Klippe Rivier Country House, Swellendam, Western Cape: Accommodation Review
Klippe Rivier Country House
Outskirts of Swellendam, off the R60
Western Cape | Map
Accommodation type: Country Guest House (Bed & Breakfast)
Number of stars: 5
Rooms starting from (per person sharing): R895
SA Blog recommends? Enthusiastically!
Snippet
The guest house, situated on a farm which dates back to 1725, carries its original, be-gabled Cape Dutch beauty with timeless grace – and meanwhile the large rooms, complete with both fireplace and A/C, offer decidedly contemporary levels of luxury.
(See full review below.)
Low season specials? Yes
Breakfast included? Yes
Dedicated non-smoking rooms? Yes
Staff friendliness (out of 10): Not reviewed
Staff competence (out of 10): Not reviewed
Room options: Single, Double, Suite
Room comfort level (out of 10): Not reviewed
Noisy? No
Does the TV remote work? N/A
Fan or A/C? Both
Pool? Yes
Concierge? N/A
Restaurant? Yes
Conference facilities? N/A
Three ink blot adjectives: Historical, spirit-replenishing, fair trade
Value for money? Yes
Booking information
Klippe Rivier Country House
PO Box 483
Swellendam 6740
Tel: +27 (0) 28 514 3341, Fax: +27 (0) 28 514 3337
info@klipperivier.com
www.klipperivier.com
Review
Those who run the Klippe Rivier Country Guest House strive to attain the twin – but not always compatible – goals of historical preservation and ultimate guest comfort. By all accounts, they’ve succeeded in great style – and have gained Fair Trade-certification to boot.
The guest house, situated on a farm which dates back to 1725, carries its original, be-gabled Cape Dutch beauty with timeless grace – and meanwhile the large rooms, complete with both fireplace and A/C, offer decidedly contemporary levels of luxury.
The nearby town of Swellendam is South Africa’s third oldest settlement – and easily one of its prettiest – and provides plenty of diversion, from horseriding and golf to hiking and waterskiing, if you can tear yourself away from the saltwater pool on Klippe Rivier’s premises. (It’s doubtful whether that was around when Jan Loots first surveyed the place almost 300 years ago.)
The establishment received its Fair Trade certification because of its economic relationships with Swellendam and its surrounds: local products and services are used wherever possible, and the majority of its staff members are from disadvantaged backgrounds, having received guest house management training in-house. Klippe Rivier also employs good environmental practice in its day-to-day affairs, regularly clearing alien vegetation from the farm, and using bio-degradable cleaning products.
A visit to the guest house’s website provides a nice touch: the booking form asks for your special requirements, such as vegetarian food, and whether you’re on honeymoon, and need to be treated as such. This kind of attention augurs well for a wonderful stay.