If the devil is in the detail, you can expect a splendid stay. In winter, hot water bottles warm your bed (in addition to air-conditioning), ready to welcome you after a lavish dinner. Premier suites have an added touch of luxury with Molton Brown bath products and minibars stocked with treats such as Lakrids by Bülow gourmet liquorice.
And by no means do younger or four-legged guests receive less of the royalty treatment. Children receive their own bath products, slippers and gowns and, being a pet-friendly hotel, pets are provided with a bed, food, water, treats and their own welcome letter.
RATES
Rooms start from R6,475 ppspn from September 2022 for a standard double room, R9,689 for a luxury double room with a sea view and R12,214 for a premier suite. Rates include a full English breakfast, minibar, Wi-Fi and parking. For more information or to make a booking, visit the website.
• Oberholzer was a guest of The Marine.
Hotel Review
Indulge or explore, you’ll have a whale of a time at The Marine Hotel
Known as the Grand Old Lady of Hermanus, The Marine exemplifies elegance with the most magnificent sea views in the heart of town
SETTING THE SCENE
There are many things to love about The Marine Hotel and the location is certainly one of them. Situated on Hermanus’ Main Road on the edge of Walker Bay, The Marine is a stately hotel: not imposing in height, but in a way you just know. It seems only fitting given that it’s affectionately referred to as the Grand Old Lady of Hermanus.
It was the reputation of this part of the world as a popular fishing spot that first lured visitors and led to the establishment of the town of Hermanuspietersfontein in the early 1800s, as it was then known.
Today it’s the larger variety of marine species for which this popular holiday destination is known. Between June and December each year visitors flock to its shores for a spot of whale watching in Walker Bay that stretches out before the hotel, offering magnificent views.
A BIT OF HISTORY
As you’ll read on The Marine’s website, “fishermen and travellers were quick to follow with news of the incredible fishing opportunities in the area and soon accommodation in town was at a consistent capacity.”
So popular did Hermanuspietersfontein become that at one point it boasted 13 hotels. Built in 1902 by Walter McFarlane and Valentine Beyers, The Marine was the third hotel to be constructed and still carries the title as one of the oldest.
By 1918, The Marine had acquired a reputation for hosting grand events in its ballroom, drawing swathes of visitors, both wealthy and popular.
THE HOTEL TODAY
At its inception, The Marine had no running water and no electricity in its 21 bedrooms, but it proudly boasted modern amenities: two flush toilets on each floor.
The hotel recently underwent a renovation and refurbishing is still under way, but each of its 40 rooms — classically decorated in soft hues of blues and whites — offers five-star amenities visitors in 1902 could only dream of.
The hotel offers double rooms (several of which open to a private balcony), luxury double rooms with a sea view and 10 top-tier premier suites with the best views in the house where, depending on your room, on a good day you can whale watch from your French tub, plush couch or possibly from your melt-into-me bed.
ON THE MENU
Oelof Vorster was recently appointed head chef at The Marine. He brings a wealth of experience which will soon be offered on his new menu at the end of September.
Meals are served in the Pavilion Restaurant where you can properly wake up over MCC breakfasts overlooking the crashing waves, with lunch a relaxed affair and dinner more refined, with the likes of soufflés and chocolate fondant as staples.
They also serve afternoon tea from Thursdays to Saturdays, traditional Sunday lunches and host the occasional wine event which they advertise on their website.
WHAT TO DO
The hotel has two saltwater pools: one heated in the hotel courtyard and a tidal pool on the shore below, which guests can reach via a cliff path from the hotel.
The short walk out of the hotel’s front doors down to the edge of the bay is particularly soul-stirring at sunset, and one of the most enjoyable aspects of staying at The Marine is that the ocean is literally on your doorstep.
For those who want to while away the time and relax, the Carchele Beauty Spa offers an impressive list of treatments.
And if you want to venture into town, The Marine is a short walk from Hermanus’ popular waterfront with its market stalls and restaurants.
Guests eager to explore the beautiful wine estates in the Hemel-en-Aarde wine valley can also hop onto a Wine Hoppers safari vehicle for a full-day wine tour, stopping at the likes of Bouchard Finlayson, Newton-Johnson, Spookfontein and the ever-popular Creation, which was named the 10th best vineyard in the world and the top vineyard in Africa by the World’s Best Vineyards Awards in 2021.
During whale season, a number of charter companies offer whale watching excursions, including Southern Right Charters, Ivanhoe Sea Safaris and Hermanus Whale Cruises.
SPECIAL TOUCHES
If the devil is in the detail, you can expect a splendid stay. In winter, hot water bottles warm your bed (in addition to air-conditioning), ready to welcome you after a lavish dinner. Premier suites have an added touch of luxury with Molton Brown bath products and minibars stocked with treats such as Lakrids by Bülow gourmet liquorice.
And by no means do younger or four-legged guests receive less of the royalty treatment. Children receive their own bath products, slippers and gowns and, being a pet-friendly hotel, pets are provided with a bed, food, water, treats and their own welcome letter.
RATES
Rooms start from R6,475 ppspn from September 2022 for a standard double room, R9,689 for a luxury double room with a sea view and R12,214 for a premier suite. Rates include a full English breakfast, minibar, Wi-Fi and parking. For more information or to make a booking, visit the website.
• Oberholzer was a guest of The Marine.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: