Boutique hotels, unique locales.
There are hotels that pride themselves on having plugs at the place on the wall, the same temperature and air conditioning, the same paint colour, the same nameless smell, the same ply of toilet paper, the same half smiles at the desk, the same end-of-the-universe bar downstairs.
Unlike these establishments, the accommodations presented below are individual to themselves and unique and resonant to their environment.
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This list is written with the aim of providing experiences that straddle the line between the comfortable and the pioneering. Each seeks to shape itself to its environment and allows itself to be shaped in return. And yet these are places where the coffee will still be fresh, the water still hot, the linen still clean and awaiting. So after a day on the beautiful beaches, or on the hiking trails of the Garden Route, here you can rest your precious head, weary traveler.
Nima Lodge
Perched on the rich green hills overlooking the town of Wilderness, Nima Lodge speaks towards an “inspired yet relaxing” experience in an inspired yet relaxing part of the world.
There are three cabins, each inspired by and corresponding to an aspect of nature. The Sand Cabin flows like a dune, soft edges and warm colours. The Sun Cabin shines with an expansive deck, the better to bear witness to the vistas and view. The Luna Cabin is the largest in dimension and in feeling, built with high ceilings, and sense of breath, and a wrap around terrace
The Sand Cabin. Photo by Nima Lodge on InstagramThey each host two people. They each have a fully equipped kitchen. They each have a hot tub. They are each beautiful in their own way. That being said, being a sucker for soft edges and warm colours, the Sand Cabin is my undying favourite.
One of the greatest wealths of Nima Lodge is a private entrance to one of the best and brightest hikes in the area: The Half-Collared Kingfisher Trail. A steep climb, 40 minutes either way, with a waterfall as reward.
For those travelers seeking harmonic seclusion and beauty built with a subtle and tasteful hand, and for interiors match and even surpass the beauty of the surroundings: Nima Lodge.
Kambaku at Sea
Now we fly East, a little over the hills and along the coast, down into the slow and serene beach town of Sedgefield. On a hill right above the town is Kambaku at Sea.
Let’s look out the window: we see the indigo waters of a vast lagoon, circulating in the sun. We see the river that feeds it, cuddled by reeds and flowing hills. And even, tracing the waters to their origin, we see the standing mountains, stretching along the horizon.
Golden hour, at Kambaku, looking west. Photo by kambaku_at_sea on InstagramKambaku at Sea is renowned for the warm, attentive, and caring staff. This Boutique Hotel has five luxury suites. It has a pool. It has a superb in-house restaurant which focuses on African cuisine and yet excels in everything. River cruises, paragliding, beach walks, and one of the best farmer’s markets in the country are all in close proximity. Whether you are a couple, a family, or solo – the sights, the food and the service will all conspire to make this a romantic and memorable stay.
The Turbine Boutique Hotel and Spa
In Knysna there lies a lagoon. And in that lagoon sits Thesen Island. And on Thesen island awaits the Turbine Hotel. The island was once a sprawling timber processing factory, and the Turbine once a power station, feeding on the factory’s wooden waste, and churning out power for the town.
When times and economic landscapes changed, and with the factory no more, rather than raze the building entirely, the current owners of the hotel decided to honor and elevate its history, breathing new beauty and life into the chambers of the old superstructure.
The Turbine Hotel, both old and young. Photo by turbinehotel on InstagramThe hotel is rich and complete in its features – 26 rooms and suites, a spa, a pool, a cafe, and an excellent pub, all winding and weaving around the original wood boilers, generators, heavy chains, and retired machinery. These relics have been painted and presented with pride, and, through their long years of disuse, have acquired the presence of an artifact, like viewing forgotten technology in a museum. Or maybe I just don’t understand how machines work.
Despite the hotel being fully equipped, should one get the urge to venture out, numerous excellent restaurants are in walking proximity, as well as lagoon cruises, whale watching, and everyone’s favourite: getting-tipsy-as-the-sun-goes-down.
Sky Villa Boutique Hotel by Raw Africa Collection
Plettenberg Bay, or once you get to know her, Plett, was once called Bahia Formosa, or “beautiful bay.” It was bestowed this complimentary title upon sight by early Portuguese explorers and I wish they had kept it: it’s simply the truth.
Sky Villa commands magisterial views of Bahia Formosa. Perched on a headmast hill, from it one can follow the sweep of the white sand bay, and trace the mountaintops toward their terminus.
Sky Villa, striking a pose. Photo by skyvillaplett on InstagramThis is the fancy one on the list. Sleek, sexy, yet somehow not lost in the glitz, Sky Villa was made with one eye for luxury and one eye for artistry. Coherent architecture meets and combines with the work of local sculptors.
The villa itself holds 14 rooms, the “Sky Annex” Guesthouse 6, in addition to the self-catered “Sky Cottage.” There is a gym, bar, yoga deck, spa, pool, wine cellar, snooker tables. There are soft towels.
Let us make a little bet: when you sit upon the deck, and the sun begins to set over Bahia Formosa, the first word that leaves your mouth (after your margherita leaves it) would be “panoramic.” And then the next couple words would be “one more margherita.”
Trogon House and Forest Spa
Trogon House, bird’s eye view. Country Escapes on FacebookOur final stop: Trogon House. Named for the resplendent bird of the same name, and bordering the largest free flying aviary in the world, one can almost feel, after a few hours nestled in the surrounding forest, feathers beginning to sprout, and the urge to weave a nest and roost the year away. When I stayed at Trogon House I felt transformed into a fluffy little parrot, only that my nest was this beautiful elevated cottage with a bed of gigantic proportions and rather than my mother’s regurgitated berries and insects, we drank champagne.
This charmed hatchery holds, according to some, the smallest and yet most elite spa in Africa. The warm and inviting thatched villa contains the bar and restaurant. The food was simple yet excellent.
People love to use the word “unspoilt” when talking about forests, yet nowhere is more deserving of its use than Trogon House. The ecosystem that surrounds you here is the product of centuries of plants and animals and insects meeting and melding, so that now it functions in absolute harmony and ceaseless sustainability. And there you are, sitting on your deck, drinking your tea, part of it all.
