scores top marks for location, hospitality, style, service and food – quite an accolade! Set in a private nature reserve on the edge of the Tsitsikamma Forest, the attractive rooms have breathtaking views of the surrounding valley and mountains. Few activities are more restful than gently swinging in the hammock chair on your terrace, sipping a cooling drink and watching the monkeys play in the forest trees.
Hog Hollow Country Lodge is about as good as it gets on the Garden Route, in our opinion. It’s a great favourite with our clients, many of whom return for a longer stay.
This scenic four-star retreat is ideal for birdwatchers and walkers, yet close to the superb beaches of Nature’s Valley and the attractions of The Crags and Plettenberg Bay. Staff can help to plan your day, book activities, provide you with directions and make you a mouthwatering picnic basket.
Accommodation at Hog Hollow
The 16 suites are well spaced out and stylishly decorated in warm, indigenous colours and fabrics. Each has a private deck with panoramic forest views. Lovely touches, like a hot-water bottle on cooler nights and a charming bedtime story left on your pillow, make this a very special experience.
Food
Hog Hollow has an enviable reputation for its superb food. The wonderful and varied farmhouse breakfasts are served on a large and spacious terrace overlooking the pool and forest – or by the enormous fireplace, when the mornings are cool. In the evenings, guest eat sitting around two huge tables, so dinner is a great opportunity to meet other guests, from South Africa as well as from all over the world. Conversation can go on quite late sometimes and finish over a nightcap!
Facilities
The three lounge areas are ideal for a quiet read or refreshing drink and the good-sized pool lets you do a serious swim or simply take a refreshing dip.
Hog Hollow Villa
The newly converted three bedroom, double storey villa at Hog Hollow is the jewel in the crown of this ‘must visit’ lodge. It has fabulous views over the forest and mountains, a private infinity pool, a huge lounge with great sounds and digital TV, a gorgeous open plan kitchen with all mod cons and a games room complete with pool table. The villa works well for both couples and families. Eat in or at the main lodge which has a reputation for superb cuisine.
Activities
Hog Hollow Country Lodge is close to the magnificent beaches of Keurboomstrand and Plettenberg Bay. Dolphins are permanent residents of these waters and whales come to calve and mate from June to October. The secluded, unspoiled beach at Nature's Valley is just a short drive away.
Beginning at Hog Hollow, a delightful walk through the Tsitsikamma Forest leads you to the Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary. The nearby Robberg Nature Reserve is home to a large colony of Cape Fur seals. If you are lucky, you will spot a variety of marine life, including a number of shark species; otherwise, you will have to content yourself with the seals and the spectacular views. All kinds of adventure activities available in the area: tandem sky-diving, bungy jumping from Bloukrans Bridge (the highest in the world), black-water tubing, mountain bike and hiking trails, to name but a few.
If you are in need of some retail therapy, visit the nearby Curiosity: African Art Sculptures & Curious Objects, ,where you will find imaginative, original artworks. Purchases can be shipped straight to your home, anywhere in the world, for reasonable prices, so there is no danger of going over your luggage limit.
Children
Hog Hollow welcomes children. Babysitting, special turn downs with a glass of fresh milk and a gingerbread man, children’s stories and CDs, bucket and spades and special child-friendly menus are among the ways Hog Hollow helps children enjoy their stay. However, since the lodge is on the edge of a gorge and the swimming pool is unfenced, adults must accompany children at all time. Children eat earlier at a children’s sitting or, if you would prefer to dine with your children, you will be served at your own separate table.
Community involvement
Nearly all the lodge staff have been recruited from the nearby village. New staff undergo a rigorous training course to make them part of the Hog Hollow team and to ensure that they meet international standards for hospitality and service. This they do so successfully that staff members have been able to move on to good positions in the industry. The lodge is committed to supporting the local economy through the purchase of supplies as well as through employment; and their work has been recognised by their certification by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa.