Weddings Archives - Page 2 of 4

Mont Rochelle, Franschhoek

Beautiful and very stylish thatched hotel overlooking the Franschhoek Valley

A first class luxuriously appointed hotel and although is priced to reflect this, the extra expense is well worth it. The hotel has spectacular views from the terrace overlooking the fabulous Franschhoek valley. The restaurant is one of our favourites and one of the most highly regarded in South Africa. The hotel is situated high above Franschhoek so most of the 22 bedrooms have spectacular views.

About the Location

The village is only 5 minutes drive away and is bustling with numerous boutiques, restaurants and street cafes. Some of the finest wineries in South Africa are within easy reach and Cape Town is only 45 minutes drive. Therefore, whether you want a romantic place to stay at the end of your holiday or just a dinner to remember Mont Rochelle should be on your itinerary.

Lanzerac Manor Hotel, Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands

It is with great sadness to relay that as a result of a fire that extensively damaged the Manor House and the operational areas of the hotel, Lanzerac is closed until further notice

Lanzerac is a stylish wine estate with great wines and cuisine

This is a gracious, Cape Dutch manor house resplendent in antiques and the polished woods of South Africa. Lanzerac Manor & Winery is one of the enduring gems of the Cape. Set in the beautiful Jonkershoek Mountains just on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, the Manor has 48 classically appointed suites, many with antique and antique style furniture and fittings to compliment an estate that can trace its origins back over 300 years. The hotel has two pools one of which is located in the stunning gardens complete with poolside service. The restaurant is one of our favourites serving good modern South African dishes combined with an excellent cellar including the estate’s own wines with impeccable service. The rooms and bathrooms are large and traditionally decorated.

About Lanzerac’s Location

This is set in a secluded location on the edge of bustling Stellenbosch. The town centre with its thatched and whitewashed building is a 10 minute drive. The town is home to one of South Africa’s premier universities and the buzz and the ambiance reflects this. As well as Lanzerac, you will find some excellent restaurants.

Fregate Island

This is a wonderful island with giant granite boulders that are synonymous with the Seychelles scenery

The resort can accommodate up to a maximum of 40 guests in 16 beautiful villas strategically built on the granite rocks overlooking the Indian Ocean. The size of the island and the location of the villas ensures privacy. Local building materials have been utilised such as the indigenous mahogany and so the villas blend in very naturally with their surroundings.

Each villa has two bedroom, a large terrace with a day bed and a Jacuzzi. The tropical feel of the villas is imparted by light and plenty of space. The island has two freshwater pools and seven beaches with one, Anse Victorin renowned as one of the most beautiful in the world. Another, Anse Macqueraeu is for private use on a first come first serve basis! Activities abound for the energetic. Snorkelling, hobby cats, kayaks and fishing aboard the island’s launches are all available.

About the Location

There is a fully equipped gym and for the really energetic the 125m Mt Signal is a worthwhile climb. Children are well catered for with their very own Castaway Club to keep them occupied in their own tropical paradise.Fregate is also a culinary experience. As the island has its own fresh water source, much of the fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs used by the kitchen are homegrown. Dinner is served either in the historic and romantic setting of Plantation House for wonderful Creole cooking or in Fregate House where a gourmet menu is prepared daily. Guests can dine in the comfort of their own villa or eat casually at the beach bar.

Cousine Island

Follow in the footsteps of Sir Paul McCartney & Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge

If you are seeking privacy and exclusivity and budget is not too much of a concern then Cousine Island is probably one of the most perfect locations anywhere in the world. This fairly small island is situated 6 kms off the coast of Praslin and is home to numerous migratory birds, Hawksbill and Green Turtles and, of course, Giant Tortoises. The island is completely free of alien mammals and so is also the perfect Private Nature Reserve. It is also classified as a Conservation Island. Accommodation is in 4 exceptionally luxuriously appointed villas set right by the beach with wonderful ocean views. Only 10 people at a time can be accommodated on the island and the design and location of each villa ensures the maximum privacy. Most of the building materials for the buildings were sourced locally and all the ingredients for the restaurant are similarly sourced locally to provide a wonderful Creole experience. The main building (called The Pavillion) has a dining area and overlooks the pool, the Indian Ocean and the islands of Praslin, Cousin and Aride in the distance. Boat excursions to other islands, diving and fishing can be arranged. There is a spa in the newly created Wellness Centre and there is also a gym. The beach extend for the full length of the island and a further one appears during the North West Monsoon season. Transfers can be arranged by helicopter from Mahe and Praslin airports.

Jan Harmsgat Country House, Swellendam

Jan Harmsgat combines out of the way rural charm with beautiful rooms and great cuisine

This is real country living! Set beneath the imposing Langeberg Mountains this property has four large bedrooms mainly set in a thatched converted barn . The property also has a family sized, self catering cottage on a working farm approximately 5 minutes’ drive away, This can be used to accommodate families with children under 12. The rooms are spacious and have a calm, cooling country feel with thatched or cape reed ceilings. Dinner in the main house is a feature of any stay at Jan Harmsgat. The cuisine ranks among the best we have encountered in South Africa, the wine cellar features some of the top South African wines with an emphasis on local wineries and some lesser-known labels, which are excellent.

About Jan Harmsgat’s Location

You can relax beside the pool soaking up the sun, walk among the fruit orchards which include grapefruit, apples and quince. You can also hike into the Langeberg Mountains. Explore historic Swellendam, just 25 kms away, where you will find some fine examples of Cape Dutch architecture, There are interesting museums and a good craft complex in the Old Gaol, which is part of the Old Drosdty museum. Robertson, which is home to some excellent wineries, is just 60 kms along the road. In fact the entire road up to Worcester is dotted with vineyards. Both towns have excellent restaurants. The Bontebok National Park is an easy 15-minute drive and it is one of the most successful conservation stories. The park was established in 1931 to protect the remaining 60 bontebok. There are now well over 2,500 bontebok throughout South Africa. You can take a short drive to Montagu, which has hot springs and dramatic scenery through the Kogman’s Kloof Pass. The southernmost tip of Africa (Cape Agulhas) is an hour’s drive. For those looking for a truly unspoilt wilderness the drive to the De Hoop Nature Reserve. The spectacular pristine beach at nearby Witsand will reward you with wonderful sightings of Whales in season (June to December). You will also find examples here of the unique Cape Fynbos vegetation at its best. Rather than just a stopover on your way to the Garden Route, we believe you will be enchanted by a two or three day stay.

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Hermanus

A romantic hideaway set in the beautiful fynbos countryside close to the sea

This is a small private nature reserve set in a remarkable location between Walker Bay, for some of the best land based whale watching in the world, and the Overberg Mountains. The accommodation is luxurious and comprise suites and cottages and ideal for a honeymoon ‘away from it all’. The lodge is a popular venue for weddings.

About the Location

The bustling town of Hermanus is fairly close as are the world famous Hamilton Russell and Bouchard Finlayson Wineries. Nearby Gansbaai is popular for shark cage diving and you can also arrange boat tours in Walker Bay which is good during the whale season between June and December.

The Marine Hotel, Hermanus

This is luxury accommodation at its finest, equivalent to the top international hotels but distinctly South African. The 46 rooms are beautifully decorated in the unique, luxuriously restful style established by the late Liz McGrath. This is a sister hotel to The Cellars – Hohenort (Cape Town) and The Plettenberg Bay Hotel. These are all top of the range 5 star hotels with a level of service that is second to none.

About the Location

The hotel is situated right on the cliff top overlooking Walker Bay. In fact from the windows of some of the suites you will be able to watch the whales in the bay between June and December.You will also be able to arrange a boat trip to see these magnificent creatures at close hand. There are two top restaurants – one featuring local seafood in a more casual, bistro type setting. If you don’t want to use the sea, which is a short walk down some steps from the grounds, you will be able to swim in the pool located near one of the restaurants. There is a health spa and, as you would expect a very imaginative gift shop.

Kings Walden Garden Manor, Tzaneen, Limpopo,

A beautiful location set in stunning gardens with sweeping views

This is a small lodge with just 6 rooms all beautifully appointed and with mountain views. The property is especially well known for its gardens planted by the original owners in the 1930s. Fine dining is a key ingredient of your stay and the owners take pride in sourcing fresh produce daily

About the Location

This is a 4 1/2 hour drive from Johannesburg Airport along excellent roads and just 20 minutes from the bustling town of Tzaneen. This area is often credited with having the best climate in South Africa as it is set high in the Northern Drakensberg Mountains which ensures that this tropical paradise rarely gets unbearably hot or humid. There is much to visit in this locations from The Magoebaskloof Canopy Tour, White Water Tubing, Quad Bike trails, Abseiling, Climbing wall, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Paintball, Kloofing or Canyoning. You are also close to the legendary ‘Kingdom’ of Mojadi – The Rain Queen. This is supposed to have been the inspiration for Kipling’s novel ‘She’. Close by is an enormous Baobab tree which has been dated as 1,700 years’ old. It is so large and hollow it houses the famous Baobab Tree Bar.

Ants Hill Bush Houses, Waterberg, Limpopo

Ants Hill is a truly different experience where you are able to experience living in your ‘own’ cottage in the African Bush

As well as the main Ants Hill lodge house there are four cottages providing a home from home…in the bush. The cottages are at your complete disposal together with the staff, resident chef and ranger. Guides will also lead you on exhilarating horseback safaris into the reserve. This will provide you with the ability to view rhino, giraffe, zebra, a host of antelope species and baboons. Night drives can be arranged to try to spot some elusive nocturnal species such as aardvark, bush babies and wild cats. The properties can sleep up to ten at Ants Nest and twelve at Ants Hill. The unique accommodation is decorated with extensive use of traditional furnishings at Ants Nest and bright African colours at Ants Hill. Beds are huge and the baths have to be seen to be believed! Both homes have beautiful pools and the one at Ants Hill is spectacularly situated on the edge of a cliff overlooking a gorge.

About Ants Hill’s Location

Ants Hill and Nest are located in the extraordinarily diverse biome of The Waterberg. The reserve is made out of 12 different ecological zones from open grassy plains to thick montane bush to savannah bushveld. Drives into the nearby ‘Big Five’ Waterberg National Park can be arranged. This is a wonderful location and experience for children of all ages and babysitting can be arranged.

Jembisa Bush House, Waterberg. Limpopo

Jembisa is a gem set in the non-malarial African Bush with your own chef, wine butler and game ranger

Jembisa is perfect for families wanting to try something completely different or couples traveling together. Jembisa offers, in our view, a unique experience. Your family or friends will occupy the house which has been set up as a family home… with a difference. Accommodation comprises five large and beautifully decorated, en suite bedrooms and a childrens’ bunk room. In addition, you will have your own compliment of staff catering to your every need. Game rangers are included who will teach you tracking, how to survive in the bush. They will also introduce you on game drives or on foot to many of the animals in the reserve which do not include the predators. However, most of all, you will be in the African Wilderness with a wonderful canopy of stars at night and just the sounds of the wild. The house can also be rented by couples at a rate that compares very favourably with the top game lodges. The food at Jembisa ranks with the best we have encountered in South Africa from their long-standing chef from Malawi.

About Jembisa’s Location

The Waterberg National Park is very close and drives into the park are provided to give guests the opportunity to see the ‘Big Five’ in this wild location. Elephant back safaris can also be experienced nearby. As well as the pool Jembisa has a floodlit tennis court, children’s games room and babysitting is also provided if required.