Sycamore Avenue Treehouses, Hidcote, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

When I am among the trees

I love the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in Winter – think cosy wood fires, full cream sherry, hot bubble baths, and spectacular crisp starry skies. And what better way to enjoy all of these lovely things than in the most characterful of stays - a treehouse. Made entirely of beautifully crafted wood, the treehouses at Sycamore Avenue are magical spaces in which to inspire the soul. The Sycamore Avenue slogan is “If we can’t fly with birds, we can at least nest among them.” They have created the most beautiful nests, each in a private space and nestled up against a large tree. There is something so fantastical about this idea of sleeping in a treehouse – a childhood fantasy and the ultimate escape from the grown-up pressures of real life.

I stay in the Faraway Treehouse, aptly named for its setting in a paddock with views to open grassland and the Drakensburg beyond. A double storey treehouse with two decks - every window, door, step, wall hook and shelf is a bespoke work of art. Curved smooth golden timber meets the eye, and in every space there is a new discovery – some detailing which is as beautiful as it is humorous. The doors and some of the windows have curvy tree shapes laid over the glass. There are creative wooden brackets and hinges everywhere. The upstairs mirror has carved wooden lettering which reads at the top “What a sight...” and at the bottom of the mirror “for sore eyes.”

What I love about Sycamore Avenue Treehouses:

• Individually styled double-storey tree-houses set against lovely old trees
• Creative and artistic detailing
• Fireplaces in open-plan bedrooms
• Private Jacuzzi baths with views of grasslands and the Berg
• Decks, hammocks and picnic tables under trees
• Caring accommodation comforts – heaters, hairdryers, fridges, tea and coffee facilities and en-suite toilet
• Individual parking spaces for each car under the treehouse
• Fabulous meals served in a spacious restaurant with individual tables set against wide glass windows with lovely views
• Warm and generous hosting

Accommodation Experience:

I create my own little Nordic spa experience at the top of my treehouse - with a candle-lit, hot bubble bath in the Jacuzzi and wide open double doors to the winter night skies. I catch myself giving sighs of happiness. After my bath, still steaming from the heat, I go out onto the deck and the sight of the Milky Way and Southern Cross takes my breath away. Being up in this treehouse makes me feel like I can touch the stars and I want to be as free and as spacious as this clear night sky. In her poem, When I am among the trees, Mary Oliver writes:

When I am among the trees,

especially the willows and the honey locust,

equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,

they give off such hints of gladness.

I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,

in which I have goodness, and discernment,

and never hurry through the world

but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir their leaves

and call out, "Stay awhile."

And light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,

"and you too have come

into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine."                                        

The Old Coach House, Greytown

Balance of Wellbeing

Character-stays in a historic building, with themed decor, showing a sense of humour and love of all things local, are a rare and marvellous find. This one is a gem. The Old Coach House in Greytown is a 1900’s farm style building with a long verandah, complete with broekie-lace twirls. A gateway to the KwaZulu-Natal battlefields, this is a bed and breakfast which offers a dynamic display of history and culture, with a modern and luxurious twist. Whether you choose to stay in the Boer Room with its striking Nguni cow images, or the Zulu Room with its dramatic black and white zebra patterns, or the Indian Room with veiled white four-poster bed, you are sure to join in the celebration of diverse South African cultures.

What I love about the Old Coach House:

• Spacious rooms in an old, but beautifully maintained building, with high ceilings and original pressed light fittings with pretty chandeliers
• Original wooden floors, deep, wide and high sash windows
• Affordable luxury
• Culturally themed rooms
• Enormous thick towels, deep baths and spread-out bathrooms
• Electric blankets, heaters and fireplaces
• A pretty garden and plenty of parking space

Accommodation Experience:

Although I feel I should be more culturally adventurous, I am secretly pleased to be appointed to the English Room because it has an enormous deep bath and clever use of British blue, red and white. Each time I walk into the bathroom I want to laugh out loud when I see the bald British flag so prominently displayed. More Ascot than Country Rose, the suite is surprisingly elegant and glamorous.

Themed rooms rely on a balance between total commitment to the theme, and a certain restraint. This is expertly achieved at The Old Coach House. I feel a sense of deep wellbeing – perhaps achieved by this balance of humour and professionalism, affordability and luxury, convenience and beauty, interest and calm.

Goble Palms, Morningside, Durban

Edwardian Haven

The description of “a beautiful Edwardian Lodge, set high up on the ridge, overlooking the sea, in Morningside” was more than enough for me and I made my cheerful way to Goble Palms during mid-winter in ever mild and sunny Durban.

A Regency girl at heart, I was not disappointed by the grand scale of the rooms, high windows and double doors. True to their slogan “Contemporary Colonial Comfort”, the decor at Goble palms is opulent, rich and embracing. Oversized furniture matches the spaciousness of the rooms, while pale taupe brushed linen curtains and blinds provide a calming effect. Soft white cottons are offset against dark wooden furniture. Gilded lamp stands and carved golden mirrors punctuate the look with glamour.

What I love about Goble Palms:

• Interconnected Edwardian buildings with a clever use of space and rooms facing different directions
• Conveniently situated in a quiet, green suburb and high on a hill, but with easy access to Durban central or Durban North
• A multitude of verandahs and patios make the most of every aspect of the Durban sunshine and sea breezes
• High windows and double doors allow the rooms to feel light and airy despite their size
• Ball and claw baths face onto green palms outside
• Thick carpets, comfy couches, tiled bathrooms and cool white cotton bed-linen
• Friendly and professional staff
• Complementary sherry and Amarula liquor

Accommodation Experience:

I have heard it said that an extrovert draws energy from being with people, whereas an introvert draws energy from time alone. Goble Palms certainly caters for both – for the extroverts it is well placed near the trendy restaurants and clubs of Florida Road, while the manor house itself has plentiful indoor and outdoor seating areas, creating small and larger sociable spaces in which to gather and process the day’s adventures in the company of others. However, I fall into the latter category, and after a week of intensive training, I am seeking solitude and stillness to recharge my social batteries. 

I am delighted to find my room both private and open to the lovely rustling palms. I partake in a strange, furtive dance, sneaking between my room and the communal lounge to swap mammoth, delectable decor books, one after another. I spend a happy, calm evening enjoying the books, my favourite pieces of music and the cool Durban breeze from my open double doors and bay windows. As dark falls, the glow of my bedside lamps create a halo effect of my four-poster mosquito net, contributing to the tranquil haven. As my stress levels decrease, I can indeed feel my creative and outgoing energy rising and soon I will be ready to go out into the world again with enthusiasm and zest – but perhaps not quite yet ...

Royston Hall, Umtentweni, Port Shepstone

The N2 South of Durban must be one of the prettiest highways in the country. The landscape opens out to soft grasslands and sugarcane fields, passing indigenous forests and breath-taking sea views. The road follows the coastline and every so often one crosses a dramatic wide river or gorge. Situated right on the curve of such a gorge and overlooking the impressive Umzimkulu River, is Royston Hall. A turn of the century manor house, Royston Hall has been beautifully restored to display its glossy wooden floors, grand staircase, carved fireplaces and wood-panelled dining room. 

Interior decorator Ria Hackland has lavished the home with sumptuous detail. Each room is individually decorated with bold use of colour, crisp cotton white linen and original wall art. The romantic Honeymoon Suite has a fireplace directly opposite the antique wrought-iron white bed. It, and the neighbouring Queen Room, has its own private outside access, where crowned hornbills gather for their morning brunch. For guests, indulgent breakfasts are served on the verandah with views of the river and forest beyond.

The house is set in a nature reserve, with thick indigenous forest and rich bird life. There are walking trails down to the river and to the neighbouring Country Club golf course. A boat may be taken on a scenic trip up the river or down to the nearby beach.

What I love about Royston Hall:

• The spectacular setting in a forest nature reserve on the Umzimkulu River
• Ancient trees dripping with Bromeliads, hornbills and other indigenous fauna and flora
• The Hall is conveniently situated half way between Johannesburg and the Eastern Cape
• It is nearby the beach and many attractions of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, while being cooled and quietened by the forest and river-side setting
• The safety of the home, as it is in a private nature reserve
• The original sprawling mansion with its high ceilings, spacious rooms and carved wooden fittings
• Deep verandah, patios and swimming pool
• Fireplaces, curved windows and arches, and original artworks
• Wrought iron and antique wooden beds, layered in white linen and lace effects
• Big towels, colour-coordinated to each room
• Two gentle speckled Great Danes and a Siamese cat who likes to be a part of every conversation

Accommodation Experience:

I love tours of gracious old homesteads, where one is shown every room. Ria is passionate about Royston Hall and makes the house come alive with detail and interesting stories about the history and inhabitants of the manor house. A born hostess, Ria “lives to feed people” and includes one openly into her home.  Whether a business stay, travel stop-over or longer respite, with the generous hosting, peaceful dogs and friendly cat, it seems one could be in danger of moving in and becoming so part of the family that one never quite finds the will to leave.