A little while ago, our family took time out to enjoy a weekend away at the beautiful Cathedral Peak Hotel in Drakensburg. It’s a trip that I will probably never forget because of all the ‘firsts’ it came with – our first road trip as a family of four and although I have been to the ‘Berg a few times, it was my first time there with my hubby.
When we received the invitation to visit the hotel, I struggled to decide on whether it was best to make it a romantic trip for two or a fun family weekend with the kids – the latter felt like the most natural option, considering all the facilities the hotel offers. It was certainly the best decision – experiencing their joy at having both of us to themselves for the weekend was priceless. The weather forecast didn’t look promising, with low temperatures and rain being predicted for the weekend, but we went in with our hearts set of enjoying the special time away together.
Traveling to Cathedral Peak Hotel
Another consideration we had to make was the travel to the hotel, since I work in Johannesburg and hubby works in Durban. The hotel is situated in the Drakensberg mountain range (a World Heritage site) and is just 250 kilometres from Durban and 400 kilometres from Johannesburg. We decided that it wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t experience the full trip together and we drove from Johannesburg.
The drive felt extra-long with Khumo throwing a few tantrums along the way and all the “are we there yet” questions from her brother– but the route was scenic and beautiful. Living in the city can make one forget just how beautiful our country-side is. Watching the sun set over the mountains was incredible. We arrived after sunset and the roads were dark. The car beeped to let us know we were losing tyre pressure, so you can imagine our relief when we found out that the hotel has it’s own little petrol station!! We were welcomed by friendly staff and the porters helped us to our rooms.
The rooms
We found a personalised note, welcoming us to the resort, which was a lovely gesture, I’m super sentimental – I must say that the spirit of Ubuntu was a golden thread throughout our weekend. We stayed in an elegant superior room which had an inter-leading door to the kid’s bedroom – that gave us and the kid’s peace of mind.
We spent quite a bit of time in our rooms, because of the gloomy weather, so being comfortable and having enough space came highly appreciated. We had a beautiful view of the mountains while the underfloor heating made us feel super cozy indoors. I was impressed with the generous sizes of the modern bathrooms, which had a bath and a shower.
One of the things that stood out for me was reading a note from Sedi, where he was expressing his gratitude and excitement about our trip, all before our second night at Cathedral Peak. When it came to bedtime, we did what girls do best and played dress up, coupled with lots of pictures…
Children’s entertainment + things to do
We weren’t able to go for horse rides or swim but the hotel made sure there was plenty of entertainment for all the children. They have a separate lounge and entertainment area, where they watched movies, did cup cake decorating and had a colouring-in competition to name a few things. We went for an afternoon walk and spotted some peaceful buck, before the afternoon rain came pouring down. We got caught in the rain so it was such a treat to arrive back to the hotel having prepared a warm fire and treats like brownies, biscuits and scones for us to enjoy on the terrace. It was beautiful to see the rainbow fall between the mountains.
Other activities for children and adults include:
- Spa
- Hike and walking – there are 18 different trails
- Mountain bike trails
- Horse riding
- Quad biking
- Helicopter sightseeing
- Golf – the resort has it very own 9-hole golf course
- Tennis, outdoor chess, volleyball, badminton, a climbing tower
- Swimming – there are both heated and cold pools
Oh and I must add that it’s a wedding venue as well – we took a sneak peak of the regal chapel. If you’re a Makoti-to-be, this is a venue you want to add to your shortlist!
The food
Cathedral Peak Hotel is well-known for their dinner buffet and we got to find out for ourselves. You know when you can taste that your food was made with love?! No greater feeling! Sedi felt all grown up dishing up for himself. I stopped playing Ms-control-freak and allowed him to do his thing. It’s no secret that I have a sweet tooth, so I stayed very close to the desserts, which were on another level!! We were really well-fed at breakfast and dinner.
For our Saturday afternoon lunch on the terrace, I went with a mouth-watering salsa and some bubbly. I got a few minutes to myself while the kids moved between playing board games and being entertained in the children’s area.
All in all, it was one of the most refreshing weekends I have ever had – we truly made the most of it and in the end, the weather was not an issue. Just being out of the city with my family, brought on so much introspection and gratitude. I can’t wait to head back and experience it, on a warm summer’s day!
If you enjoyed this review and want to consider Cathedral Peak Hotel for your next vacation or upcoming wedding, visit Catherdal Peak Hotel I hope you enjoyed my very first hotel review… there will be more coming.
Love,
Modern Zulu Mom
