Cleopatra’s Mountain Farmhouse, KwaZulu-Natal

Location

Proud members of the ‘Best of KZN’-a group of luxury owner run hotels- Cleopatra’s Mountain Farmhouse places great emphasis on the guest’s complete comfort. Situated in the KwaZulu-Natal section of the Drakensberg Mountains, the hotel is two hours from Durban and approximately five hours from Johannesburg. The location allows guests to fully experience rural South Africa, hiking in the mountains that burst with flora, and swimming in mountain pools, untouched by human habitation. Further afield, Highmoore Nature Reserve is home to game including Eland, Reedbuch, Jackal and Serval, located 10-minutes away.

Accommodation

Accommodation is in luxury en-suite bedrooms, all individually decorated and intriguing. With 11 rooms, the eclecticism of the main lodge is reflected in guest bedrooms, inspired by locations and family history in its interiors- Victorian tea cups, Roman artefacts and old postcards from travels. The original stone farmhouse, now restored, forms three separate rooms.

Dining

A relaxed style of gourmet farmhouse dining encourages guests to ease and enjoy their surroundings as they dine, Chef Richard Poynton bases all dishes upon flavour first, with no expense spared to provide guests with a memorable dining experience. Dinner consists of a seven-course affair, and breakfast composed of three, with the chef’s passion for food evident as he seeks the highest quality ingredients-flying in fresh salmon from Norway and genuine Parma hams and cheeses from Italy. The menu changes daily, as to keep up with fresh ingredients.

Facilities

Visits to the San Rock Art, Bushman Rock Art and Giants Castle is a must, displaying rock art in the Drakensberg, dating back over 3000 years-these famous sites have been restored carefully with tourism in mind. Opportunities to see wildlife, rolling hills and rivers in addition to the Drakensberg mountains from an entirely different perspective is possible via helicopter, made possible by the staff to provide guests with an ultimate experience.  Horse riding across spectacular mountain scenery and terrain provides an unforgettable experience, one that is popular in Drakensberg, or Trout fish in the nearby dams and rivers.