Rooms

Fairview House’s eight rooms of varying sizes are spread across the Main House and the Coach House. All are beautifully styled. Think "Cape Dutch": white-washed walls, neutral tones and chic textures with comforting pops of colour and geometric throws. Like a home-from-home, only better.

The Main House has two rooms: Standard and Luxury. Each has a modern four-poster bed, and a similar warm monochrome scheme with gold accents. The Standard room has a large in-room walk-in shower, while the Luxury room's separate ensuite has both bath and shower; the real clincher between the two is the balcony for the latter, whose mountain views take your breath away.

In the Coach House there are another four Luxury rooms, two with contemporary four-poster kingsize beds and two set up as twin rooms. Here the highlight colour is green, and there are colourful prints of South African flowers on the walls. Each has a private verandah leading into the garden.

Also in the Coach House, the Deluxe Suites come with two bedrooms, a kingsize and a twin, and an elegant living space enlivened with teal cushions. The ensuite bathroom is a treat, with a super freestanding bath and a separate, beautifully tiled rain shower. The stand-out perk, though, is the balcony with incredible, far-reaching mountain views.

Bathrooms are a joy with their trendy patterned tiles, fabulous tubs and walk-in showers. The complimentary toiletries are pleasingly high-end.

There’s also a separate self-catering cottage, which has ample living quarters below including an open-plan living-dining room and full kitchen, and three bedrooms above (one double, one double/twin, one twin).

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Tuck into an outstanding breakfast (there's a continental buffet plus a la carte hot menu) each morning out on the deck, ahead of ah-mazing views of the Garden Route National Park and the forests and fynbos of the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Eggs Benedict, salmon rosti, mushrooms and eggs on toast or the full English can be cooked to order.

Give them some notice and the chefs, led by Anel, will knock up lunch and dinner for you. They’ll even prepare a picnic for lazy days by the sea or out on the hotel grounds.

The food on offer in the restaurant is said to be top-notch, and there's an accomplished wine list to work your way through. The owners pride themselves on serving up freshly prepared, classic fare. Any ingredients not plucked from the kitchen garden are sourced nearby where possible. Menus change frequently but starters could be salt and pepper squid and springbok carpaccio, while mains include steak with béarnaise sauce, paprika chicken on butternut couscous, a choice of beef or veggie burger with all the trimmings and some excellent home grown salads plus house-made flatbreads. The creme brûlée gets rave reviews too.

Features include:

• Bar
• Coffee maker
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant

Activities

• Stroll the hotel’s 68 acres of greenery, all irrigated by harvesting rainwater; chill by the peaceful pool with a book from the extensive library
  
• Marvel at the whales (July-November) and dolphin pods from Keurbooms Beach or the stunning Robberg Peninsula (both 10 minutes)
  
• Hike the spectacular forests and beaches of Nature’s Valley, nestled in the Tsitsikamma Park (15 mins); or the dramatic bridges of Storms River Mouth (30 mins)
  
• Cafe-hop in Plettenberg Bay, surf its sandy Lookout Beach or head north and explore Stone Age Nelson Bay Caves
  
• Wine lovers have plenty of local vineyards to choose from; start with Newstead Wine Estate (8 mins) for its top-notch sparkling wine
  
• Get close to nature at the highly rated elephant and monkey sanctuaries (12 mins), or the Birds of Eden sanctuary (right next door) if feathered friends are more your thing
  
• The more daring can bounce from the 709-feet-high Bloukrans River Bridge (19 mins), the world’s highest bridge bungee jump

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Golf
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Plantlife / flora
• Polo
• Surfing
• Whale watching
• Wildlife
• Wine tasting

Kids

Fairview House welcomes kids of all ages. With 68 acres of greenery on the doorstep, there’s plenty of room for little legs to roam, plus there's a pool – always a win with kids.

Parents of younger kids should note that the outdoor pool is unfenced and unheated. Also, there aren’t any facilities specifically aimed at children. That said, there is one baby cot available, and a babysitting service is on offer.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Families of 3 or 4 should opt for one of the Deluxe Suites, located in the Coach House. The suite comprises two adjoining rooms: one with a king-size bed, one with twins for the kids. There's also the three-bedroom Cottage for larger families.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 1hr 35m
• Hospital: 15 minutes
• Shops: 15 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Fairview House is located high in the Garden Route National Park, 10 mins from Plettenberg Bay.

By Air:
Fly to Cape Town or Johannesburg and take a connecting flight to nearby George (115km) or Port Elizabeth (228km). Or if you want to make an entrance, charter a helicopter from Cape Town to Plettenberg Park (25km).

From the Airport:
From George Airport, it’s a 90-minute drive to Fairview House; Port Elizabeth, 2.5 hrs. Transfers can be arranged or hire a car from the airport. We’d recommend the latter for exploration purposes, and many choose to explore the Garden Route by car from Cape Town.

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.