HOTEL REVIEW | Laingsburg Country Hotel, Western Cape
Nick Yell finds an unassuming bolthole that offers a comfortable respite from a road trip and won't break the bank
LOCATION
Laingsburg, about 240km from Cape Town.
ROOMS
There are 17 en-suites, all with air-conditioning and DStv, plus tea- and coffee-making facilities. The rooms are a good size by modern standards and have high ceilings with plenty of cupboard space.
Noise-sensitive guests might find the passing trucks on the main road troublesome, but the thick curtains cut out most of the noise for me.
THE 'DO' LIST
It's centrally located between the Moordenaars Karoo and the Swartberg Mountain range, meaning you have a choice of several day drives. These include visiting the charming village of Prince Albert; conquering the magnificent Swartberg Pass; or driving the Seweweekspoort (gravel) or Meiringspoort for an insight into the fascinating geology of the area.
Other must-sees include the Wolfaardt collection of Africana memorabilia at the Flood Museum in Laingsburg; and a red-bus tour of nearby Matjiesfontein.
STYLE
This is pretty much a typical, late-1950s-style hotel, a remnant of the unremarkable "modern" architecture that took hold in that era.
If bric-a-brac, antique furniture and countless porcelain artefacts are your thing, the TV lounge, in particular, will move you.
The bar, with its heavyweight sleeper counter and view onto the street, is a lively place to have a tipple before dinner in the adjacent dining room.
FACILITIES
There is a lovely pool next to a tropical garden with a koi pond and shaded braai area; a fully licensed bar; large restaurant; big-screen TV in the guest lounge and secure off-street parking.
SERVICE
Personal, friendly and attentive.
THE EATING
We ate dinner and breakfast at the hotel and both meals were good. I can recommend the lamb curry, which, while rich, was fragrant with good layers of flavour.
BEST TIME TO GO
Unless you like stifling heat, the winter months are best.
RATES
R990 B&B (full English breakfast plus cereals) for two people sharing per night and R845 B&B single rate. Children under 12 pay R350 per night, excluding breakfast.
BOOKING
Call 023-551-1009, e-mail hotel@laingsburg.co.za or visit laingsburg.co.za...
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