Bunched-up shoulders caused by the strain of negotiating the pothole-studded road to Haga Haga relax the moment you enter the five-star serenity of Miarestate.
A majestic crowned eagle circles above, impala graze nearby and reservations manager, Stacey Murray, floats out with a warm greeting.
A former dairy farm, this magnificent country/coastal property was transformed into nine luxurious guest rooms, a top-notch spa and a chic restaurant by owner Nonkqubela Mayatula and her partner Eivind Bergkaasa. She named it in honour of her beloved young daughter Mia, who sadly passed away some years ago.
Surrounded by 750ha of beautiful green hills, the estate rolls down to a pristine beach at Pullens Bay, where, after a traipse down very many timber stairs beneath a shady canopy of black strelitzia and curling milkwood, it is possible to indulge in a silver service breakfast provided by obliging Miarestate staff. At the sumptuously appointed spa, Sthandiwe Hlahla presides over guests in plush therapy rooms scented with lemon-grass and fitted with every conceivable comfort to enhance the experience of rest and de-stressing.
The ultimate indulgence must surely be the candle-lit couples’ detoxing room equipped with a freshly-drawn fragrant ylang-ylang hydro-bath, two massage beds, a shower, a platter of fruit and a bottle of sparkling wine that was awaiting a lucky couple.
Some couples go a step further and hire Miarestate for their wedding venue.
They recite their vows in the amphitheatre, pose for photographs in any number of beauty spots and retreat to the restaurant and poolside deck for an elegant reception before retiring to one of two “executive” rooms with their king-size beds, private gardens, plunge pools and outside showers. Guests may spot the house snake. Skinny, shy and luminously green, Bruce is harmless, except to the frogs.
Miarestate takes its cuisine seriously and head chef Vicky Alexander and sous chef Tremaine Godfrey prepare meals with an eye for seasonal produce and perfect plating.
Menus change daily, depending on Alexander’s creative whims and the availability of fresh ingredients.
A delicious example was last Friday’s gourmet lunch of tender springbok carpaccio salad rolls with caper vinegar and dijon mustard dressing, melt-in-the-mouth pistachio-crusted lamb racks, butternut purée and baby potatoes in paprika herb butter and traditional malva pudding with anglaise sauce.
Having indulged, the small but well-stocked gym with its calming rural views, is a sensible option, as is a 35km single track mountain bike trail which has been cut into the bush and will take you past the wonderful – and safe – wildlife Miarestate is known for.
Another option is to jump into a viewing vehicle with knowledgeable estate manager, Graham Murray, a former Shamwari ranger who seems to be on first name terms with every sable, bontebok, nyala, giraffe and wildebeest in the reserve.
He speaks with passion about ongoing plans to replace blesbok and Burchell’s zebra with bontebok and Cape mountain zebra. Nyala has also been brought it because “they like to be seen and are such beautiful antelopes”.
“Our vision is to become breeders of certain species to increase the population, make the property financially viable and have a very nice package for the hotel,” says Murray.
He knows who gave birth and when – the wildebees calved in November, the crested cranes hatched two long-legged chicks recently. The sable are about to pop, while their majestic bull, who is named Ragnar after a Viking leader, looks on.
“We are the first people in the coastal Border area to breed sable and I feed them supplements because copper and selenium is missing on the coast. We want to produce the most perfect southern genetic herd,” he explains.
Driving the zippy Polaris ATV down to a valley with its shaded stream, Murray indicates another, more isolated accommodation option. The retreat is an “Out of Africa” self catering bush establishment with two double rooms and no interruptions. A true getaway spot.
Children are welcome at Miarestate and, while parents retreat for a spa or a meal or saddle up one of the hotel’s horses for a ride, little ones can be entertained at the Zebra Zone with its open air obstacle course, mini roller-coaster and arts and crafts stations where child minders will keep them safe and happy.
“Miarestate offers the best of both worlds – the bush and the coast, says general manager Leon Bruigom. “It is a hidden jewel.”
For your chance to win a one-night stay for two at Miarestate Hotel & Spa, see the the box alongside. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Relaxing in lap of five-star luxury
A majestic crowned eagle circles above, impala graze nearby and reservations manager, Stacey Murray, floats out with a warm greeting.
A former dairy farm, this magnificent country/coastal property was transformed into nine luxurious guest rooms, a top-notch spa and a chic restaurant by owner Nonkqubela Mayatula and her partner Eivind Bergkaasa. She named it in honour of her beloved young daughter Mia, who sadly passed away some years ago.
Surrounded by 750ha of beautiful green hills, the estate rolls down to a pristine beach at Pullens Bay, where, after a traipse down very many timber stairs beneath a shady canopy of black strelitzia and curling milkwood, it is possible to indulge in a silver service breakfast provided by obliging Miarestate staff. At the sumptuously appointed spa, Sthandiwe Hlahla presides over guests in plush therapy rooms scented with lemon-grass and fitted with every conceivable comfort to enhance the experience of rest and de-stressing.
The ultimate indulgence must surely be the candle-lit couples’ detoxing room equipped with a freshly-drawn fragrant ylang-ylang hydro-bath, two massage beds, a shower, a platter of fruit and a bottle of sparkling wine that was awaiting a lucky couple.
Some couples go a step further and hire Miarestate for their wedding venue.
They recite their vows in the amphitheatre, pose for photographs in any number of beauty spots and retreat to the restaurant and poolside deck for an elegant reception before retiring to one of two “executive” rooms with their king-size beds, private gardens, plunge pools and outside showers. Guests may spot the house snake. Skinny, shy and luminously green, Bruce is harmless, except to the frogs.
Miarestate takes its cuisine seriously and head chef Vicky Alexander and sous chef Tremaine Godfrey prepare meals with an eye for seasonal produce and perfect plating.
Menus change daily, depending on Alexander’s creative whims and the availability of fresh ingredients.
A delicious example was last Friday’s gourmet lunch of tender springbok carpaccio salad rolls with caper vinegar and dijon mustard dressing, melt-in-the-mouth pistachio-crusted lamb racks, butternut purée and baby potatoes in paprika herb butter and traditional malva pudding with anglaise sauce.
Having indulged, the small but well-stocked gym with its calming rural views, is a sensible option, as is a 35km single track mountain bike trail which has been cut into the bush and will take you past the wonderful – and safe – wildlife Miarestate is known for.
Another option is to jump into a viewing vehicle with knowledgeable estate manager, Graham Murray, a former Shamwari ranger who seems to be on first name terms with every sable, bontebok, nyala, giraffe and wildebeest in the reserve.
He speaks with passion about ongoing plans to replace blesbok and Burchell’s zebra with bontebok and Cape mountain zebra. Nyala has also been brought it because “they like to be seen and are such beautiful antelopes”.
“Our vision is to become breeders of certain species to increase the population, make the property financially viable and have a very nice package for the hotel,” says Murray.
He knows who gave birth and when – the wildebees calved in November, the crested cranes hatched two long-legged chicks recently. The sable are about to pop, while their majestic bull, who is named Ragnar after a Viking leader, looks on.
“We are the first people in the coastal Border area to breed sable and I feed them supplements because copper and selenium is missing on the coast. We want to produce the most perfect southern genetic herd,” he explains.
Driving the zippy Polaris ATV down to a valley with its shaded stream, Murray indicates another, more isolated accommodation option. The retreat is an “Out of Africa” self catering bush establishment with two double rooms and no interruptions. A true getaway spot.
Children are welcome at Miarestate and, while parents retreat for a spa or a meal or saddle up one of the hotel’s horses for a ride, little ones can be entertained at the Zebra Zone with its open air obstacle course, mini roller-coaster and arts and crafts stations where child minders will keep them safe and happy.
“Miarestate offers the best of both worlds – the bush and the coast, says general manager Leon Bruigom. “It is a hidden jewel.”
For your chance to win a one-night stay for two at Miarestate Hotel & Spa, see the the box alongside. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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