted for the excellent local seafood) and picturesque fishing harbours. The hotel is a national monument and was built over 130 years ago. It is in a quiet location a short walk from the village centre and beach and it has the air of an English Manor House rich with beams and history. The 16,  bedrooms are very comfortably appointed and decorated in classic, cottage style although they tend to be a little smaller than many of the properties we feature. Breakfast, lunch and tea are served either in the dining room or beneath the magnificent oaks on the terrace.

About the location

Relax and enjoy a drink in the lounge which is richly decorated with antiques and still has its original paved floors and window frames. In the evening the owners have created a bistro and this is beginning to gain critical acclaim in the Hout Bay area. This is a convenient location from which to explore nearby Chapman’s Peak Drive with its spectacular views as you drive to Noordhoek and Fish Hoek with their renowned beaches. Constantia with its wineries and the Kirstenbosch Gardens is a short 20 minutes drive and the centre of Cape Town is just 20 minutes away along the beautiful coastal drive via Camps Bay.


The Vineyard Hotel, Cape Town

Slightly impersonal but a very convenient and comfortable hotel

The Vineyard is a large family owned and run hotel set in beautiful garden in the leafy Cape Town suburb of Newlands. It is very convenient for the cricket and rugby grounds and Cavendish Square Mall that is within walking distance. The reasonably sized rooms are comfortably furnished and decorated and either have a courtyard view or a mountain view. There are two excellent restaurants that offer a wide choice of cuisine. The pool and wellness centre must be seen to be believed with state of the art design and facilities. Guests will also find the ancient giant tortoises a delightful encounter as they wander around the luxuriant gardens.

About the Location

The hotel is one of the closest to the airport (approximately 20 minutes) and only 15 minutes from the city centre yet with a country ambiance. This is a very convenient location for the Kirstenbosch Gardens which are a 10 minute drive. Cape Point is approximately a 40 minute drive while the Cape Winlands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are just a 30 minute drive.


Steenberg, Tokai

Luxury in one of the oldest wineries in South Africa on a farm dating back to 1682

This is a grand hotel boasting the best of South African tradition, a little formal for some but excellent and luxurious accommodation. The manor house dates back 300 years and the views over the Peninsula Mountain Range are breath taking. There is a variety of accommodation set in individual buildings all thatched and dating back to the late 1600s. This is also a renowned winery and one of the key estates on the Constantia Wine Route. There are two reasonably sized pools and the property boasts one of the most popular weekend restaurants in the Cape – Caterina’s.

About the Location

Steenberg  has a highly rated 18 hole golf course. Cape Town city centre is an easy 20-minute drive, the penguins at Boulders Beach just 15 minutes’ away and Cape Point is a 25-minute drive. Stellenbosch in the centre of the Cape Winelands  is just 35 minutes away.