Your Pet-Friendly Stay at The Drostdy Hotel
Your Pet-Friendly Stay at The Drostdy Hotel From personal experience, we know that pets truly are a part of the family, always eager to join us on adventures—from beach vacations to peaceful getaways in the scenic Karoo. If you’re looking for pet-friendly accommodation in Graaff-Reinet, the Drostdy Hotel & Spa is proud to offer you exactly that. We have a selection of pet-friendly rooms, specially designated to accommodate you and your beloved companion. Below we’ll break down all the ways in which you can enjoy a relaxing getaway in our charming town and luxury accommodation that seamlessly integrates your needs with those of your beloved four-legged family member, including fun activities to keep them stimulated during your stay. Pet-Friendly Accommodation in Graaff-Reinet To ensure your furry friend enjoys a comfortable stay, we provide a range of amenities, including a stylish water bowl, a food bowl, and a cosy bed, all thoughtfully arranged in your room before arrival. The rooms set aside for pet-friendly stays have easy access to an outside area and enough space to ensure everyone is comfortable. One bit of housekeeping: We kindly ask that pets remain on a leash at all times when in public areas of the hotel. While we cherish the presence of our pawsome guests, please note that, with the exception of certified service dogs, pets are not permitted inside our restaurant, wine-tasting room or art gallery. When it comes to dining, our on-site De Camdeboo Restaurant has a beautiful outdoor area – perfect for enjoying a meal or drink in the company of your pet, where you can both unwind and enjoy these gorgeous summer days and evenings together. To ensure an enjoyable experience for both you and your pet, we recommend informing our reservations team in advance if you plan to bring your loyal companion. This way, we can provide you with our pet policy document before your arrival, ensuring that all details are taken care of for a worry-free stay. A Few Key Points From Our Pet Policy: We welcome well-behaved dogs, cats and other small domestic animals Guests are limited to a maximum of 2 pets per room A pet fee of R350 per pet per night is applicable Guests are responsible for any damage caused by their pets Proof of up-to-date vaccinations must be provided at check-in Dog-Friendly Activities in Graaff-Reinet Well-socialised cats delight in accompanying their paw-rents to a variety of venues, but are just as easily contented with a sunny window sill on which to nap the day away. Happy hounds, however, like to get out and about! Here are a few recommended Graaff-Reinet activities you can enjoy with your dog at your side. The Great Outdoors One of the most rewarding ways to spend time with your dog is to explore the breathtaking landscapes of the Karoo. The trails around Camdeboo National Park are perfect for leashed pups. (Note: Camdeboo National Park is run by SANParks, which has a strict no-pets policy.) Luckily, our public trails provide ample opportunity for both you and your pet to soak up the natural beauty surrounding Graaff-Reinet. Remember to pack extra water for your dog on hot summer days. Discover Historical Sites Together Graaff-Reinet is steeped in history and features stunning architecture that reflects the various eras of South Africa’s past. These features create an ideal setting for leisurely walks with your pet. Stroll through the town centre to admire the iconic NG Kerk and other stunning examples of Cape Dutch architecture. Numerous parks and outdoor spaces welcome leashed pets. Don’t forget to capture some photos of your adventure! Pet-Friendly Cafés After a day of exploring, relax at one of the many local cafés where pets are welcome. Photo Credit_ @hello_you_grt Hello You is a popular spot known for its vibrant atmosphere and delicious menu. Treat yourself to a coffee or a light meal while your dog enjoys the fresh air. (And a potential ‘Puppacino!’) Photo Credit_ @afrikanisrum Another great option is the Afrikanis Rum Tasting Room, where you can sample local spirits with your dog by your side. (Tip: These beautiful bottles of craft rum – distilled locally – make the ideal gift for the upcoming Festive Season.) Afrikanis Rum is named after the Africanis dog; a faithful and loving companion to many Karoo farmers. It goes without saying that this tasting room is a place where all dogs are welcome! If there’s another spot in town you’d like to try, always phone ahead to confirm their pet policy, ensuring a stress-free outing. Shop At Outdoor Markets Photo Credit_ @graaffreinettourism Photo Credit_ @graaffreinettourism Keep an eye out for local events and markets during your visit, especially as the Festive Season approaches. The Graaff-Reinet Community Market is pet-friendly and takes place on select Saturday mornings – just ask our reception desk for more information. At outdoor markets, you can browse the stalls for local crafts and delicious treats while your furry friend enjoys the surrounding buzz – and maybe even makes a few new friends of their own. Montego Pet Nutrition Partnership The Drostdy Hotel & Spa has proudly partnered with Montego Pet Nutrition, one of the largest pet food companies in Africa, based right here in Graaff-Reinet! When you stay with us, your fur family can enjoy Montego’s Karoo range – home-cooked, country goodness with the benefits of a scientific formulation. Karoo’s super-premium recipes are packed with nutrient-rich proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, tailored to provide pets of all breeds and ages with an optimally balanced diet. The Montego Karoo range ensures your pets are well-nourished and happy during their stay. For more information on their products; visit their website: www.montego.co.za. Stay With Us Experience the perfect blend of luxury and pet-friendly hospitality at the Drostdy Hotel & Spa, where every detail is designed to make your stay unforgettable – for you and your loyal friend. Get in touch with our reception desk at reservations@drostdy.co.za or fill out our online enquiry form to secure your dates.
Exploring Our Karoo Heritage
Exploring Our Karoo Heritage Having recently celebrated Heritage Day on 24 September 2024, we’ve come to recognise that there’s no better place to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of our country’s history than Graaff-Reinet. Nestled in the heart of the Karoo, this old frontier settlement, once on the edge of the former Cape Colony, is a living museum that offers a captivating glimpse into the diverse cultures and stories that have shaped our country and contributed to our collective identity as South Africans. What better way to explore this heritage than by staying at the Drostdy Hotel, where luxury Karoo accommodation meets a deep connection to the past? Keep reading as we delve into the various parts of our beloved town’s heritage together, touching on relevant places to visit during your stay. The First Peoples Graaff-Reinet’s story begins long before European settlers arrived. The region was originally inhabited by the Khoisan people, whose deep connection to the land is evident in the ancient rock paintings found throughout the Karoo and cultural practices that persist in the area to this day. To learn more about the culture of our country’s first peoples, we would highly recommend taking a day trip to Nieu Bethesda (52 kms away) to visit the Bushman Heritage Museum. This art centre, gallery and restaurant was established to reconnect the |Xam people with their ancestral identity. Visitors to the museum can marvel at the beautiful quilted and painted artworks that depict vivid scenes from |Xam creation mythology and take a guided tour by one of the | Xam narrators – storytellers who have been charged with carrying forward the oral history of their people. Overall, it is a profoundly moving experience. The Cape Colony Era In 1786, Graaff-Reinet was founded as part of the Cape Colony, a significant chapter in South Africa’s colonial history. The town quickly became a vital trading post, and its strategic location contributed to its growth and development. The architecture from this period reflects the blend of Dutch and British influences in South Africa at the time and can be seen on almost every street corner. Today, Graaff-Reinet has over 200 buildings with National Monument status. Wandering through the streets of Graaff-Reinet, you’ll notice beautiful examples of buildings from the 19th century. So much has been preserved that some would say on early mornings, before the streets get busy, walking outside and looking at the nearby Sneeuberg Mountain, you could almost imagine you were in a different time altogether! The Graaff-Reinet Museum (1812) or “Reinet House”, housed in what was formerly a Dutch Reformed Church parsonage, offers an insightful look into the early days of Graaff-Reinet and the broader Cape Colony. It’s a perfect starting point for understanding how our charming town evolved over the centuries. Struggle Figures Many prominent historical figures have ties to Graaff-Reinet, including Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe, a prominent anti-apartheid leader and founder of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). Born in 1924 and educated at a local mission school, Sobukwe went on to study at Fort Hare University. His Africanist views diverged from those of the ANC, which ultimately led to his founding of the PAC in 1958. In 1960, after the Sharpeville Massacre, Sobukwe was arrested and spent 9 years in prison; 6 of which were in solitary confinement on Robben Island. After his release, in 1969, Sobukwe was sent to Kimberley to carry out a further sentence of house arrest. When he died in 1978, from lung complications, his body was brought back to and buried in Graaff-Reinet. Sobukwe was a man of courage and conviction and remains a celebrated figure in South Africa’s fight for democracy. Architectural Wonders Graaff-Reinet is renowned for its exceptional architecture, a fusion of historical styles that create a distinctive atmosphere. The Drostdy Hotel itself is a shining example of the town’s architectural heritage. Originally built in 1804, our hotel has served as an official residence for figures like Lord Charles Somerset and as a home to the local magistrate before its most recent restoration in 1975 by Historical Homes of South Africa. While modernised on the inside, the Drostdy Hotel’s exterior design reflects the traditional Karoo style, characterised by its elegant Cape Dutch architecture, including whitewashed walls and a thatched roof. Staying with us provides not just a comfortable retreat, but also a tangible connection to the past, allowing you to experience the history of the Karoo firsthand. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to dive into our extended history here. Art and Culture Graaff-Reinet is also a hub of artistic expression, reflecting its diverse cultural heritage. Our town is home to several art galleries and craft shops where you can explore works by local artists and artisans. (Simply ask our reception desk for recommendations.) Otherwise, the Drostdy Hotel also showcases local art at our on-site Imibala Art Gallery adjacent to the De Camdeboo Wjinkamer. They say that art imitates life, and if this is true – as we believe it to be – there can be no better place to soak up the heritage and tenor of a community’s spirit than by taking in some local art. Here you will gain a glimpse into the conversations and topics that most touch our townspeople today, with explorations of identity, nature and indeed, heritage, via a multitude of mediums. Sip on local wines while you take in the work of some of Graaff-Reinet’s most celebrated creatives! A Taste of the Karoo No exploration of Graaff-Reinet’s heritage would be complete without savouring the local cuisine. The Karoo is renowned for its rich culinary tradition and warm hospitality. Many traditional Karoo dishes contain ingredients that could be kept in the pantry before refrigeration – bottled quinces, pickled onions, jams, biltong, chutneys, biscuits, root vegetables and rusks. These are staples of every Karoo pantry to this day. At the Drostdy Hotel’s De Camdeboo Restaurant, you can indulge in authentic Karoo fare, from succulent lamb dishes to hearty stews and freshly baked farm bread. Many
Graaff-Reinet II: The very social Karoo Heartland town of storytellers and stoep-tasters
Accommodation Bachelor Room Standard Room Executive Room Suites Food and Wine Our Experiences Spa Weddings and Events Art Gallery and Wjinkamer Accommodation Bachelor Room Standard Room Executive Room Suites Food and Wine Our Experiences Spa Weddings and Events Art Gallery and Wjinkamer Graaff-Reinet Hospitality Academy About Our Story Gallery News Graaff-Reinet Hospitality Academy About Our Story Gallery News Graaff-Reinet II: The very social Karoo Heartland town of storytellers and stoep-tasters Many moons ago, according to local legend, a woman used to sit on the stoep of the old Drostdy Hotel and recount amusing anecdotes to anyone within earshot. And when one of those majestic Karoo thunderstorms suddenly falls on Graaff-Reinet, one really wants to be in the Cigar Lounge of The Drostdy, celebrating the rains with a Cuban Cohiba, a couple of single malts and a few pages of a leather-bound tome on African explorers. After its extensive two-year facelift back in 2015, the historic hotel is back as one of the Karoo’s grande dame establishments. It has, however, been upgraded to suit the modern luxury traveller or executive businessman jetting in (the local aerodrome has been jacked up for this very thing) for some high-powered Karoo trade. More than half the staff complement is sourced from the locally based SA College of Tourism. Top graduates come here for a full year’s internship before being let loose on the world of high-end accommodations. Read in Daily Maverick: Graaff-Reinet I — the Gem-Quality Town that speaks its own language and celebrates its history in style The Cigar Lounge is also part of the original Drostdy, the office and dwelling of the town’s magistrate, built back in 1804 when Graaff-Reinet was still wild, woolly and awash with many brands of dodgy hard liquor. Withond, a very special kind of liquor with a very special back-story. Image: Chris Marais A whiff of Withond There was a time when Graaff-Reinet was a serious drinker’s town, with a thriving wine and brandy industry amidst thousands of thirsty frontier people. When the authorities tried to close the canteens, the system of the “sly grog shop” became popular. If you had booze to sell, you just opened your window and did commerce with the passing street traffic. Author CG Henning says in his landmark book titled, Graaff-Reinet – A Cultural History: “Beyond any doubt, Graaff-Reinet could proudly boast of its Withond brandy, of having the cheapest liquor, the greatest sales possible and the greatest number of drunkards in the country.” Withond was distilled from the highly sugared Graaff-Reinet grape out on the smallholdings in the south of town. The Withond “moonshiners” would station a young boy in a tall tree to watch for raiding police officers. In turn, the police would have a man with binoculars on a hillside observing activity on the plots below. Sometimes, a Withond producer would let loose a couple of warning shots in the general direction of the lookout hill in question and the constable would beat a timely retreat. One can now buy Withond quite legally in Graaff-Reinet – produced and sold by Reinet House Museum. The Graaff-Reinet Club, where locals gather in numbers on Friday nights. Image: Chris Marais The Graaff-Reinet Club One doesn’t see many Old School gentlemen’s watering holes in South Africa these days, so in certain ways, the Graaff-Reinet Club is a bit of a dinosaur. But it’s a beloved dinosaur and it comes complete with more than 250 current members, an exotic military history, all sorts of eccentric wall hangings and three enormous snooker tables. And, these days, women are welcomed in the precinct. Run your fingers over the surface of the long bar counter and you’ll find spots where the wood has been repaired. Those are probably the bullet holes made by trigger-happy Coldstream Guards on the day the Anglo-Boer War was finally declared over. The Guards officers had the run of the Graaff-Reinet Club during the war after a 600-man contingent was sent to protect The Gem from the marauding ways of Cradock’s General Kritzinger. The legendary Boer commander occupied Nieu Bethesda instead. Not so long ago, one of the late-night pub specialities at the Club was a devilish drink called The Dolphin. The Browning machine gun shells were filled with brandy and lined up behind the bar. The idea was to dive head-first over the bar, lift the alcohol-filled shell without using hands and toss it back. Every successful Dolphin is said to have been recorded in a book. The annual Stoep Tasting festival in Graaff-Reinet, where wine-lovers and wine-makers meet on Karoo porches. Image: Chris Marais Stoep Tasting festival Graaff-Reinet’s Gordon and Rose Wright have made the logical connection between the twin Karoo leisure occupations of wine-drinking and stoep-sitting. The annual Stoep Tasting event began humbly back in 2014 with five Western Cape winemakers parked on various guest house and restaurant stoeps in Graaff-Reinet, selling their wares to 45 enthusiasts. Today, thousands of wine lovers meet many different winemakers and craft beer outfits on the leading stoeps of The Gem of the Karoo. The event takes place late in May when there is a brief hiatus on the estates. The grapes are all in and pressed, the vines are about to be pruned and the wine is barrelled and bottled. It’s a wine maker’s time to meet and greet the world. The weather generally plays ball. The days are sunny, ideal for drinking chilled white wine and beer. The nights, however, are crisp, cool and perfect for red wine by the fireside. The chaps from the Winelands speak of their products with passion, deep knowledge and, occasionally, down-home humour. When guests visit the guys who make Boplaas and Fledge & Co wines, they will say this about their tasty Tinta Barocca: “Boet, it goes down like a rat up a drainpipe…” Graaff-Reinet has its own donkey cart manufacturing business. Image: Chris Marais Donkey business The Eastern Cape Karoo is going through a bit of a donkey boom at present. And with donkeys come their donkey carts. In fact, visitors can now enjoy
Graaff-Reinet I — the Gem-Quality Town that speaks its own language and celebrates its history in style
Accommodation Bachelor Room Standard Room Executive Room Suites Food and Wine Our Experiences Spa Weddings and Events Accommodation Bachelor Room Standard Room Executive Room Suites Food and Wine Our Experiences Spa Weddings and Events Graaff-Reinet Hospitality Academy About Our Story Gallery News Graaff-Reinet Hospitality Academy About Our Story Gallery News Graaff-Reinet I — the Gem-Quality Town that speaks its own language and celebrates its history in style Guide books will tell a lot about Graaff-Reinet, but it is only on the heights above this exceptional town that one realises why it goes by the name Gem of the Karoo. The circular shape of the Old Town resembles a jewel, set in a bed of flat-topped hills under the biggest skyway in the region. In many ways, Graaff-Reinet has it all: history, character, charisma, charm and, if you know where to look, some of the finest venison chorizo in the world. The old settlement is still the haunt of the hunter, the explorer, the adventurer, the artist and the innovator. Nearly surrounded by the Camdeboo National Park, blessed with a rich collection of museums, restaurants and art galleries, Graaff-Reinet is the kind of Karoo town where you arrive as a visitor – and leave with dreams of returning as a resident. There is something in the leafy streets, the quiet courtyards, a rather classy collection of shops, guest houses where they treat visitors like royalty, a revamped heritage hotel and a wide selection of nearby farmstays that makes one feel warm towards Graaff-Reinet. This is where they brew a killer witblits and tell one helluva stoep-storie when the mood takes them. There are certain parts of South Africa where pure English is spoken. There are other parts where pure Afrikaans is spoken. The Eastern Cape Karoo is, however, where Graaffrikaans is spoken. It’s an intriguing blend of English and Afrikaans, with the odd Xhosa word hurled in for effect. Budding beauties Tooling down the N9 and approaching Graaff-Reinet, one cannot help but notice an enormous but isolated white building surrounded by spiky blue-green plants. Their scientific name is Agave Americana, but the locals just call them garingbome or agaves. There are thousands of them, some growing in plantation-straight rows, others higgledy-piggledy. Some are chest-high, others could double as tiny pot plants. In the Christmas season, they often sprout tall poles, all festive with greenish-yellow buds and flowers. This area is the centre of South Africa’s short but vivid flirtation with tequila production. However, in keeping with international trade laws, only Mexico can use that name. So it was bottled under the brand Agava – 100% Blue Agave Spirit. It was triple-distilled and possessed of a definite kick. “At first, there were some very angry Mexicans prowling around,” says Tim Murray of the nearby Roode Bloem Farm. The local agave plant gets you pickled in more ways than one. (Photo: Chris Marais) Then, mystery of mysteries, the agave snout beetle was somehow imported to the Karoo but it did not have a significant effect on the local agave population. For a number of reasons, however, the tequila plant was later shut. But the irrepressible white liquor has now returned. Years later, Tim found a way to produce craft alcohol made from these Mexican plants. His finely distilled Three Agaves spirit is sold at Our Yard in Graaff-Reinet. Valley of Desolation It’s sundowner time up at the clifftops overlooking the Valley of Desolation, the Plains of Camdeboo and Graaff-Reinet, cupped in the curve of the Sundays River. We are presently within the boundaries of the Camdeboo National Park, traipsing about the paths with local historian, guide and bookshop owner David McNaughton. One can see this is his favourite time of the day – in his best space anywhere in the world. We rock-hop along, admiring the bird’s eye view of Spandau’s Kop, the round, stepped witch’s hat that so defines the views up here. Kestrels fly like happy thoughts over the krantzes. A Southern boubou shrike begins his song, and a nearby female chirrups her reply. Local humour – historian, tour guide and bookseller David McNaughton tries on some faux kudu eyes for size. (Photo: Chris Marais) The Valley of Desolation and the Aberdeen Flats behind it. (Photo: Chris Marais) There is the distant throaty rumble of Harley-Davidsons making their way up the winding track to the lookout spot. David explains that a long time ago, Graaff-Reinet used to advertise the Valley of Desolation as being within walking distance of the town. No one would think of it now. And that’s probably why it got its bleak-sounding name. The hardy Graaff-Reinetters would leave early in the morning and reach these heights by midday. They would find themselves in a brutal bowl of heat-trapping, towering rocks. A desolate valley indeed – especially after such a gruelling hike. Corridor through the Karoo The R61 skirts the northern foothills and rising peaks of the Sneeuberg Mountains, bracketed by the Mountain Zebra National Park outside Cradock and the Camdeboo National Park outside Graaff-Reinet. Back in 2012, a “biodiversity corridor” linking the two national parks was first proposed. The idea grew, as did the number of landowners. Now the Mountain Zebra Camdeboo Protected Environment sprawls over 840,000 hectares in and around the Sneeuberg range, stretching from the R61 in the north to Pearston in the south. The land between the parks is all privately owned, mostly livestock farms alongside game farms and private nature reserves. The corridor area sprawls over four biomes (grassland, Nama Karoo, thicket and savanna) and six vegetation types that are home to several rare mammals like aardvark, black-footed cats, African wild cats and honey badgers. Swart wildebeest in the Camdeboo National Park. (Photo: Chris Marais) Cool, moist mountains surrounded by arid scrublands yield high levels of plant species found nowhere else. That’s why botanists declared this the Sneeuberg Centre of Endemism in 2009. It’s also designated as a Globally Important Bird Area, with grassland and Karoo specials like lesser kestrels, martial eagles, Ludwig’s and Stanley’s bustard, the blue korhaan, sicklewinged chat, ground woodpecker, blackheaded canary and Layard’s titbabbler.