When I was twelve, my dad took me out of school for a sponatious road trip through the Karoo. We stayed in the Drostdy Hotel, and I was so taken by the hotel and town of Graaff-Reinet. It filled my young mind with romance, aided by my dad’s love of story telling, of unrequited love and struggles of ordinary people in small towns, of time travel. Some of it fiction, some history. This year my dad passed, a dramatic exit that made the news. So it was only right that I return for new memories.

This is the heart of the Drostdy Hotel. Since it was built in the early 1800’s, it has generated many memories.

This is only part of the reason that it remains one of the top ten hotels to stay at in South Africa.

Before driving to the hotel, we had a meeting in Johannesburg. My heart was heavy seeing the main road of Melville looking more derelict than it’s “hippest” spot in Jozi reputation. Waking up the next morning in a clean, well kept, proud Graaff-Reinet was good for the soul. There was hope.

Then we started chatting to the staff, and our hearts grew warmer. The Drostdy is part of scheme to educate and train hospitality staff. The SA School of Tourism sends students to the hotel to complete their last year as a practical. About 100 women from surrounding areas are sponsored into this program per year. The top student gets to go work in Europe. It is just one of the programmes in town to uplift the area.

I was told that in lock down stage one, the town delivered food parcels for all the needy, including fresh meat from farmers in surrounding areas. No one went hungry.

Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest town in South Africa, and boasts with over 220 heritage buildings and farms to visit. But the obvious historic value of the hotel, is not the reason people return to the hotel time and again.

It makes for a great stop over between Cape Town and Johannesburg, or from Sandton to Plett. But stopping over for a night does not do justice to the experience. One needs time to experience the Camdeboo National Park, which offer half and full day hikes. Visit Nieu Bethesda and Helen Martin’s famous Owl House, now a world famous art destination. A five km drive from the hotel, have your breath taken away by the Valley of Desolation. This is particularly beautiful at sunrise or sunset, with the colours washing over millions of year old volcanic rock. Or, the 50 year old Obesa Cactus garden, the largest private cactus collection in the world.

But the hotel has plenty of reasons to stay put too. The award winning Africology Spa offers all the restorative treatments you need. The days are suitably hot to enjoy the pool areas. Take time to look at the original illustrations of the Roberts Bird book hanging in the restaurant and foyer. Wine enthusiasts must give themselves an hour or two in the wine shop, which also sells the glorious Anthonij Rupert Wines. You must simply try the Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvinon Blanc and their Sneeukrans Pinot Noir. Pure excellence.

Read about it here: https://newmarkhotels.com/newmark/from-the-wine-cellar-anthonij-rupert-wines/

Food is a hearty affair. By that I mean, go to meals hungry. The portions are farmer (Boer) sized. No nouvelle cuisine bite sizes here. It is Karoo Lamb country, and be prepared to be overwhelmed. Try the Karoo version of sushi, with lamb!

If you get an opportunity, have a chat to the GM, Janus Schoeman. Glean information from him from wines to activities. A true gentleman.

My memory now has two Drostdy Hotel entries, one from 1980 and one from 2020. Go make it part of your memory bank too.