Countryside Hospitality
Text: Nicky Furniss
Images © Oaklands Country Manor & De Hoek Country House
"While the bright lights of the big city may be enticing for some, even the most fast paced of city dwellers occasionally need a little time out of the rat race to reconnect with nature and soak up a little relaxation, country style. Here are two of our top picks for getting away from it all."
Oaklands Country Manor, Harrismith
There is nothing quite like the feeling of achieving something you never thought you would. Like cantering around an arena on a beautiful horse – not walking, mind you, or even trotting, but full on cantering! For an inexperienced rider such as myself, it was a dream come true, and all thanks to a superbly well trained horse and an excellent instructor.
The owners and staff of Oaklands live and breathe horses – polo ponies (and a resident pet donkey), to be precise. For almost two decades, Oaklands has been one of South Africa’s premier polo venues, and as a result it offers a very unique type of holiday for those looking to hone their polo skills. Thanks to world-class facilities – including a floodlit polo arena, a polo pit, a wooden horse, and fully equipped classroom – brave guests can opt to learn the sport from scratch, while experienced players have somewhere to go to practise their favourite sport, especially as a number of the staff are always keen to make up numbers for a chukka or two.
Those not as adept on a horse – but still equine lovers – can opt instead for a more sedate outride, which is made all the more enjoyable by the dramatic mountain scenery which adds to Oaklands’ magical quality. This is also why mountain biking, hiking, fishing, bird watching and paddling on the dam are equally enticing outdoor pursuits here – when not cheering on the polo players from the sidelines, glass of wine in hand.
And when the mist and the rain rolls in – as it is wont to do in this hilly part of the country, at the top of the Van Reenen’s Pass that connects the Free State to KwaZulu-Natal – you can retire to one of the lounges to warm your toes by the fire and your hands on a steaming cup of hot chocolate. You’ll have company too, in the form of a pack of resident Great Danes, but be sure not to steal one of their sofas, as they have laid claim to a fair few! There’s also Dennis, an arthritic little mongrel with a distinctive jerky gait who will very quickly become one of your favourite residents, as he is for a fair number of Oaklands guests, many of whom return year after year.
It’s little wonder too, as besides its beautiful setting and horsey attractions, Oaklands really does feel like a home away from home. This is in large part because it is very much a family run establishment, with four siblings – Caroline, Annie, Kathy and Simon – each contributing their own talents to running Oaklands, from hospitality and marketing to cooking up a storm in a kitchen. It is their special brand of relaxed warmth that makes guests feel like they really can put their feet up without any need to stand on occasion – which is a rarity at most hotels.
And while you are putting your feet up, you may as well feast, because once you've tasted Kathy's cooking, how could you not? Kathy Romer-Lee is a well known chef with a host of top restaurants and lodges on her CV, and she continues to produce world class cuisine at the family hotel. With a passion for the concept “veld to plate”, Kathy uses only locally sourced ingredients (as well as growing others herself) to conjure up tummy warming breakfasts, tasty lunches and really hearty, home-style cooked dinners – such as her famous Dargle Valley pork ribeye roast – cooked and plated to five-star perfection.
Once you’ve rolled yourself out of the dining room, and had a friendly drink or two at the bar with other guests and the family, a warm fire and a cosy bed await you as you drift off to sleep dreaming of decadent chocolate bomb desserts, horses and Great Danes.
For more information, visit www.oaklands.co.za.
De Hoek Country House, Magaliesburg
“Sanctuary” is a word often bandied about in tourist brochures and on hotel websites, but in the case of De Hoek Country Hotel, it certainly lives up to the term. Situated just an hour from Johannesburg and Pretoria, it feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life. As you drive slowly down its tree bedecked driveway or wander through its beautifully landscaped gardens, it’s easy to get lulled into living life – at least for the weekend – at a more sedate pace, more akin to nature’s natural flow.
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And nature certainly takes centre stage here. The original sandstone Main House is nestled in a lush garden, shaded by mature trees and scented by the fragrance of rose bushes. The more recently added New Quarter Suites offer expansive views of the rolling hills of the Magaliesberg in the distance, while the Superior Suites come complete with the soothing sounds of water from the nearby river which flows through the estate.
Activities here also make the most of the hotel’s beautiful surroundings, with archery and croquet on offer in the garden, guided mountain and river walks on the property, as well as cycling trails for mountain bike enthusiasts in the surrounding area. Perhaps the best way to truly experience De Hoek’s picturesque setting is from the air, and what better way to do it than from the basket of a hot air balloon, as it wafts quietly and gently through the air, offering its passengers a bird’s eye view of the patchwork of green below.
All of this fresh air is guaranteed to work up an appetite, which is sure to be satiated by De Hoek’s Swiss-trained Master Chef, Michael Holenstein. Guests have a choice of two restaurants onsite.
The glass enclosed Bridge Bistro offers pretty views to enjoy while dining on a light menu, while The Conservatory promises some of the best fine dining in the Magaliesberg area, if not in the country. This beautiful, glass fronted dining room catches the early morning light and opens out onto the pond and garden, making for a warm and cosy atmosphere as guests enjoy a hearty breakfast of both delicious continental and cooked options. It truly comes alive in the evenings, though, when soft candlelight sparkles off the glittering silver service and superbly trained wait staff top up your wine, before serving plate after delicious plate of the evening’s five course dinner. With only the best local and international ingredients to work with, Chef Holenstein and his team (which includes a number of chefs who are enrolled in the hotel’s in-house chef’s academy) whip up culinary masterpieces, with sauces and stocks made from scratch, and pastries and bread baked fresh every day.
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Another highlight of De Hoek’s dining experience is the daily afternoon tea, served in the garden and made up of such delights as traditional scones with jam and cream, finger sandwiches, éclairs and muffins, and even a cake drenched in melted chocolate still warm from the oven. And adding a homely touch are the hotel’s resident dogs, who will pad around looking for the odd dropped crumb and wagging their tails warmly at guests.
After a day of soaking up the great outdoors and indulging in the kind of food one wants to photograph and blog about, you can retire to your suite to have a good long soak in your bathtub, and then slip between the percale linen sheets of an expansive king size bed. De Hoek is truly a country sanctuary in every sense of the word.
For more information, visit dehoek.com.
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