High above the lagoon, near the town of Knysna on the Southern Cape’s Garden Route, lies the Pezula Resort Hotel and Spa, the only luxury resort hotel in sub-Saharan Africa. The exclusive hotel embraces all things African–its art, decor, rich culture and unique environment–and offers an extensive range of accommodations in an extraordinary setting of rugged cliffs, ancient forests, secluded beaches and majestic mountains. If you crave luxury and romance in a honeymoon, here are five a reasons an escape to Pezula will satisfy your every desire.
1. The Scenery. Pezula, a Shona word meaning “high up with the gods,” is a total haven of privacy surrounded by natural beauty. The hotel borders the Sinclair Nature Reserve and the Noetzie River in an unspoiled region of forests, beaches and dramatic cliff-top locations, within the ecologically sensitive Cape Floral region of South Africa. Sweeping views of the Indian Ocean, the Knysna Lagoon and the Outeniqua Mountains add to the magnificence of this awe-inspiring environment.
2. The Suites. The hotel features 78 stylish suites, designed in shades of gold, brown and rust, with subtle African ethnic details. Each suite features a stunning view of the lagoon or the ocean and includes satellite TV, a DVD player and internet access. Spacious marble bathrooms feature large, egg-shaped (“calabash”) bathtubs and wet rooms for showering. Beds are dressed with Egyptian cotton sheets and the finest duvets. Feeling chilly? A real log fire can be lit in the in-room fireplace on request.
3. The Food. The hotel houses a cigar lounge, champagne and whiskey bar, library and gourmet restaurant, Zachary’s. The award-winning restaurant has built its fine reputation on executive chef Geoffrey Murray’s dedication to the use of local organic products, most of which are grown and harvested on-site. Signature dishes include sugar-cured salmon trout with fennel seed and star anise, prawn tartlet served with red onion reduction, and white peppercorn crème brûlée. A glass-walled wine cellar abuts the restaurant and features an excellent selection of over 1,500 bottles of local and international wines.
4. The Spa. The award-winning Pezula Spa (recently named “Best Spa in South Africa”) is a calm sanctuary that reflects the soul of Africa. World-class facilities feature a superbly equipped gym, an indoor heated pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, sunbed, nail bar, hair salon, juice bar and nine private treatment rooms. The spa’s extensive menu of services, which use indigenous treatment products, is further complemented by an after-treatment room where heated waterbeds gently massage the entire body.
5. The Green Commitment. Only 15% of the hotel’s total acreage will ever be developed. A massive rehabilitation program, the largest of its kind in South Africa, has restored much of the fynbos, the area’s native coastal vegetation. All the roads and tracks throughout the resort have retraced original logging trails to avoid disturbing the local wildlife, and as progress continues, birds and wildlife are being lured back. Today, over 120 species of indigenous birds have been identified as well as bush buck, baboons and bush pigs. Plans are being made to re-introduce zebra and other varieties of buck.
For more information, go to pezula.com.
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