LOCATION
This sprawling resort is on an 860ha World Heritage site in the Underberg. It's about 2.5 hours' drive from Durban and about an hour from the Sani Pass, which links South Africa to Lesotho and is home to the highest pub in Africa.
STYLE
It's a good, old-fashioned resort-style spot, perhaps best described as rustic-chic. The rooms - sizeable and comfortable - are a stroll from the main hotel. What the resort lacks in style Mother Nature has made up for with the stunning view, clean air and clear, starry nights.THE SERVICE
Impeccable. Everyone does it with a smile.
BEST TIME TO GO
Winter, especially if there's light snow predicted. The many pictures on the hotel's notice board show a winter wonderland. I hear summer is equally good, because the area is green and lush.
THE EATINGIf you love pizza, have lunch at the Bistro Terrace Café.
And if booze is your thing, the resort has a mind-blowing seven bars.
THE 'DO' LIST
Unwinding with a glass of wine around the open-air fireplace - in the quaint courtyard at the main hotel - was the highlight of my two-day getaway. More so thanks to the starry night.
If you lust for adventure, there's zip-lining, archery, heated pools, horse riding, hiking, mountain biking, tennis and golf.FACILITIES
All standard, superior and deluxe rooms have TV, tea- and coffee-making facilities and heaters. There are also self-catering units - with four or six beds - plus a campsite. A small superette stocks the essentials you may have forgotten to bring.
RATES
A standard room with breakfast is R915 per person sharing. A superior room is R1,015. Kids under three stay for free, while those aged four to 15 stay for free but meal fees apply. Self-catering units are from R1,350 per night for a four-sleeper and R1,720 per night for a six-sleeper.BOOKING
Call 033-701-1355 or see the website. 
• Govender was a guest of Gooderson Drakensberg Gardens Golf & Spa Resort...