Travel Adviser : A tradition of hospitality at Graaff-Reinet’s Drostdy Hotel

WHERE TO BOOK

Book directly through the Drostdy Hotel, PO Box 400, Graaff-Reinet 6280. Tel (0491) 2-2161, fax (0491) 2-4582.

HOW TO GET THERE

Graaff-Reinet is arguably the town closest to the heart of the Great Karoo, approximately 850 km from Johannesburg, 670 km from Cape Town, 250 km from Port Elizabeth and 420 km from Bloemfontein. Take the R61 from Beaufort West, the N9 from Colesberg or the R75 from Port Elizabeth. The Drostdy Hotel is in Church Street; guest parking is situated behind the hotel and is reached from Parliament Street.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

The Drostdy makes an ideal point of departure for a walking tour of historical Graaff-Reinet. A short drive will take you to the Valley of Desolation vantage point and the Karoo Nature Reserve, which offers a variety of short hikes. Slightly further afield lies the quaint hamlet of Nieu-Bethesda with its Owl House (see feature on the Great Karoo on page 48).

The hotel has its own pool and la carte restaurant. Squash, tennis, golf and bowling facilities are within easy reach.