Jan Harmsgat Country House, Swellendam

Deep calls to deep

Jan Harmsgat Country House near Swellendam offers timeless hospitality with soul. Here you can experience an historic Cape Dutch farm together with warm and friendly hosting and gourmet local produce. As you walk into the original 1723 farmhouse, the smell of thatch, thick stone walls, heavy Yellowwood beams, polished Cape Dutch furniture and an almost three centuries old hearth will transport you back in time.

The bedrooms at Jan Harmsgat are vast enough to do justice to the dramatic beds, wardrobes and baths. There is underfloor heating, air-conditioning and every possible thoughtful item to make your stay as comfortable as it is beautiful. My extra wide King-size bed is dressed in the finest white linen, with King-size pillows and a perfectly soft mattress. An upholstered chair balances the glossy wooden wardrobe and dresser. Traditional striped linen blinds shade the room from the bright sun from two wide and high sash windows. There are modern, yet traditional, light fittings, in keeping with the Cape Dutch style which avoids overdone fussiness.

The bathroom is as spacious as the bedroom, fitted with black and white tiles, a long bath, huge shower and elegant double basin. Behind the door I discover the softest, white dressing gown ever – wearing it is like hugging a lamb.

The rooms all seem to have their own outdoor entrances and face out onto different directions, with creative water features, patios and verandahs with outdoor seating areas. This is a working farm and the fruit orchard comes right up to the homestead with the heady smell of peach blossoms and plums.

I love outbuildings, especially on an historic farm, and there are plenty to explore at Jan Harmsgat. And old wagon rests outside a shed with big painted double wooden doors. The honeymoon suite has been given pride of place above an old long barn. A long pool, almost the full length of the barn, can be found at the end of an arched row of vines.

Accommodation Experience:

Everything is so lovely at Jan Harmsgat that I have a gentle post-midlife-crisis moment. I believe fully in following your dreams, even if they cost you everything, which they often will demand – but you are likely to get it all back again tenfold. But what if, after all you dreamed for and more came true, and you are still left with what David Whyte calls “those tiny but frightening questions” like “what now?” What if at the end of the rainbow you are just left with shiny yellow stuff in a pot?

Now don’t be alarmed – to me these are not depressing questions – we psychologists love dwelling on complicated emotional responses. All that these call for is scary honesty and vulnerability – the kind that make you feel very alive and awake. In the words of Elizabeth Gilbert: “Tell the truth, tell the truth, tell the truth.” And from another person I greatly admire: “And the truth shall set you free.”

And so I sit in my most beautiful bed, listening to the gentle sounds of turtle doves and these equally gentle questions, and what they have to say to me. The relief is instant, followed by blinding hope and a quiet promise: “Oh but my dear – there is so much more.”

Angala Boutique Hotel, Franschhoek

Portal of gratitude

Imagine this – five star luxury in a natural setting, with a spiritual focus to their beautiful accommodation. I feel I have fallen through a portal of gratitude into a parallel world. The meaning behind the name Angala includes the creation of the earth by the divine, an ongoing process of regenerating limitless potential (see www.angala.co.za). One enters into this spirit the moment one drives through the wine estate and walks past the large wooden sculptured heart and thick lavender into the open plan lounge and elegant dining area of the lodge.

Angala looks out to mountains for 360 degrees of its view. It is the perfect central location between Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl, from which to explore the surrounding wine estates, restaurants and countryside – if you ever manage to leave that is. I overhear a couple asking if they may extend their stay at Angala and I similarly long to make this my loveliest of homes for as long as possible. The peace and stillness simply captivate one and a quiet bond soon develops amongst the likeminded, nature-loving guests and warm, calm staff.

The light-filled rooms overlook the lake or gardens which are rich with diverse birdlife. Each room has a lounge area opening with double glass doors onto a private verandah with seating area. Back inside there is a round dining table with chairs, a most beautiful bespoke kitchenette wardrobe with cutlery and crockery, a Nespresso coffee maker, microwave, chopping board and sink. Every luxury has been thought of, and there are beautiful cotton gowns and slippers, heated towel rails, underfloor heating, air-conditioning and a ceiling fan. In the sophisticated bedroom area there is subtle downlighting and pretty bedside lamps to highlight the silky white linen and upholstered headboard.

But it's the bathrooms that win my decor heart - tiled in marble, fitted in minimalist white and with one side a full height set of glass sliding doors with views onto private gardens and the lake beyond. A deep freestanding bath faces the lovely view past double indoor showers and an outdoor shower on the deck. A portion of the deck wall rolls away to open the sense of space and continuity even further.

This is cutting-edge South African accommodation - the perfect blend of sensory, spiritual, environmental, natural, modern and aesthetic. The gardens are lush and decorated with soulful wooden sculptures. The open area in front of the main lodge is graced with an exquisite eco-pool, surrounded by Arum Lilies, Daffodils and reeds. 

I love it when an historic building is brought gently into the 21^st Century with aesthetic care and the main lodge is both modern and traditional, and very South African. It has a wide verandah on two sides, one side overlooking the valley, and the other side facing the eco pool. There is an outdoor and indoor fireplace with wooden and grey upholstered eco-style furniture. The food, which is served outdoors when the weather is good, is delicious and I feel a surge of pride in what South African accommodation like this offers its delighted guests.

Accommodation Experience:

Ascetic spirituality has us conditioned to divide the beautiful and pampering from the spiritual. This stems, perhaps, from Descarte’s mind-body dualism and the disillusionment with the wealth and corruption seen in the church, coinciding with the birth of the paradoxically titled “enlightenment” and modernism. The shift meant giving perhaps too much power to the scientific and intellectual, with the loss of the soulful and natural. Rediscovery of ancient spiritual practices like Mindfulness are now encouraging us to spend less time trapped in our thoughts and to bridge the mind-body divide by integrating the spiritual with the sensory and living fully in the present moment. Still, the idea of simply being present to nature and our senses scares us.

I decide to take up the challenge, and instead of dashing about taking too many photographs, as I would usually do, I decide to make the most of my heavenly bathroom at Angala.

If you have never had the privilege of an outdoor shower under open African skies, this should be on your list. And Angala has one of the best outdoor showers I have ever experienced – overlooking the mountains and gardens from a raised wooden platform with wooden sides for complete privacy. A cool breeze comes off the lake and brings the scent of orange blossom in from the garden.

As usual, despite all the luxury and finesse, it is nature that steals the show. From my shower I see a bright yellow and black bishop flit past and an emerald sunbird comes to visit. A distant mountain, the Paarl perhaps, is suddenly lit up in a spectacular display of light breaking through the clouds. I don’t even rush for my camera, just smile and gaze in silent awe and gratitude.

Highveld Splendour Boutique Hotel, Ermelo

Cleansing Beauty

I had a hankering to immerse myself in beauty, in a clean and calm space. I could not have made a better choice with a stay at Highveld Splendour. Vast rooms, cool, tiled floors, wide glass doors and high ceilings instantly dispel any mental or emotional clutter. Open plan bathrooms have spacious all-glass showers, minimalist basin bowls and deep, modern baths. Fluffy, soft, grey bathrobes provide a comforting foil against the cool white. It’s like someone found my wish-list and made it come true.

Every possible luxury has been thought of – thick, white towels, temperature controlled rooms, silky white linen with smooth, King-size pillows on the extra length King bed. Walnut wood furniture and fittings ground the look, along with the thatched roof and exposed wooden beams. I especially love the thick, hung wood panels with soft down-lighting and recessed wiring. A glamorous wallpapered wall, patterned right up to the apex of the open ceiling completes the balance of light and luxe.

Accommodation experience:

I have only one night at this beautiful haven, and not content with the few waking hours I have at Highveld Spendour, I don’t want to waste time on sleep. I sleep late and wake early, sitting in bed and enjoying the calm space. With the thatched roof, birds singing and my view onto a Yellowwood tree, it feels like one is far out in the country. There is perfect harmony between the natural materials, contrasted with the sheer glass and minimalist white.

I had been drawn to the clean look of this place, but find myself equally appreciating the warm grey wood in the suite, the beautiful grounds of the estate and the friendly staff. Sometimes a clean sweep can be tempered with gentle warmth and the results are more restorative.

It still surprises me when I not only get what I want, but find unexpected pleasure in what I really need. 

Leeuwenhof Country Hotel and Spa, Modimolle

Glamping Romance

A stay in a Riverside Luxury Tent at Leeuwenhof Country Hotel and Spa (www.portfoliocollection.co.za) is like sleeping in your very own beautifully appointed wedding tent. Country romance is the theme of this elegant stay, and the spacious tent has soft fabric ceilings, cream furniture and curtains, blue-grey and cream striped bedding with white linen.

The tent has a wooden floor with lounge, bedroom area and full bathroom, cleverly separated by two high wardrobes. Outside there is a private deck with outdoor shower and your very own Jacuzzi spa bath overlooking the riverine bushveld. Set well away from the main hotel, overlooking natural hillside, the feeling is of being elite guests in a private nature reserve.

Luxe glamping at its best, there is air-conditioning, heating, electric blankets and the choice of surrounding window blinds open to the cool breeze and sounds of nature.

Decadent pillow treats, a candle-lit foam bath and a caring turn-down service are the final romantic touches leading to sighs of happiness at the end of the day.

Accommodation Experience

This is such a romantic suite and of course I am here alone on a work trip. I have an intense bout of loneliness and self-pity. I wallow in my misery for a while, then tell myself to buck up and make the most of this amazing opportunity. I head out to the Jacuzzi and am instantly cheered up by the experience of lying in bubbles with a pretty view of the sun setting over the river and hillside. The mindful relaxation soon takes me through a portal into a deeper space where there is no loneliness or despair, only a feeling of connectedness and wellbeing. A character stay like this, which pampers and nurtures, as well as drawing one out into nature, is a beautiful space for a romance with life in all its aching loveliness.

Royal Malewane Luxury Game Reserve, Limpopo

Soulful Luxury

One of the open lounges at the main lodge

What is your definition of luxury? For me, it is close contact with nature from a bed of fine white linen or a deep bubble bath – where the contrast between the natural and the finessed somehow enhances each experience. It is about a balancing act of creative décor and an earthy respect for the environment, a celebration of all that is quintessentially local. However you choose to experience luxury, you will find it here at Royal Malewane Safari Lodge in Limpopo, South Africa (www.royalmalewane.com).

Literally host to royalty and A-list celebrities, it doesn’t get better than this. Individual thatched open-plan suites, more like private villas, overlook the African bushveld. With infinity edge swimming pools, indoor and outdoor showers and Victorian baths it is easy to stay cool even in the summer heat. Usually a prude, even I walk freely between these aquatic pleasures in my natural state, so discretely designed and well placed are these villas. There are three outdoor seating areas on my deck – sun loungers, an al fresco dining area where private dinners may be served, as well as a thatched shaded lapa.

Private heaven

Colonial Afro-Zen fusion is expertly achieved with antique furniture, Persian carpets and the finest fabrics. My suite has a cream couch and a fern-print armchair facing a bank of glass doors outwards and an indoor fireplace. A grand four-poster bed is draped in a white mosquito net and said silky white linen.

The main lodge overlooks a water hole, with beautiful indigenous reeds back-lit by the setting sun. The safari-style lodge is a vast open-plan structure with four different lounge areas, each decorated with Liz Biden’s dramatic flair. She manages to make creamy white couches, oversized regal arm chairs, ornate vases and rich carpets somehow work seamlessly in this open-air bushveld setting.

Waterhole overlooked by the main lodge

I say it again – the Royal Collection deserves its own 6-star rating from the South African Tourism Board. The enthusiasm to please goes well beyond tick-box duty. Around every corner there are thoughtful touches, and every day reveals a surprise of some unique African bushveld experience in which the staff take genuine delight in their guests’ reaction.

All luxury aside, one also wants to have close encounters with diverse game when on an African safari. Set in a Big 5 game reserve bordering Timbavati and Kruger National Park, your chances of seeing interesting game are greatly increased here by the private game reserve setting and the guides who are as passionate about their Royal Malewane animal family as they are about pleasing their guests. Genuine naturalists, each one is plotting their own personal wildlife expeditions, including gorilla trekking in Rwanda and tiger safaris to India. They have become international consultants on how to coordinate game viewing experiences in a way that fulfills their guests’ hopes while respecting the animals’ safety and comfort.

Morning munch at Royal Malewane

Accommodation Experience:

I find myself a little above my usual station in life at Royal Malewane, and so I decide to drink everything, even this humble juice, from the beautiful crystal champagne glass I find in my suite. I do this as I lie in a deep bubble bath overlooking my private infinity edge plunge pool, onto African bushveld. A family of monkeys is using my day spa bed in the thatched lapa, the babies cuddling up to mom for a nap, while the teenagers fight. Clearly they are used to this level of luxury.

I feel a little silly about my indulgence and have a twinge of guilt at my lazy appreciation of the afternoon, but I am learning to recognize this as a defence against sinking into a realness of presence. Remember how impressed and intimidated we were with that New York style frenzied busyness and assertiveness? Already, that aggressive lifestyle has become “so 90’s” and we have seen through the emperor’s clothing of bluster and bragging to the insecure vulnerability it masked. A new brand of post postmodern soulfulness is emerging, where we recognize real luxury to be about the gift of free time, connectedness with self, family and friends and the privilege of being able to contribute to the protection of our natural heritage. A restlessness of spirit, combined with a deep love for the environment draws us increasingly to stillness and mindful appreciation of the natural world. Kindness to self, others and our environment is replacing the currency of domination and competition.

Good hair day at Royal Malewane

And this is what I find at Royal Malewane – a soulful rootedness in their pristine game reserve setting, dedication to preserving their unique, unspoilt corner of the earth, a warmth and humility in their service, an openness in the architecture and a softness in their décor. While lavishly generous, there is no ostentation here, only a shared enthusiasm for the outdoors, rare game sightings and all that Africa has to offer its privileged guests.

Another tough day in Africa

Askari Game Lodge, Magaliesburg, Gauteng

Natural perspective

As we drive into the Askari game reserve, some primal instinct takes over and we become alert to every sound, sight and smell. There’s nothing quite like that feeling, which instantly dispels any other worries one may have packed in one’s suitcase. 

This Big Five game reserve is a short drive from Johannesburg or Pretoria, set in the picturesque Magaliesburg mountains. There are exciting game drives on offer, or one may let the game come to you with the backdrop of the beautiful views from the stoep of one’s own thatched cottage. Askari Game Lodge’s row of cottages overlook waterholes where Waterbuck and Kudu come and go in their gentle and dignified manner.

The Lodge has one of the most comprehensive ox wagon collections, and the beautifully preserved wagons of different types are on display in the grounds.

Fully catered, we enjoy an impressive buffet dinner and breakfast during our stay. There are several indoor and outdoor eating and lounge areas with fireplaces and we find a delightful reading lounge upstairs in the thatched attic.

The suites are spacious, with king or twin beds with upholstered headboards. Clever use has been made of matching fabrics, which feel both modern and traditional – toile de jouy, florals, dragon fly patterns and stripes. The bathroom has a Victorian-style slipper bath and a shower with a view down to the waterhole.

Accommodation Experience:

Having recently come through a patch of despair myself, I am pleased to be able to take my despairing cousin out for a retreat at Askari Game Lodge. All the key ingredients are there for a heart-to-heart on our girls’ night out – views of the sun setting over the dam while buck drink peacefully, a fireplace with a cosy couch in our room, complimentary sherry and later we each take a long and mindful bath by candlelight.

My dear cousin is suffering intensely and asks the most difficult and painful questions about life. Of course I don’t have any answers, but later as I lie back in the bath and reflect on our conversation, I feel the cool air coming off the dam as it blows gently over my face, and I look up and out at the stars, I simply know that her soul is being tended in the most brutal and tender of ways. This is what a stay in a beautiful natural context brings – a certain perspective that is truthful, integrated and hopeful. And, as only one who has herself recently come through a period of despair can Know, I have a deep certainty that “all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well”. 

Windmill House, Gauteng

Rare Find

I almost did not write a review of this place. It is simply too lovely and I want to keep it to myself. It’s ours – our Precious. It is so difficult to find the tri-factor of success in Gauteng accommodation – conveniently located, cost effective, and above all, beautiful. Windmill House in central Parkhurst ticks all these boxes – and then some. Styled as a country farmhouse, French- and African-themed art, furniture and fittings bring a rare combination of elegance and groundedness. Every room is thoughtfully and tastefully decorated.

I choose to stay in the Blue Room, decorated in the loveliest blues and whites, with dark wooden furniture, including a King-size bed and a single sleigh day bed and a grand wardrobe. There is commitment to the theme without overdone fussiness. A black and white Nguni rug and covered coffee table bring African flair. Two artistic paintings of our late father, Nelson Mandela, grace the walls.

The open-plan bedroom-lounge has high ceilings and exposed white beams. There are two high sash windows. The bathroom is tiled in soft matt black and white checks, while fitted with a deep, modern bath and spacious glass shower. There is another sash window, and from the bath one looks out onto trees and a dappled sunset.

Accommodation Experience:

While staying at Windmill House for work, I have agreed to meet with a friend of mine’s daughter-in-distress. Her boyfriend of 3 years broke up with her suddenly, unexpectedly and of course, via sms. I am moved by her plight, but still it is hard for me to leave my haven of tranquility. We go out for dinner, and, as most of us do, she simply needs someone to listen empathically and to be given the freedom to speak out loud the thoughts and unanswerable questions that have been plaguing her since the cruel break-up.

As I return early to my loveliest of rooms, I feel enveloped by its elegant warmth. I am both privileged to have been able to offer a simple ear to a young person in a state of extreme sadness, and grateful to be back in such a serene space of beauty. I am not sure if a room can really make one a better and more caring version of oneself, but I believe that this one did. And I am almost ready to share it with others who need a kind and pretty space in which to rest and be inspired to be a better version of themselves.

Grand Dedale, Wellington

Lazy Contentment

It doesn’t get better than this – silver service in a grand Cape Dutch Manor House on a wine estate at the base of a mountain near Wellington in the Western Cape. Beautifully restored, or should I say transformed, Grand Dedale has glossy porcelain tiles, chandelier, and elegant upholstered chairs.

When I arrive there is a fashion shoot in progress, and I am half intimidated by their glamour, and half smug that I get to spend the night in such luxury. It is a photographer’s paradise, with auburn autumn leaves, mountains, gabled and thatched rooftops, wide verandahs, vast and well-lit rooms and a particularly obliging lazy and contented ginger cat.

The hallways are grander than I imagined, resplendent with chandelier and oversized mirrors. A creamy lounge has a fireplace and quadruple glass doors leading out to the garden.

Personalised service leaves one feeling thoroughly spoilt and pampered, with high tea, complimentary sherry and a gourmet four-course dinner.

I stay in the spacious Limietburg suite, a long attic-style thatched room upstairs in the main lodge. The suite is bright and fresh, and I decide we shall have a long and happy relationship. At the far end of the suite there is a freestanding ball and claw bath set up against a window, with sky and oak tree views. Underfloor heating warms the smooth tiled floors. There is a separate dressing room with armchair and dressing table. A mirrored wall creates a clever visual effect of continuity. Beyond this there is a King-size bed with views out through a skylight. Finally the suite ends in a lounge area with two wide armchairs and a double cottage pane door, also mirrored for privacy and light.

Accommodation Experience:

A cold front arrives the same time that I do. The mists roll down over the mountain and look mysterious from the cosy and bright attic suite. A wave of contentment washes over me and I am unusually happy to sit in my comfy lounge and while away the afternoon listening to music. I wonder to myself why it is when I stay in a place of such beauty and care that I feel the best version of myself – connected, peaceful, inspired and mindful. I guess a stay in characterful accommodation is a wonderful opportunity to take a pause out of everyday life - to reconnect with one's senses, detach from negative thoughts, process one's feelings and appreciate the simple pleasures of life. 

And so as I lay my head back in the armchair I smile, let my senses float on the beautiful music out through the skylight and into the night sky.

Babylonstoren, between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch

Artistic Contrast

I arrived at Babylonstoren wondering if I might be the luckiest person on earth. I left certain I was.

Style meets substance at this chic, eco-conscious haven of good taste. Here they understand the art of contrast, where old style Cape Dutch thatched buildings are perfectly balanced with crisp glass and white, modern furniture.

I love the thick whitewashed walls, with their deep, shuttered windows. There are wide stable doors with exposed timber lintels. The interiors are serene – all white, with a four-poster bed and silky pale linen, offset by high ceilings with exposed trusses. Modern glass conservatory dining areas create a flow between the indoors with the outdoors.

Truly beautiful bathrooms, each have clever designs and deep, freestanding baths. There are heated towel rails, thick white towels and bathrobes.

Each suite has air-conditioning, a flatscreen TV with DSTV, a bar fridge, and complementary bottles of locally produced Babylonstoren red and white wine and olive oil. Treats arrive in the evening from the acclaimed local restaurant, Babel.

Accommodation Experience:

Aside from the famed restaurant, and cutting edge spa, the feature gardens are one of the main attractions at Babylonstoren. Not being much of a gardener myself, I force myself out of my beautifully decorated suite to take a dutiful tour of the grounds. I am instantly drawn into the natural, organic gardens which are both curvy and styled, the heady growth contrasted with artistic mosaic inlays and sculptures. I make my way towards an interesting looking tunnel in a quiet corner of the gardens. As I enter the tunnel and round a corner, I come upon a multitude of hessian bags, hung on elegant ropes at different heights. They are bursting forth with plants – strawberries and other fresh green growth. It is a ridiculously marvelous sight, which at first stops me dead in my tracks. Then it takes me down a tunnel of insight where I suddenly see a glimpse of the passionate dedication and artistic release with which the gardens were developed. I am overcome with a sense of appreciation, drawn into a mystical portal of awe and wonder. Here there was no pandering or second guessing – just a bold vision of creative expression. You can feel the imperative. This is true art – where someone has given freedom of expression to their creative instincts and unique personality, which moves us into a space from which we can be inspired to be daring and excessive and to excel beyond all imposed traditional boundaries.