I truly wish that I had more time to spend blogging.  We hope that you enjoy reading our unique stories and poring over our special pictures as much as we enjoy sharing them with you.  This was one of those unforgettable South African Weddings with just two guests (the bride and the groom) and held in our little town of Swellendam (not Heidelberg, as you might have guessed)…

On the 1st of November last year, we received an out of the blue enquiry for a 6 (SIX!) night stay from a lovely German couple who went on to ask if they could get married whilst staying with us.  Schoone Oordt and Swellendam are usually used as a stopover for guests travelling the Garden Route and although we are trying to change this perception and encourage longer stays, a 6-night enquiry came as quite a surprise!

Judith and Christof found us whilst trawling the internet for a place that spoke to their heart in Heidelberg, GERMANY.  They came across our little Schoone Oordt Country Hotel very near Heidelberg, SOUTH AFRICA, on a German website and fell in love.  We helped them to organise a 12th day of the 12th month of the 12th year ceremony at exactly 12:00, at our friends at GodsWindow with a picnic on our lawns and next to our pool for just the two of them.  We spent a lot of time with this precious couple and feel as though we’ve cemented a beautiful relationship with them for life.

Christof had these extraordinary things to say about us on TripAdvisor:

‘Perfect! Wonderful!
When planning our trip to South Africa (3 weeks along the Garden Route), we saw the amazing pictures of Schoone Oordt by chance. The history of the house, the breathtaking surroundings, the story of Alison and Richard and their hard work over years to create such a place full of love, harmony and indescribable hospitality touched our hearts immediately. We both decided to get married at this wonderful place!
We stayed 6 nights (on our trip back to Cape Town we had to stop for another night and it felt like coming home) and experienced a wonderful time! The rooms are very comfortable, the dinners, the breakfasts absolutely flavorful and the services excellent and done hearty.
When thinking back we always have a smile on our faces and warm feelings in our hearts! We will always remember our stay at Schoone Oordt, we hope that we can come back as often as we can to celebrate our anniversary and we want to thank Alison, Sonette, Wander and Emma for making our stay so special!’

Thank you Judith & Christof for sharing such a significant experience with us and for choosing Schoone Oordt as your destination.

More captivating pictures can be found at Jacques Lloyd of Real Simple Photography.

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

This is SUCH brilliant news and we are SO excited to tell you about this wonderful, special new offering in Swellendam.  We have always been HUGE supporters of Bev and her team at Rain Swellendam as their ethical business sense, support of local previously disadvantaged people and pure style and talent speak to our heart.  We LOVE what they do and we LOVE the way they do it and we are so proud that we can offer such beautiful pampering to our guests.  So, if you’re coming to stay, please remember to book a treatment…

Without further adieu, I give you …drumroll!… the Rain Forest Day Spa in Swellendam

Rain is synonymous with ethically manufactured bath and beauty products of the highest quality as well as international Fair Trade and Beauty without Cruelty accreditations.

We have now branched out to launch our brand new Spa with Soul concept in the beautiful, historic town of Swellendam. The Rain Forest Day Spa employs qualified therapists with a passion for natural wellness and beauty from within. The spa menu offers pampering, relaxing, and de-stress treatments, catering for amongst others couples, brides and pregnant moms. There is a comprehensive menu featuring wraps, masks, scrubs and delectable oils, as well as Shiatsu, Deep Tissue Massage, Thai and Hot Stone Massage.

The day spa is located next door to the Rain Swellendam store and will transport you to an imaginary rain forest. Rain’s very own 100% natural Biologie product range is used in the spa for treatments and will be available for sale in all Rain stores. Biologie is a specialised skincare range harnessing the science of nature and is packed with anti-oxidants, botanical extracts and plant based actives. Biologie has been formulated around the company’s ethical and all natural approach to health and wellness encouraging the notion that beauty comes from within and from living a healthy and giving lifestyle.

Rain is currently training 12 aspiring therapists from the disadvantaged segment of the Swellendam community with a view to employment with Rain in the future. The spa is open daily from 9am -8pm. Bookings can be made at 028 514 1737 or rainforestspa@rainafrica.com

Of course, these absolutely stunning photos were taken by our super-talented friend, Bruce Geils of Flyinghorse Photography, who is able to make all things beautiful.

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

This post is going to look the prettiest yet!  Firstly, because our Bruce ‘Flyinghorse’ Geils takes the most spectacular pictures, but also because I’ve finally worked out how to get the pictures the same size within this new ‘blog’ thing.  Slowly, but surely, we get the hang of this…  I always seem to start an entry with an apology.  I seem to do the same with our newsletters!  Honestly though, time runs away far too fast and there is so much to say and so many lovely guests to take care of, so once again, apologies for the delay in telling you all about this very special rainy October country wedding…

Lizelle & Kevin are a dream couple.  They are gorgeous, uncomplicated, easy-going and we clicked with them immediately.  They absolutely LOVED Wander’s food especially his homemade chocolate ice-cream.  So much so, that Kevin ate it for breakfast more than once.  Their wedding was HUGELY blessed by the relentless rain.  Lizelle & Kevin galoshed (is that a word?) their way through their ceremony which was held at the most spectacular property close to Swellendam called ‘GodsWindow’.  Lizelle had visited the farm there as a little girl and had kept it in her heart for her ideal Swellendam country wedding.

Their reception was held in our light and airy conservatory which looked so beautiful.  We loved the ‘Candy Bar’ with sweets made themselves, we loved the white balls and fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and we loved the pure colours, succulents with soft roses, but most of all, we loved spending this glorious day with a truly lovely couple.  Thank you to Lizell & Kevin for choosing to share it with us!

And then there was the food…

Phyllo cones with roasted aubergine & pistachio in ‘broekie’ lace

Malay spiced prawns with garlic lemon aioli canapé and panfried salmon, creamed leeks and an organic tomato salad as a main

Oh gosh, so many beautiful photos…  here are just a few more for prettiness..

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

I know it sounds corny, but we LOVE children… (and animals, but this is a story for another time) and for the last few years, we have donated a special two night stay at Schoone Oordt to the Reach for a Dream Foundation.  They use this as an auction item at their spectacular annual gala dinner to raise funds for their projects.

This year, their 11th annual Gala Dinner was held at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay on Saturday, the 3rd of November.  Along with delicious food prepared by chef Bertus Basson, the amazing Brooklyn Hip Hop Crew performed, comedian Nik Rabinowitz made everybody laugh and Michael Mol kept a tight rein over the proceedings.  Not only was the event a huge amount of fun, but it helped to raise a great amount of money for an exceptionally good cause.

For 24 years, the Reach for a Dream Foundation, has brought hope, joy and healing to South African children.  These children, between the ages of 3 and 18yrs, use their dreams to fight life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, leukaemia, cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy, kidney failure and HIV infections.

In the last year, thanks to generous donations, they have managed to fulfill 199 dreams, 31 outings attended by 758 children, 4 camps, 9 Queen For A Day projects, 6 Captain Courage projects, 76 hospital visits by our Jabulani clowns and 14 hostings for dream families from other regions.

Reach for a Dream enriches children’s lives by making their dreams come true and as a result, distracting them from the needles, medication and hospital environment that they deal with on a daily basis. These young children are under extreme pressure and are in desperate need of our encouragement. In addition, the foundation offers the child a magical moment to regain their childhood that is being lost to an illness.

They look forward to inspiring hope and bringing lots more smiles and laughter to their dream children in the year to come.

If you think you can help, here is a link to their web-site and their Facebook page.

We’re so pleased that we could help just a little bit.

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

We were recently featured in the Food&Home Entertaining South Africa magazine.  What a stunning article and fantastic coverage.

Thank you to all at Food&Home!

Situated in the heart of the Overberg farming region, Swellendam is a restful stopover for travellers exploring the Garden Route…  by Ingrid Casson

About two hours’ drive north-east of Cape Town on the N2, halfway to George, the Overberg opens up into a sea of golden wheat fields enveloped by the majestic Langeberg mountain range.  It’s wheat, wool, canola and youngberry country, with vineyards fed by the Breede River.  The region is a delight for adventurers, hikers and foodies, and the town of Swellendam makes for an ideal base from which to explore.

Schoone Oordt Country House

The place: Schoone Oordt Country House is an elegant Victorian mansion dating back to 1853.  Its ornate architecture, fascinating history and sprawling grounds helped to make it a national monument in 1983.  After years of chequered history and eccentric characters calling it home, Schoone Oordt was bought in 2003 by present owners, Richard and Alison Walker.  With the mansion in a heavy state of disrepair, it was a mission of love for the couple, who spent nine years restoring the home to its former glory.

Its inception:Richard and Alison always dreamt of raising a family in the country.  When they simultaneously discovered Schoone Oordt and that Alison was pregnant, they realised country life could become a reality.  Richard tackled much of the renovations himself and sourced most of the beautiful antique furniture which he carefully restored.

The rooms: Ten romantic suites feature elaborate antiques that add grandeur to the rooms.  From the fixtures to furnishings, everything has been placed with extreme comfort in mind… extra-length king-size beds with goose-down bedding, fireplaces, oversized showers and original ball and claw bathtubs.

The food: Chef Wander Bester and his sous chef, Obakeng Mhlolo, are doing inspiring things in the Schoone Oordt kitchen.  It’s all about seasonal, local produce, like creamy regional goat’s cheese, veggies sourced from neighbour’s gardens and thick slabs of organic bacon… think buchu-smoked beetroot carpaccio, watercress salad and a Buffeljagsrivier goat’s cheese mousse, and free-range pork belly with a charcuterie jus (wholegrain mustard, pickled onions, gherkins, tomatoes, parsley) with pomme soufflé.  Breakfast is always a highlight and a bit outside the box: buttermilk plaatkoekies, local youngberry compote and vanilla poached pear with coconut and pistachio filling, served with double thick yoghurt.  These are partnered with homemade breads and pastries, with a pitcher of fresh fruit and veggie juice.

Bonus points: The cosy ambience is the result of team effort and passion between Alison, Richard, Wander and his wife Sonette, who help run the property.  They have a keen sense of community and readily offer suggestions on where to eat and what to do in this thriving country town.

Call 028-514-1248 or visit www.schooneoordt.co.za

Also visit…

The Old Gaol on Church Square

Run by dynamic Judi Rebstein and her husband, Brin, the building once belonged to Judi’s great-grandfather, Jacobus Willem van Eeden, an esteemed farmer and Member of Parliament in the area.  Today roosterkoek is king at this lovely eatery under the trees.  If you get there early enough you can witness the pillowy loaves baking over glowing coals in the garden, after which they are stuffed with sweet or savoury goodies.  Or get there for lunch and indulge in daily specials like waterblommetjie bredie, homemade pasta and Judi’s famous chicken pie.

8A Voortrek Street, Swellendam.  Call 028-514-3847 or visit www.oldgaolrestaurant.co.za

Wildebraam liqueurs and goodies

In 1998 Natalie Turck swapped city for country and relocated from Joburg to Swellendam, and she hasn’t looked back.  Her Wildebraam Berry estate which started off as a home industry specialising in berry liqueurs, has blossomed into a commercial operation.  Today Natalie’s farm store brims with more than 120 different products, including 10 flavours of liqueur (choc chilli, fennel and the region speciality, youngberry), which can be enjoyed neat or topped with tonic or soda for a refreshing long drink.  The chutneys, jams and relishes are made with ingredients sourced from the area and Natalie has created a range that goes particularly well with cheese, from sweet pepper jam and ripe fig to orange wheels.

22 Freesia Street, Swellendam.  Call 028 514 3132 or visit www.wildebraam.co.za

If you’re looking to stock up on gorgeous bathroom goodies, the Rain franchise was started by Swellendam local, Bev Missing.  Her stores are now located worldwide and the pretty shop in town offers their nourishing handmade products comprising African ingredients like Kalahari melon, baobab oil and mafura butter.  An adjoining room features pretty crockery and kitchenware from the trendy Mud Studio.

274 Voortrek Street, Swellendam.  Call 028-514-1737 or visit www.rainafrica.com

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

Our very chilly, very wet Winter is over (thank goodness!) and we’re gearing up for another fabulous season. The blossoms are out, the sun is shining and my word, the countryside around Swellendam is glowing. Truly beautiful. Wish you were here.

Thank you all so much for your lovely support this past year, for either choosing to stay with us, enquiring with us or sending your guests to us and of course, for your kind words. Without you, Schoone Oordt simply wouldn’t be… and we are super grateful!

We’ve been quiet on the news front for a bit because… well, because we’ve been taking extra special care of our guests, we’ve been eagerly awaiting the birth of our new little addition to the Schoone Oordt family – Welcome to the world precious Ivy Nell Walker – and we have been working on our magical new website. Being as particular as we are, this took MUCH longer than expected (isn’t that a bit of a Schoone Oordt trait?!). We’d LOVE to hear what you think…

Thank you to Bruce of Flyinghorse Photography for the incredible new photos, for his fantastic design, but most of all for his long-suffering patience with our minute attention to detail and many many changes. Special mention must go to Wander Bester (our talented chef, manager, handyman, bonsai enthusiast and occasional photographer) for the stunning images of the conservatory at night and the gorgeous Overberg wheat fields on our home page and we simplycannot forget Don, who made the whole thing live!

In keeping with talented photographers, do have a look at the weddings & occasions page under ‘our house’ menu for some of the beautiful days that have been captured at Schoone Oordt. Or have a look at South Bound Bride for Harriet & Craig and Julie & Matt. For some really ‘swell’ specials, do have a browse through our ‘Swell Offers’ page under ‘Bookings’. We hope you’ll visit us soon.

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

Well, season is nearly over… Can you believe it?

The Easter Weekend marks the official end of our Summer Season and the beginning of quieter, cooler days. What a wonderfully busy time it has been. We are so grateful to our lovely guests for their kind words, appreciation and support and our fantastic, loyal staff, without whom, Schoone Oordt just wouldn’t be. For me, its interesting to note that things don’t always run smoothly, stuff goes wrong, often at the most inopportune moments and especially when busy, but a sense of humour and kindness prevails and isn’t it always the way it’s handled that counts…?

I have just been sorting Schoone Oordt photos and stumbled upon a number of great ones, but these depict quite clearly how far we have travelled with this property. The two you see on the left are of our Honeymoon Suite in 2005, the only other cottage we didn’t build from scratch!

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

It’s always wonderful to see our names in print and here we are, featured in the local Sunday Times on the 5th Feb along with fantastic things to do in Swellendam. Apologies for the not-so-great quality of the scans, but the full article is on-line – link below.

So, for those that thought Swellendam a quiet sleepy dorp, read on…
www.timeslive.co.za/travel/2012/02/…

Nancy Richards spent a couple of days (one of those evenings with us) in Swellendam and fell in love… We were lucky enough to be part of her radio programme too. Thank you so much, Nancy, for the lovely exposure both for Schoone Oordt and for our little town.

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

I have to share with you how utterly excited I am about our little fledgling restaurant… Eighteen53… Rich and I had dinner last Thursday night and it was so delicious I wanted to dance a jig on the table (I didn’t though, just clicked my heels walking through to the kitchen!). We were lucky enough to share the conservatory with some of our wonderful guests and it was an evening to remember.

I had the tasting of tomato to start(marinated tomatoes, herb leaves, basil oil, tomato coulis, tomato sorbet, tomato pips, basil sour cream and garlic tuille) and Rich had the rooibos smoked beetroot carpaccio, whipped goats cheese, ciabatta wafer and baby leaf salad. We both had the pork belly with charcurterie jus, potato pureé and sautéd greens as main, although there was gorgeous angelfish on the menu too. Rich ended off with dark chocolate tart, spiced ice cream, basil & strawberry compote and I couldn’t resist the vanilla & orange brulee (served warm), white chocolate sorbet and coconut tuille biscuit. It was SCRUMPTIOUS!

Please do yourself a favour and book a table for at least one of the evenings that you stay with us. We are SO fortunate to have Wander (chef, manager and occasional handyman) as part of our Schoone Oordt Team. Thank you to him and his lovely wife, Sonette for taking our little Swellendam country hotel to a whole new level!

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation

We’ve hit the media a bit over the last few months and would love to share with you.

David Batzofin and his very lovely wife, Caro, came to stay with us for a weekend whilst they explored our gorgeous town. Attached is a picture of the article in the Citizen. We’re very lucky that we’re going to be featured again, an article all about Schoone Oordt and I will definitely post that too! I will also be speaking to David this afternoon over the radio – will post that link too.

In the meantime, here is a link to the Citizen article and David’s own Travel Awards!

www.citizen.co.za/citizen/content/e…

davidbatzofin.blogspot.com/2011/12/…

Rich and I featured in the Essentials magazine too, an article about how we got to Swellendam, what motivated us to move here and how we managed to pull it all off! Well, to the best of our ability anyway. This second picture is the article that featured there.

Thank you all for the great coverage and exposure!

Schoone Oordt Country House - Swellendam Accommodation