Galerie
"I would highly recommend this Guesthouse if staying in this area, the hosts are friendly, informative and can’t do enough for you.
We were fortunate to be offered the chance to upgrade to the Manor House which we did at very little extra cost and it was worth every penny, the House is spacious, comfortable and beautifully furnished and there is a lovely decking area and pool.
Breakfast was fabulous too, I have no hesitation in recommending Shades of Africa to anyone touring this area."
"We booked to stay at SoA for 2 nights as we were attending a swimming gala in the town. Having never been to Oudtshoorn before I was a bit unsure of what to expect. I am happy to say that my fears about 'small town' setup were not realised and we had a great stay at SoA.
We (family of 4) stayed in the Manor House and had the whole house to ourselves. In fact, we had the whole place to ourselves as there was no one else on site for the whole of Saturday (incl. the owner)!! We had the run of the place :). A pity that we had the gala otherwise we would have loved to spend more time on site as it is a great little oasis in a semi-desert landscape.
Shades of Africa
SoA is slightly unusual in that it consists of 3/4 separate properties on the land. The Manor House, the Carriage House, the owners cottage and a storage? house at the back of the property. The property is very spacious and easily accommodates all these little dwellings as well as an olive garden, rose garden, main swimming pool, farmyard, and then some. All the space makes for a very relaxing atmosphere not to mention to excellent groundsman who maintains a beautiful garden.
The Manor House
Our stay at the Manor House was perfect. Liz has excellent taste and the accommodation was impeccably put together. Retro-modern would be my description, making best use of the old house structure with modern aethetic touches.
The self-contained kitchen area was fully equipped and very useful. Lovely old fashioned size with a good mix of modern and old eclectic furniture (and floor tiles) all complemented to the aesthetic of the place.
The beautiful yellow wood? floors lead into one of two suites.
Both Suites were tastefully decorated and very comfortable, consisting of a tv area, bedroom and full ensuite bathroom. Aircon included. We were quite comfortable and happy with the amenities.
The house also has a sitting area/lounge with fireplace. Great for after dinner drinks or reading a nice book.
The Manor House also has a wrap-around veranda (stoep) with an 18m lap pool on the veranda. A really great setup and a real bonus to be able to swim in our own private pool.
Food
We ate breakfast at the main house on the stoep which was also a nice treat. Karen cooked our eggs to order and the food was very nice. A very basic but perfectly acceptable breakfast.
We ate out for dinner which is quaint as there are a number of great little restaurants catering to the tourist market.
Overall
We were very happy at Shades of Africa and would be very happy to come back. Karen, our host, did her best to ensure that our stay was most pleasant. SoA accommodated our late arrival (11.30pm!) and early breakfast requests due to the gala. We were very pleasantly surprised and I would be happy to recommend SoA to anyone visiting Outshoorn soon."
"This has be to be right up there with the very best of hotels we have stayed in all round the world and Lizanne & Graham - ably supported by Carlton and the rest of the staff - are to be commended.
We stayed in one of the Carriage House rooms and this was really comfortable with comfy twin beds, en suite and A/C.
Off site, secure parking is welcome and the hotel is just a very short walk away from restaurants (we went, on their recommendation, to Bello Cibo - V good) and shops, etc. so conveniently situated for the centre of town even though the street itself is quiet.
The breakfasts were taken on the balcony and were outstanding and all freshly prepared!
Highlight for us was making friends with their two delightful Jack Russell dogs who, once they realised we were suckers for animals AND had an endless supply of shortbread biscuits, showered us with cupboard love.....just great!
Only criticism? We had made a school boy error and booked just one night's stay there!!"
Perfect! Stunning accommodation in a great location with a perfect host
"Wow! The property is steeped in history with so many beautiful original features such as an amazing wooden floor and high ceilings. The bedroom is large with an offset living room and a fabulous bathroom with walk in shower and claw foot bath. Luxurious toiletries are provided including wonderfully fragrant moisturiser and bath salts. The bed was large and really comfy and the aircon very quiet.
We had use of a gorgeous well equipped kitchen and a lovely lounge area with bookshelf full of reference and reading books. Outside was a very refreshing pool.
the breakfast was spectacular...with glorious fruit, fresh croissants, homemade marmalade and honey made on the premises. I had the best omelette ever with accompanying mushrooms and tomatoes. If I'd stayed longer than 2 days I'd be the size of a house..I just couldn't say no!!!! We honestly think this is the most beautiful tasty and we'll presented breakfast we've ever had...so much attention to detail.
The guy that runs the place, Carlton, was an absolute star! Really helpful, kind and efficient...booking restaurants and giving advise and he cooks the best breakfast ever! He couldn't do enough for you but in an unobtrusive way.
At least 3 excellent restaurants (jemimas, nostalgia & Bello cibo) in very short strolling distance.
Really recommend this place for a peaceful, ideally located, relaxing but luxurious stay. Loved it!!!!"
Fantastic hosts, Lovely accommodation, felt like part of the family
"Such a wonderful place, we spent 1 night here but could easily have stayed for longer. We felt so welcome.
The room was amazing, a very comfy large double bed. The pool was perfect running adjacent to the veranda, we had such a relaxing time here, allowing us to recharge our batteries after a lot of driving on the Garden Route.
Lizanne and Graham are wonderful hosts, we had such a lovely prolonged breakfast with them and their friends and family.
They gave us great advice on what to do in and around Oudtshoorn, with an especially memorable drive up to the top of the Swartberg Pass which was recommended by Graham.
If you need to stay in or around Oudtshoorn, this should be the place you choose."
"We stayed here with our family of 5 and were so impressed by the facilities and the hosts. Spacious, comfortable rooms, fully stocked kitchen, lovely gardens and wonderful atmosphere. The breakfast is of the highest quality and no request too much trouble for the staff and management. Well worth a visit if you're in the area"
"What a fabulous place indeed! There is nothing better we could have asked for. It was beautifully appointed with no expense spared. The beds and bedding were incredible, the bathrooms spacious and beautiful. The whole feel of it was just superb, with original flooring and luxurious carpets etc. A real treat it was and we were pleasantly surprised. The breakfast was such a wonderful experience and the owners were also so friendly, kind and accommodating. We would definitely return and recommend to others."
"This has to be one of the nicest places I have stayed anywhere in the world (and I have traveled a LOT). The rooms (actually, suites) feel like a beautiful boutique hotel, the bathrooms are luxurious, breakfast delicious, and best of all, the hosts are thoughtful and extremely helpful. Don't think twice before booking here!"
Hidden oasis near the centre of town
"We stayed here one night while travelling through and wished we’d had longer. Our room was king-size en-suite and in a stand alone building with another room. Both bedrooms shared a communal lounge/kitchen area, very spacious and would have been ideal for 4 people travelling together. We were lucky enough to have this building to ourselves for our visit. We spent a pleasant afternoon on the deck,accessed from our room, and around the pool. Despite the water shortage problems in the area, the pool was in use and very clean. Our host Graham was very hospitable and breakfast was more than adequate. We will be back if we are ever in this part of SA again."
"Such a gorgeous property and extremely helpful hosts who made our experience of Oudtshoorn one of our favourite places. The accommodation was very comfortable, clean and stylish. Graham was very interesting and hospitable. Breakfast on the veranda was delicious. I would highly recommend a stay here - can’t wait to go back!"
"When I arrived at the entrance to the property I was not very hopeful of finding a nice place. Wrong! Once inside the gates it is large with various cottages spread in extensive grounds. I had a big bedroom which led into a huge lounge/kitchen shared with another bedroom but thankfully I was the only resident. The TV was on the blink as the aerial had been moved in a recent storm but I was invited into the main building to watch a large TV there in the evening. The lady in charge could not have been more helpful. Excellent breakfast sitting outside on the veranda."