Schoone Oordt

Style

Tranquil Victorian homestead

Setting

Foothills of the Langeberg Mountains

Among the neat trees and quiet streets of historic Swellendam, you'll find the pretty Victorian facade of Schoone Oordt Country House, a boutique hotel set among clipped lawns, fountains and rose gardens on the doorstep of the Garden Route. Stay here en route to Plett, or escape the bustle of Cape Town for a few days' R 'n' R in the idyllic Western Cape countryside.

Facilities

Номера

11 rooms, including two suites.

Checkout

11am (but flexible, depending on arrivals). Check-in, from 2pm.

Больше сведений

Rates include taxes, home-cooked breakfast, and afternoon tea with freshly baked scones.

Also

Pets unfortunately cannot be accommodated (the owners already have two dogs and four cats!).

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Прачечная

Бассейн

At the Hotel

Lovely gardens, swimming pool, conservatory, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen satellite TV, embroidered bed linen, bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer, tea- and coffee-making kit. Bathrooms have underfloor heating and luxe, locally made bath products. All but the family rooms have fireplaces, too.

Our Favourite Rooms

The Luxury Rooms are set away from the main building; they all have similar decor, with pale walls and dark furniture, open fires and Victorian-style claw-foot bathtubs. Tall Smiths will enjoy the extra-length beds. The Honeymoon Suite, in a separate cottage on the edge of the forest, has a handsomely carved wooden four poster and a giant bathroom, as well as a sitting room and large hearth.

Poolside

The outdoor saltwater swimming pool is big enough for a lung-busting swim or lingering float, with deckchairs and parasols for poolside lounging.

Spa

There's no spa, but in-room massages can be arranged on request.

Packing Tips

Comfy shoes, for the spectacular walks on your doorstep; binoculars, for bird- and beast-spotting; bikinis, for swimming and sunbathing; books, for reading on the patio or by the fire.

Also

Pampering treatments such as reflexology can be arranged at Schoone Oordt – ask for details in advance if you’d like to book something.

Дети

Welcome – the owners have children themselves. Cots and extra beds are available, babysitting can be arranged for around SAR60 an hour.

Галерея

Food & Drink

Top Table

Your private patio is the perfect place for a sundowner. Or sit by the Conservatory Restaurant's window, which overlooks the garden and koi-filled pond.

Дресс-код

Totally relaxed.

Hotel Restaurant

Breakfast is treated seriously here: fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit are plucked from the garden, and local farm produce fills any gaps. The hotel's efforts to source ingredients ethically, as local as possible, have paid off – the Overberg area is rich in suppliers: meat and eggs come from the Country Butcher, fish from Sustainable Trout, flour from Eureka Mills and vegetables from Little Oaks. Breads, cheese biscuits, cakes and truffled are handmade onsite. So, the intimate dinners served in the Conservatory Restaurant are delicious and authentic taster of the region: try the chef's lauded South African fare, such as kudu carpaccio with biltong cream or curried chicken kiew with squash sag aloo. All dietary requirements can be met too – those swearing off meat should try the vegan 'garden' of spiced-caramel aubergine with herby cream 'cheese', pistachio and pumpernickel soil. As you’d expect, the wines are also wonderful, sourced from the celebrated regions of Robertson and Hermanus.

Hotel Bar

There’s a fire-warmed lounge/chill-out room with a wide-screen plasma TV and bar for unwinding in the evenings. Afternoon tea is served here too.

Last Orders

Depends on when the last guest retires for the evening…

Room Service

None, but there is a tea/coffee tray in your bedroom with home-made biscuits for snacking, and drinks can be served on your patio.

Planes

Schoone Oordt is half way between Cape Town International and George Airport, both of which are two and a half hours away.

Automobiles

The nearby N2 will get you to Cape Town in two and a half hours. Parking at the hotel is free. To reach Plettenberg Bay, you’re looking at three hours and 40 minutes.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Your hosts can point you toward some lovely local walks – the scenery in this region is stunning. The trip to coastal De Hoop Nature Reserve is a bit of an adventure (about an hour and a half's drive on a dirt road) but worth it for whale-watching in season, and the striking scenery of turquoise waves crashing on jagged black rocks and bleach-white sand. Closer to home, Bontebok National Park (+27 (0)12 428 9111) offers plenty of wildlife spotting, and trips down the Breede River. Or, do a circuit of the Marloth Nature Reserve, home to caracals, baboons, eagles, porcupines and more, plus a few shy leopards. Worth a day trip (or a visit en route to Schoone Oordt from Cape Town) is Robertson, about a 45-minute drive away, where the Graham Beck estate (+27 (0)23 626 1214) produces what is – in our humble opinion – some of the finest sparkling wine in South Africa. The hotel can also arrange guided horse trails through Applebosch Farm or the Hermitage Valley. And Swellendam has scenic mountain-biking routes too. Thrill-seekers can canoe, fly a microlight, or zipline at the Berry Guest Farm, or more gentle activities include tractor rides or getting lost in the hedge maze.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .