Karoo living: rustic chic and country charm in Prince Albert

Posted on 14 April 2011

Prince Albert is Karoo country living at its best. When I travel, it’s not only the people, attractions and activities that interest me, but also the design and décor of each establishment. On a recent trip to Prince Albert I discovered that the current trend for country living meant that the town’s old-world charm has integrated modern country chic, subsequently offering some of the country’s finest establishments.

After a very long (extraordinarily long) drive exploring the padstals and severely eroded passes of Route 62, Sarah Duff and I pulled into De Bergkant Lodge. The owner, Charles, was the owner of the well known De Waterkant Lodge in the trendy Cape Quarter in Cape Town. He moved to Prince Albert to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, trading it in for the Swartberg Mountains, Carel Lotz gables and Karoo hospitality.

The lodge’s rooms had large wooden sash windows, thick walls, high ceilings and chunky furniture dating back to the mid 1800’s. My bathroom had a ball and claw Victorian bath with copper taps set on black and white tiles. It was love at first sight. A sense of history combined with trendy country decor. The main lodge is a museum of antique trinkets, paintings and photographs. Get Charles to pour you a refreshing drink and listen to their stories – it’s a treat for any art/antique enthusiast.

We spent our second night at Dennehof Karoo Guest House. Almost reaching its double century, it is the oldest surviving building in Prince Albert, having been built in 1935. Our room had funky black and white dappled wallpaper, large fluffy-white duvets, and high ceilings reminiscent of an old Cape Dutch farmstead. Ria, the owner, had bought the property a few years earlier and restored the building to its old, glamorous self. There are a number of rooms available within the original household, a few rooms dotted around the property and a self-catering cottage option. If you’re keen for a taste of proper country living for a day or two, I suggest the self-catering option, which is located on a working farm just in front of the guesthouse.

The following two nights we stayed at the recently-renovated cottages of African Relish. The country cooking school is a whole other story, but if you’re willing to spend the bucks then I’d highly recommend it (even if it’s only to spend the night in one of their trendy cottages). Their cottages are totally unassuming from the street, but inside it’s an interior decorators delight. The small, yet spacious, cottage opens onto a backyard of lush grass lawns with two open-air baths, so you and your partner can bathe under the Karoo skies.
The Karoo has definitely changed its spots and is fast becoming a trendy, design (and gourmet) tourist destination. I can’t wait to go back there with a bakkie and my credit card!






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