Plettenberg Bay provides cosmopolitan glamour & offers pristine beachside relaxation, with the added attractions of Monkeyland, the Tsitsikamma National Park forest walking trails & Storms River adrenaline rush outdoor adventure activities within its immediate hinterland.

Accommodation possibilities along the Garden Route range from sleek, Philip Starck-designed boutique hotels to graceful, traditional Dutch Colonial styled B&B´s.

For those who enjoy golf, or those who want the touch of a world class spa the choices are many;  stay in the top class golf estate at the Western Cape Arabella Hotel, Golf & Spa, or at the luxurious world-class Pezula.

You could also consider a beachfront villa in exclusive Belvedere or relax in the stylish Milkwood Manor right on the beachfront in Plettenberg Bay.

This section of our website is dedicated to the ´best of the best´ to suit all tastes along the Garden Route. By all means these prestigious properties are not all of what is on offer, but they are tried & without exception, fulfill the wildest dreams of Sundance Spirit’s past clients, as much as they await our future guests. Why wait – why don’t you be next ?

Located some 16km from Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route, Kurland is an Anglo-Dutch styled polo estate which has been eloquently referred to as ´a fairytale luxury boutique hotel & family home on a vast & beautiful private estate with buckets of old-world charm, a never-be-bored menu of things to do & first rate staff who know the true meaning of the word hospitality’.

This is a boutique hotel that exudes ´class & style´.

It has only 12 guest suites & each night’s tariff includes breakfast, all soft drinks, tea/coffee & the applicable tax.

The sprawling grounds are a blend of mature gardens, the polo club, horse stables, a first rate spa with Decléor treatments, steam room, gym, tennis courts, etc.

Kurland has quad bikes, free WiFi, TV, CD/DVD player, minibar, iPod dock, under floor heating & premium brand toiletries in the guest en-suite bathrooms.

There are ample poolside sun-lounges around an attractive outdoor swimming pool & also a dedicated children’s pool so that adults can relax undisturbed.

Kurland can be labeled ´family-friendly´, as it offers adorable children’s rooms & facilities galore. Children under five stay free in parents’ suites; with special seasonal pricing for children from 5 years up to 16 years of age.

All Kurland guests receive a complimentary glass of fine South African wine on arrival, have unlimited access & use of the sauna, gym & steam room, among other facilities.

There’s no shortage of space ay Kurland. All guest suites are large, with open fireplaces, oversized bathrooms, sitting areas & king-sized beds.

Elegant Rooms overlook the pool & have two double beds & private terraces. The six Luxury Suites (two in the Rose Gardens with private patios & lofts, four overlooking the pool area with plunge pools & lofts) are amongst our favorite to recommend: then the Paddock IV has a Victorian canopy bed & free-standing roll-top bath. Superior Suites, all with private porches, plunge pools & lofts, are supremely spacious: here we recommend Paddock VI, with its Oriental silk wall panels; whilst Rose Garden III & IV are pure country romance.

As for things to do & what to pack, think of your favourite activities & pack accordingly: riding gear, gym kit, tennis racket, hiking boots, swimsuit, reading glasses, cycling shorts, wine-tasting guides, binoculars, ornithology books…the list is almost limitless.

The intimate & darkly paneled dining room is very romantic. Guests are served an excellent contemporary menu with South African wines amid countless twinkling candles.

Dress as relaxed as you like, although you’ll feel an urge to wear crisp linen & ladies, chiffon (when you’re not in your swimsuit).

Kurland´s delightful staff are also certainly willing to set up a private dining table anywhere you like; the library is cozy, or dine alfresco on a balmy summer’s night.

Breakfast is served on the terrace under a cascade of plants tumbling over wrought iron; there’s afternoon tea with homemade cakes on the verandah; & the guest minibar should take care of the rest.

The hotel provides a well-stocked honesty bar including quality brand beers, wine, spirits & all manner of non-alcoholic liquid refreshment.

La Plume Guesthouse – Oudtshoorn, along the Garden Route

La Plume is a 1902 Victorian homestead on a working ostrich, alfalfa & vine farm, set in the tranquil Olifants Rivier Valley.

La Plume is situated on the R62 highway, just outside the centre of Oudtshoorn, 80 km from George Airport & for those self-driving it is a mere 4hr.30min, 420 km easy journey from Cape Town International Airport.

This charming Victorian homestead dating back to 1902, together with its tranquil surroundings, fine antique furniture, gleaming woodwork and spaciousness, is reminiscent of yesteryear.

Guests are spoilt with the lavish hospitality & they can enjoy fine local wine & traditional hearty home-cooked cuisine.

La Plume offers nine (9) double en-suite bedrooms, each one individually furnished with fully appointed bathrooms, air-conditioning, television, tea/coffee making facilities & mini bar.

The Restaurant is a part of the premises, so too the swimming pool, & guest undercover car parking.

This is a place that commands spectacular views of the Swartberg Mountains; a place of rejuvenation, an unexpected oasis, a place of superb opulent indulgence perfect for discerning guests & ideally, for a two night minimum stay.

The Thorntree Country House, close to Oudtrshoorn in the Klein Karoo region, along the Garden Route is the perfect base from which to explore the unique attractions of this area. It is a family-run welcoming guest house & your hosts Louis & Tanja Lategan look forward to making each guests´ stay in the Klein Karoo a truly memorable & unforgettable experience.

The homestead & outbuildings date back to the 1800's & reflect the typical Klein Karoo architectural style. They have been gracefully restored to their original splendour & equiped with all modern conveniences.

Ideally for those self-driving the Garden Route, Thorntree Country House is situated on the route to the famed Cango Caves, the Swartberg Pass & the circle route to Prince Albert via Meiringspoort. It is also within easy reach of the Cango Ostrich Farm & Cango Wildlife Ranch.

All guest rooms are luxurious, spacious en-suites with air-conditioning & are equiped with TV (M-net & satellite channel), a personal safe for storing valuables & an honesty bar. The stylish bathrooms are fitted with elegant twin basins.

The dining room reflects warmth & hospitality & overlooks the sparkling swimming pool to which the picturesque Schoemanshoek Valley provides a breathtaking backdrop.

Visitors can expect exquisite Klein Karoo cuisine including a local specialty - a trio of fillet (ostrich/beef/game) - a true celebration of local culinary art.

Surrounded by rugged cliffs, ancient forests & sheltered open ocean beaches, on the cliff-top of the Eastern Head, Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa offers breathtaking views of both the Knysna Lagoon & the Indian Ocean.

Guests can choose to arrive self-driving, in which case it is a 5 hour drive from Cape Town, or flying directly - a one hour flight from Cape Town.

Whatever is your mode of travel, just take it as a given that one night is a long way short of ´enough´ as from the moment that guests arrive at Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa, they will realize what a truly exceptional place they have chosen as the hotel delivers a whole new world of luxury in elegant African style.

In broad daylight, the Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa is a dream come true.

At night, it is a stellar experience.

The integrity of the Pezula brand is sacrosanct; the determination to set new levels of excellence a paramount concern. Up-market & elegant, distinctive, exceptional, luxurious, the décor is an ethnic fusion with modernity. Every possible whim is catered for on the same premises, from the games room to the library, from the wine cellar to the Champagne Bar & Cigar Lounge, from the whisky bar to the gourmet restaurant, Zachary’s.

Each of the seventy eight (78) suites, including two presidential suites, has been designed to be utterly indulgent & completely private.

The suites are larger than the conventional suites (about 69 sq m) & quite apart from individually controlled climate control, satellite television, DVD/CD player, electronic safe, direct dial telephone, computer & Internet access, each has a gourmet pantry kitchen with deli snacks, tea /coffee making facilities, a private bar with well-stocked drinks cabinet, fire place, walk-in wardrobe & spectacular views of the golf course, lagoon or Indian Ocean.

The colonial-sized salles de bains feature grand spa baths & separate showers, inlaid with pebble mosaics.

Each guest is pampered with designer freebies from the Molton Brown range: heavenly ginger-lily, sea-moss & purifying grape-seed that moisturizes, energizes & bathe body, mind and senses…the perfect antidote to stress and fatigue, the aroma & oils turn the bathroom into a sybaritic sanctuary.

On the property Zachary’s restaurant is a heady blend of contemporary African influences, uniquely regional touches & a truly global menu.

The intimate restaurant wears multiple personalities with aplomb: whether the tables are set with colorful grass mats for pre-golf breakfasts or crisp full-length damask table cloths for candlelit dinners, Zachary’s never fails to seduce as a stylish choice.

The atmosphere here is one of laidback luxury and five-star service at all times. The menu at Zachary’s was created to fusion the regional influences, absorbing the many aspects of South African cuisine - from European to Indian and African.

The Chef, Geoffrey Murray, works with the best local produce; he created a contemporary menu with interesting innovations as well as classic favorites (albeit with a twist).

Guests find everything, from old-fashioned Scottish oats on the breakfast menu to Asian-inspired Red Roman served with a sushi rice cake, tatsoi & a sesame mango miso sauce & tender Ostrich fillet served with potato mash & red plum chutney, at night. The Chef carefully pairs each dish with an appropriate wine suggestion from the Hotels extensive Wine Cellar, with over 2500 bottles of specially selected wines.

Pezula's 18 Hole Championship Golf Course is set high on the Knysna Heads, bracketed between exceptional sea & lagoon views & the gentle backdrop of the Outeniqua Mountains, the experience begins with the breathtaking beauty. The course is 6355 yards; par 72 • Slope: • Rating: 73

The only Golf Course in South Africa to be equiped with GPS fitted on each golf cart enabling the golfer to fix his bearings after every shot.

The Resort offers exceptional recreational facilities at its “Field of Dreams” located within the Pezula Private Estate. The Field of Dreams is a multifunctional sporting complex currently being built.

It will compromise an international-standard cricket field that could double as a soccer pitch or a hockey facility: three outdoor tennis courts built to world-class specifications; a PGA-standard driving range; a golf academy & practice area; an Olympic swimming pool; squash courts, bowls – it will be linked into an equestrian centre & Pezula’s own sailing, hiking, jogging and beach club.

The Spa facility at Pezula includes sauna & steam rooms where various treatments are offered by our team of experienced professionals who’ve been trained to meet individual needs & to offer consultation on complete lifestyle programs.

A variety of massage experiences are available, including a massage with hot stones & rainforest oils. Experience a Rassoul mud experience in the aromatherapy steam room while our therapist applies clays, mineral muds & hydration gels to guest’s body followed by a light massage.

The Aromatherm Hydro Tub offers a Vichy shower, Aromatherm steam, water & air jet massage, lymph drainage & light therapy.

World-renowned products & treatments are available to test and purchase. Medical spa treatments, including Microdermabrasion and laser treatments are also provided with professional consultation. The post-treatment relaxation are has imported heated massage beds where guests complete their treatment experience with a period of total relaxation.

The Health club & Lifestyle Gym has a 10-unit circuit trainer section & cardiovascular facilities which include running, cycling & rowing. The gym also has an indoor heated pool with flowing water features – complete with stunning views of the estate. Facilities also include Pezula Travel Desk, Pezula helicopter charters & Horseback riding.

An hours easy drive from Cape Town, there is a luxury resort that invites you to exhale deeply in a leisure environment celebrated for its natural beauty, outstanding hotel accommodation & unfaltering service.

In this sublime natural setting, the championship Arabella golf course, international award winning AltiraSPA health spa, the romantic Cape Winelands & unspoiled beaches, create a compelling escape. From whale watching to cocktails, it caters for your every need.

Restore your energy & rejuvenate your spirit at the Arabella Western Cape Hotel Golf & Spa Resort. After all is said & done, the only thing you're encouraged to work really hard at here, is the art of ´slow & relaxed´.

The rooms at this stunning five star deluxe hotel are designed with the colours & textures of the landscape subtly reflected in every detail, creating a seamless sense of harmony.

Contemporary African ocean décor & the finest amenities impart an ambience of superior comfort. Each room is abundantly endowed with views. Even the bath itself offers an opportunity to soak up the vista.

And you may choose the kind of view you wish to gaze out at from your expansive balcony. Either land facing with sweeping aspects of the golf course & the tranquil lagoon, or looking out over the sun drenched pool & immaculately groomed gardens.

Careful attention paid to every exquisite detail creates a luxurious, spacious retreat, with beautiful bathrooms to add to your comfort.

Sumptuous bed linen, goose down duvets & pillows and rosewood furniture are a few of the appointments that enhance a sense of indulgence.

Superior communications & entertainment systems facilitate fast, easy contact with the outside world. And yet, reflecting the Arabella Luxury Collection philosophy, a calming ambience conspires in every conceivable way to make the busy outside world feel far removed. As a guest at this five star deluxe hotel, you will enjoy unlimited access to the spa facilities, to heap pleasure on the experience.

The resort has one hundred & fifteen (115) Deluxe rooms & twenty six (26)Suites

The luxury resort includes amenities such as:

• En Suite bathrooms with double washbasin, shower, toilet, bidet, bathtub & heater
• Make-up mirror, hairdryer, personal bathrobes & slippers
• Furnished balconies with expansive views
• Working office desk area
• Mini bar
• Tea and coffee making facilities
• Safe
• Cordless telephone with voicemail message system
• ISDN lines for computers, analogue lines for computer & fax machine
• Fax & modem ports
• Satellite television, including pay TV
• Individually controlled air conditioning/heating
• International electrical plug sockets
• Fireplace (in 5th floor suites)
• TV in bathroom (suites only)

Voted the number two golf course in South Africa & the top golf course in the Western Cape, the Arabella Golf Club – home to the Nelson Mandela Invitational – stretches through rolling fairways, deceptive bunkers & challenging water traps. A truly unique golf course set on the banks of the Bot River lagoon, fringed by indigenous fynbos.

The pristine fairways are kikuyu, while the greens, which frequently receive high praise from professionals in the game, are Dominant Bent.

The golf course has been refined in the past six years with the addition of several bunkers and the revamp of the par-four 6th hold in order to rid it of its blind tee shot.

Awarded Five-Star Golf Experience the course is complemented by a luxurious clubhouse with bar and halfway house, as well as a fully stocked pro shop and excellent practice area with two resident teaching professionals.

There is no doubt that a round of golf here ranks with the best experiences anywhere in the world.

As a guest at the Arabella Western Cape Hotel and Spa, access to AltiraSPA, one of the most prestigious health spas in South Africa, is complimentary.

What an extraordinary pleasure to regenerate body, mind & spirit in an environment where nature & technology blends this seamlessly. AltiraSPA combines traditional & modern therapies, artfully fusing Far Eastern & Western knowledge, using innovative beauty products of the highest quality. The result is a unique and effective synthesis that regenerates and restores, leaving you with a feeling of deep relaxation & balance.

Two beautiful, Greek goddesses – Althea, the healer & Saphira, the beautiful – combine to create ‘Altira’. ‘Beauty through healing’ is the philosophy of every AltiraSPA.

The seven pillars of wellbeing - beauty, harmony, vitality, aqua, life balance, nature and nutrition - combine to refresh & restore your body, your spirit & your soul. Each health spa is an oasis of calm, peace, pampering & relaxation that allows you to shed every layer of stress laid upon you by the outside world.

The AltiraSPA approach is an holistic one, drawing on healing & beauty techniques from around the globe.

Guests can chose from an extraordinary range of beauty treatments (including some specifically designed for men); a full range of massages - including Indian head, foot zone, hot stone, shiatsu, deep tissue & Swedish; full-body treatments both for revitalizing & rejuvenating; health and wellness assessments & consultations.

Plettenberg Bay is one of the most glamorous holiday destinations in South Africa. Set in the heart of the Garden Route, it is blessed with a wealth of natural assets that make it a perfect holiday spot. The early Portuguese explorers called it “baia formosa” or the beautiful bay. When Joachim van Plettenberg, Governor of the Cape, arrived in 1778, he was so taken by the natural beauty of the bay, he named it after himself.”

Some 30m from the Plettenberg Bay beach by an easy nature trail, bordered by lagoon & ocean the Milkwood Manor is a Georgian-styled building designed for spaciousness, reflecting the vast open landscape surrounding it, without sacrificing its ambience of intimacy.

This is epitomized by the airy double-storey foyer, the large yet cozy dining room, the private patios & balconies & the extensive garden flowing onto the adjacent nature reserve, appearing to form part of it.

The large dining room & elegant cocktail bar open onto a sunny breakfast/sundowner patio that overlooks the adjoining lagoon ¬ its ample bird-life. A secluded 9.3m x 4.6m salt-chlorinated pool invites one to relax. An upstairs TV Room offers satellite channels while SA-TV is in every bedroom. The in-house Thai restaurant is renowned for its mouth-watering dinners. Dinners are available in the Thai restaurant Tuesday to Saturday in high season by prior arrangement.

Most of the twelve (12) double bedrooms lead to their own private balcony or downstairs patio, that look out over the garden or lagoon.

All guest rooms are en-suite to a bath & / or shower room, some with twin beds, others with queen-sized beds. The maximum occupancy is two people per room. Two rooms can accommodate a child. The sash windows allow for the fresh sea breezes to flow through freely.

Of interest to visitors keen to explore the local Plettenberg Bay region are sea cruises (whales in season, dolphins, seals), sailing, fishing, five golf courses (including nearby Knysna), exhilarating coastal walks & cycling (bikes for hire), four nature reserves, different sanctuaries for monkeys, snakes & wolves; a huge free-flight aviary (largest in world), four big-game parks including two for elephants.

For those folks who seek total relaxation there are many arts & crafts' studios & galleries, a Barnyard Theater (in season) & some fabulous local Plettenberg Bay restaurants.

The more adventurous guests may choose to go for sea kayaking; scuba diving, abseiling, paragliding, skydiving, para-glider & helicopter flights, polo or horse-riding, tree-top sliding, quad biking & bungee-jumping with the Storm’s River Bridge bungee providing thrill-seekers the highest permanent structure bungee free-fall in world.

Sundance Spirit highly recommends Milkwood Manor to those guests seeking a homely atmosphere, lovely ambient guest rooms & a near picture perfect location without you having to visit your bank manager to secure an overdraft facility to stay here. This is exceptional value-for-money.

The St. James of Knysna is an exclusive, owner run, five star Country House Hotel uniquely situated directly on the shores of the famous Knysna Lagoon.

The luxuriously appointed guest suites & stylishly decorated rooms offer spectacular views across this peaceful lagoon to the dramatic Knysna Heads or over the magnificent three acres of gardens. The magnificent gardens offer peaceful walks, large Koi pond, 2 swimming pools, croquet & fishing off the private jetty.

Whether they be in the Manor or the Courtyard, all guest suites & rooms feature en-suite bathrooms, mini-bars, tea & coffee making facilities, satellite (DSTV), television, electronic safes, irons & ironing boards, direct-dial telephones, bath robes & hairdryers. Should guests require adaptor units, all manner of international adaptors can be requested from reception.

At the Manor there is the luxurious George Rex Suite & the Lady Anne Suite.

Both of these guest suites have extended large lagoon facing balconies.

In addition there are two (2) Deluxe Garden facing Suites, each with a spacious Double bedroom, & in addition in the Manor an elegant dining room, main lounge with Mezzanine Lounge, Paquita Bar & swimming pool.

The Courtyard has four (4) Superior Suites, three (3) of which are Lagoon facing & all with balconies are located on the upper floor.

There are three (3) Deluxe Lagoon facing Suites & two (2) Junior Suites nestled around the Mediterranean courtyard with a private swimming pool.

The Hotel boasts a superb dining room & well stocked wine cellar. Country style breakfasts, light lunches, teas & snacks are also served on the various patios & terraces. The Paquita Bar, with its lagoon facing patio is a warm and friendly meeting place.

There is a powerboat for water skiing & sightseeing excursions on the lagoon, or canoes for those who wish to explore this fascinating eco-system on their own.

St James provides a unique experience of Knysna & its surround while paying attention to every detail of your stay.

The St James of Knysna´s policy is one of total exclusivity, privacy, security & dedication to personal service. A privately owned establishment, it is well known for setting high benchmark standards in service & luxury facilities.