Drakensberg Mountain Retreat

WOW!!! What an excellent choice to book my special birthday celebration at Drakensberg Mountain Retreat!!! Often venues claim to be a "home away from home" - this resort definitely embody the philosophy. The views are breath-taking, leaving one feel close to nature and appreciative of the beautiful country we live in. Our dogs LOVED the open spaces, they had the best holiday ever! The food and entire dining experience was a treat with each sitting and bite, compliments to the chef. Thank you Paul & Patricia for making my birthday and our time there such a special occasion, it will not be forgotten and will be spoken about often at our family dinners. You will definitely see me for a winter holiday very soon!!!

I would like to express our greatest appreciation to your hospitality over our short period we stayed with you. Once again, all compliments to everyone there, we thoroughly enjoyed the food, appreciated the gardens, absolutely enjoyed the pool and we felt at home from the start. It is a pity that they do not fix the road to the hotel as it is a distance to get there on the gravel road.

What a fantastic place Stunning views and fantastic walks We and our fur baby really enjoyed our room ,he even had his own garden ,superbe idea The food for breakfast and dinner was fantastic The host superb really friendly T

We had a great time here and would highly recommend it. We needed a base for hiking, playing golf at the amphitheatre golf club and a little bit of relaxation. We chose this place because it provided on-site dinner, bed and breakfast and the walks looked good. The room was clean and well serviced each day and Paul and Patricia were always friendly and there when you needed them and they left you alone when you did not. There is a very good full day of hiking on and around their land, if you combine the various routes they suggest and add on a few extensions here and there( note- a few of the advertised walks no longer work and should be updated on their website). The general quality of food was good but the icing on the cake for us was the Mauritian curry they provided for us on the last night. We have had a range of excellent curries in 15 countries around the world( we recently counted them). We both love authentic and well-cooked curries. Patricia has a family recipe which her own cook now seems to have improved upon. The lamb curry they cooked for us that night was absolutely exceptional – which is astonishing for a mountain lodge up in the Drakensberg mountains. Their Mauritian lamb curry was in the top 3 curries of all time for me, across those 15 countries i recently counted where we had eaten them (including india, sri lanka, Indonesia, UK, Thailand, South africa…….). I know I am going on too long about the food, but a memorable evening meal can be a big factor in how enjoyable your day has been. So, give this place a try if you want high ridge and contour walks in the Drakensberg (eg the devils spine hike with an extra 2km off-piste contour walk along to the monster hanging rock through the protea) and you like good food and wine and nice people.

I actually don't know where to start...This place was an absolute stunner.From the close communication from Paul the owner in directing us to get there,right to him waiting for us hours after check in closed. Then the breakfast was so fresh and delish!Lunch was okayish.Dinner was amazing! Fireplaces and candle-lit dinner in the background was a topper. The warmth of the staff and owners was exceptional.The air is super clean.Wild horses on the property made it super special. If you need time out,THIS IS IT!

Stunning place, amazing hosts, and rooms, but the view is absolutely stunning. Spent one night there and had dinner and breakfast there, top-notch food and service. I would highly recommend to anyone traveling in the Drakensberge/ Winterton area.

What an incredibly enjoyable stay! Superb food, huge well-appointed and spacious rooms. Ours had a porch and a bathtub big enough to accommodate both of us. A long soak in the tub was the best tonic after a rigorous hike. There are only 10 rooms in the Lodge, but that leads to an intimate stay where you can converse with fellow travellers in the cozy, fireplace-heated dining room. The bar is on an honour system and provided a large enough selection of beverages. The prix fixe dinners were, without exception, superb and Paul and Patricia are the most engaging hosts.

Splendid location, lovely hosts, culinary treats for breakfast and dinner, a delight all round. Be warned that the drive in and out is gravel/dirt with a few tricky bits, and it will take you 45 minutes to reach Royal Natal NP or Golden Gate Highlands NP. So a retreat it is, with wild horses, vistas, and comfort.

Our stay at the retreat was amazing, we were welcomed by Paul and Patrisia with open arms as off we in their own home. The staff was amazing and friendly and always available. Breakfast and dinner was amaizing for the5 days we were there. Our room was big, clean and very comfortable. The view of the mountains was stunning.