Plumbago Guest House

Plumbago Guest House is one of hidden gems in South African Hospitality. Ilara and Rob are wonderful hosts and the dinner and breakfast are world class. I was offered a sherry on arrival and was made very comfortable in my large spacious cottage. For dinner I had a ravioli starter, with Kingklip for my main. I didn't even get to the desert a chocolate mousse. Breakfast was just as good with granola, European style breakfast and hot cooked breakfast. The guest house is set in lovely peaceful garden with a swimming pool. This was my 3rd visit and if I am ever again near Hazyview I will certainly stay over again.

What a wonderful stay we had here. The suites are beautiful, the food (even for our celiac daughter) was fantastic and Ilara is the best hostess you could wish for! Absolutely recommended! Ilara even thought about Mothersday and gave our two daughters a little present that they could give to me, much appreciated

Thank you Ilara and Robbie for a wonderful stay, we enjoyed every moment of our visit at Plumbago Guest House. We have never experienced the kind of hospitality you showed us. The accommodation was excellent, everything was so beautiful and stylish. Ilari is an amazing cook and we got to enjoy wonderful delicacies. Everything related to our trip was taken care of first class, thanks also to Dirk who drove and guided us to safaris and attractions. We already miss you, we hope to meet again. Jari ja Satu from Finland

We had a short but lovely stay at Ilara’s guesthouse. Great view, magnificent rooms and a very fine dinner. Ilara and Robbie have good tips on what to do and really give you the idea you are staying with friends. Good start for visit at Kruger Park

Beautiful place with beautiful garden,amazing view.The very welcoming making you feel like you are at home.Nice and tidy rooms.Food was very delicious cooked with love.plumbago is the place I would really recommend to friends and family

This accommodation has everything you want for a wonderful vacation. Fantatstic premises, very clean and very quiet. The food that Ilara our host cooked for us was sensational. The hospitality is not to be surpassed. Everyone was extremely helpful. Robbie and Ilara gave us many valuable tips. We would come back anytime.

I spent 2 nights here with a friend in early August 2023. It was, in a word, outstanding. I had last stayed here in 2011, and was very impressed then. 12 years later, nothing had changed: if anything, it was even better. Very rare indeed to find this. The hospitality of Ilara and Robbie and their team cannot be overstated. The rooms are beautiful and spacious, all details are carefully thought of and everything works properly, the gardens are beautiful (with a huge pool and a view to the east), and the food is truly of international standard. Breakfasts are lavish, with everything from fresh fruit salad (gooseberries, pomegranates), home baked pasties, cheeses, meats, nuts and muesli - as well as a cooked breakfast to follow. We had two dinners at Plumbago. Generous portions and most interesting flavours all round. On the first night we had a roasted tomato soup followed by a fillet steak (at least 300g, tender, and superbly done MR to a turn) and a vegetable pasta, and a poached pear and chocolate meringue dessert; and on the second night, a grilled mushroom and aubergine stack with pesto and balsamic reduction, followed by a scrumptious kingklip and a vegetarian curry with millet; dessert was a delicious malva pudding with a citrus cream. At around R1 700 per person per night DB&B, (although one can do only B&B at around R1 300 pp pn) this is exceptional value. Highly recommended! No more than a mostly pleasant 4.5 hours from Jo'burg.

From the excellent TripAdvisor reviews, we had very high expectations of Plumbago and it definitely met our expectations. Ilara was wonderful to deal with even before we arrived. She handled our cancellation, rebooking and then change of dates with her lovely “pleasure” attitude. Since we did not have a car, it was important that dinner was available at the bnb. Well it was not only available but it was a delicious 4 course meal and the presentation was better than most restaurants (plus we ate by candlelight). We commented on the attention to detail with flowers/greenery beautifully placed on the table and in the suite. Ilara said her staff like to do that - this was just one example of how special the staff were. Thank you Ilara and staff for making our stay so special. Thank you Robbie for sharing Elephant Whispers with us and for the interesting conversations. 2023 was our first stay at Plumbago, but we hope it will not be our last. We highly recommend Plumbago!

We have been coming to Plumbago from the UK for over 10 years and it never fails to delight. It is the perfect spot to relax, from which to access many beautiful parts of the northern parts of South Africa and, of course, it's very close to the Kruger Park. Ilara, Robbie and all the staff are highly skilled in entertaining stylishly but without any great formality. This is truly the "art than conceals art". Being a small guesthouse with just three cottages it is very quiet and peaceful. The swimming pool is excellent and has lovely views towards Hazyview and the Kruger. Ilara is an exceptional chef who produces highly imaginative cuisine. The wine racks are full of very interesting SA wines. We are currently half way through our first 4 days' stop here and we shall be returning for another relaxing 4 days after 2 weeks in the Kruger and before returning to the UK. We are already planning our next two visits to the exceptional Plumbago. Don't miss it - it is an absolute gem.