Published December 10, 2010 05:17
Graaf Reinet is an unexpectedly gorgeous little town in the middle of nowhere.
This guest house was also unexpectedly wonderful. We chose it from Lonely Planet, on the basis of the in house restuarant recommendation. It has changed hands in the last few months, but the new owner is also a keen chef. Our room was spacious and entered directly from a lovely courtyard (as are all the rooms I think). There was a large ensuite bathroom, plentiful hot water and nice touches such as armchairs, chocolates on the pillow at night, bathroom lotions etc and electric blankets.
There are both heating and cooling. The owners couldn't have been more welcoming or helpful, and were always available for a friendly chat or local advice. On arrival, we were given tea and a slice of amazing milk tart (we went home with the recipe). There is a small car park on the premises. We had booked in for dinner and had quite simply our best meal in South Africa for a ridiculously low price compared to home. They also have some excellent wine. Be warned, Graaf Reinet closes down for the weekend at lunchtime saturday, so dining options become limited and shopping options virtually non existent. The Guesthouse does not open for dinner on Sundays so our second night's dinner was at a local restaurant and very disappointing. Make sure you eat at the guesthouse, and if you are there for more than one night, save the best dining experience to last !