Saturday 19 July 2014

Hluhluwe River Lodge

Life worth living

A game ranger I once met in a different part of the world once confessed how much he misses the bushveld of Northern KwaZulu-Natal. The sights, sounds and smells are uniquely rural African and you are instantly transported into a different world. We are travelling North and as we turn into Hluhluwe River Lodge’s game park we instantly feel what he is talking about. This is wild country, with a soulful depth to it that is difficult to describe.


The perfect African safari style thatched huts of Hluhluwe River Lodge amplify the bushveld effect. There are two decks facing indigenous forest and birds call from every height of the bush. No effort has been spared in connecting one to nature, with full glass walls reaching right into the apex of the roof on two sides. Exposed beams and high ceilings make the hut feel cool and light.


The suite is enormous, with glossy floors and natural furniture. A wooden headboard, chunky railings and fittings complement the theme. Even the lamps are made of buck horn. A white mosquito net over the bed completes the look.

However the real reason I chose this lodge is obvious – the inviting wide bath set against glass doors overlooking a private area of the natural forest. Lying back in the bath, all doors folded right back, I look up and out into the trees. Lying quietly in this state of bliss, more and more shy birds and buck come closer and reveal themselves, unaware of my presence.


The main lodge is a lapa style thatched open structure over a wide wooden deck. There is a cool bar area and indoor and outdoor seating areas with comfortable couches with cushions covered in golden African fabrics. The dining area is vibrant with a bright red wooden wall. Its deck has far-reaching views down to False Bay where hippos graze.


Accommodation Experience:
It is our first night on our holiday travelling North and this space is so different from our usual lives – the bushveld thatch, the romantic suite and open-air bath – that we relax instantly. It is like a burden is shed and the life energy comes flowing out of us. We find ourselves joking and laughing uncontrollably about the silliest things. The contrast shows how tense we are in everyday life – tight packages held together with stress and duty. And when unwound, even in the space of a day, our life energy and a sense of fun bursts forth unbidden, unstifled. This is the great gift of even a weekend away in a characterful place and once again we vow to do this more often.




Friday 11 July 2014

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”. 


Saturday 5 July 2014

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.