Prana Lodge does away with dilemma of luxury beach house or bush experience

In the three years since my first visit to Prana Lodge, I have been adamant that you cannot enjoy a better foot massage anywhere else in SA than at this luxury retreat’s wellness spa.

And if you know someone like me — a youngster stuck in what feels like a 70-something-year-old’s body — best believe this 20-something-year-old vessel has landed itself on countless massage beds for much-needed tender loving care.

So, dear reader, forgive me if you hear little birdies whisper about me behaving like a kid on a sugar high from a trip to a candy store as a full-body massage was first on the list on arrival at Chintsa’s most enchanting luxury establishment.

Perfectly nestled between bush and ocean on the famous Wild Coast, it took us a relaxed 40km drive from East London to get to Prana Lodge and Wellness Retreat.

In a sudden shift of scenery from rural life my partner and I witnessed as we drove through Chintsa, our surroundings metamorphosed as we entered the gate into what felt like a secluded getaway into nature that would normally take hours of driving over rolling hills and dusty roads to find.

A brief drive from the gate through the passage of a whispering forest took us to the guests’ parking lot where we left our car to enjoy a welcome drink in the lounge area adjacent to the reception.

A look down a passage leading to the manager’s office from the lounge reveals a grand bookshelf boasting a plethora of books across different literary genres for the guests’ indulgence.

I remembered that this grand bookshelf, which takes up an entire wall, really caught my eye when I first visited the lodge a couple of years ago.

There, we were welcomed by lodge manager Andre Poney.

While still sipping on our welcome drinks, the spa’s efficient staff were ready to ease us into our stay with their magic touch.

Off we went to the spa, barely a stone’s throw from the lounge area, where we changed into lush beige gowns and crisp white slippers. A pair of disposable underwear was an option I never knew existed at spas.

With confidence in Prana Lodge Spa staff’s capabilities, I for once went in with no reservations but fond memories of my previous experience of their foot scrub and massage which had left my feet tingling with relief.

A foot scrub was the first order of business before we hopped on the beds and surrendered ourselves to the pampering session, with our choice of pressure and oils which perform different functions.

As we enjoyed ukupotozwa, as we casually refer to massages in isiXhosa, the staff kindly offered to take our bags from the car into the establishment’s recently launched beach house which we were there to explore.

I discovered Prana Lodge’s new beach house earlier in 2024 through a post on its Facebook page.

As I swiped through the photos of the magnificent views surrounding the luxury accommodation, I was already planning my next visit.

And boy, was I pleasantly surprised as Andre gave us a tour of the gigantic beach house which instantly gave me the feeling that I was on holiday somewhere in Cape Town.

“That’s the idea,” Andre said.

“The idea is to bring Cape Town to the Eastern Cape, so people don’t have to travel out of the province to experience something like this.

“We see that a lot of the time when people want to have a group getaway they travel to Cape Town.

“We wanted to create a product that’s the best beach house in the Eastern Cape and, to an extent, we have exceeded that expectation,” he said.

Spot on.

Often, when the thought of going on holiday crosses my mind, what follows is the battle of having to choose either a bush or beach house experience.

The Prana Lodge beach house does away with such dilemmas.

The perfect balance of nature, the beach house is sandwiched between breathtaking views of the forest and the Chintsa Bay ocean while offering its own private pool among other facilities.

While my partner and I enjoyed the humungous space and privacy to ourselves, I couldn’t help but imagine what a time it would be to enjoy a girls’ trip with my closest girlfriends at the house.

A girls’ trip, a boys’ trip, a family reunion or outing, or any group was exactly what Prana Lodge management had in mind with the development of the house, Andre said.

The wooden-floored beach house, developed on what used to be the original owners’ house, is secluded from the lodge’s various suites, giving guests the privacy to enjoy fun group vacations.

The double-storey villa boasts three king suites, one queen suite, one children’s room with two bunk beds, two lounges (one upstairs and one downstairs), a TV room, outdoor entertainment decks with picturesque Chintsa Bay views, dining areas and its own kitchen.

In total, the house accommodates up to eight adults and four children, making it the ideal space for small gatherings in coastal luxury.

Depending on the length of their stay at the beach house, guests get to enjoy dining in the common restaurant and bar on their first night and, on their second, have their meals privately prepared in the villa’s kitchen.

Separate from the villa, Prana Lodge has eight five-star suites, seven of which have their own plunge pool, that each accommodate two people.

Our designated bedroom in the spacious villa was the queen, situated upstairs with enormous windows that provide splendid views of the ocean and pool on one side, and a sea of greenery from the surrounding forest on another.

As we spent some time unwinding and enjoying our complimentary wine and sherry, with crashing waves and whispering forest as the ultimate backdrop, I admired the house’s decor in soft neutral shades, with pops of colour.

Within the blink of an eye it was already dinner time and as we took that therapeutic stroll along the wooden walkway from the villa to the main dining area and bar, our footsteps competed only with the sounds of chattering monkeys and whispering trees.

For dinner, I indulged in a butternut and chorizo soup starter, a butternut and mushroom risotto main, and was simply too full for dessert.

My partner, who is not a fan of any kind of soup, preferred a warm crispy puff pastry tomato and cheese tart with basil pesto, edible flowers and crispy basil, followed by a rack of lamb main dish with charred sweet potato cubes, tender stem broccoli, baby carrots and mint sauce.

These were preceded by a crispy calamari, lemon and tartare sauce appetiser, and a bread course to complete the five-course meal.

On our arrival back at the villa, the hospitable staff had prepared a romantic evening with a prepared bubble bath and rose petals on the bed.

This ultimate couple’s wind-down was enough to put me to sleep like a baby and wake up in time to catch the sunrise through our bedroom window — my favourite part of the house.

Waking up to the sound of crashing waves, I snuck out of bed to make a quick cup of hot chocolate at our bedroom’s coffee and tea station, slid the windows open and savoured it along with the sun’s rays as they danced over the sea.

This as I lay on the cream-beige couch at the foot of our bed under a cosy mustard throw.

I took in this view for hours before it was time for breakfast and checkout.

We enjoyed my favourite meal of the day — breakfast — outdoors while admiring the view of the sea. If you are lucky, you get to spot dancing dolphins while eating.

As I mindfully indulge in mouth-watering poached eggs with cream cheese, smoked salmon and sautéed spinach on a toasted English muffin, I’m convinced that whoever came up with the proverb induku enhle igawulwa ezizweni (the most beautiful fighting stick is found nations afar) had never travelled from East London to Prana Lodge in Chintsa East.

For us, East Londoners, the stick can be as close as 40km.

• Prana Lodge is running a winter special, offering a 10% discount for bookings for its Forest or Prana suites for stays between May 1 and August 30. For more information, visit www.pranalodge.co.za