Country House Hotels
Although he had a hand in many landmark properties, Lanzerac, The Drostdy Hotel and The Marine among them, it was his passion for great cars and vintage elegance that fuelled his legacy: Matjiesfontein.
Although we have the Scot James Logan to thank for being sufficiently savvy to open a rest stop for travellers from Kimberley to the Cape, we have David Rawdon and still his family to credit for purchasing, restoring and now resurrecting Matjiesfontein.
Liz McGrath purchased The Marine Hotel from Rawdon and after her extraordinary success in turning that property into Hermanus' most gracious and sublime luxury hotel and cuisine experience, it was only fitting that she and her team should achieve the same for The Lord Milner Hotel.
Mrs M worked on transforming The Lord Milner for two years before her passing and The Collection by Liz McGrath team headed by Johan Dipenaar have seen to it that The Lord Milner has again burst into its bygone elegance and popularity Already, weekends at The Lord Milner are nearly fully booked in perpetuity.
Dipenaar, who has worked for the Collection by Liz McGrath for more than eight years, is General Manager. His wife Tronette, is Head Chef. They both love the Karoo and The Lord Milner and have successfully taken the Hotel forward, providing comfort and charm for all the guests, as well as an exceptional experience in South Africa.
"We are thrilled to have secured the optimism, drive and dedication of the McGrath team in realising a fitting hospitality experience of which we can all be proud.
This partnership will fulfil a shared passion to provide a unique historical and cultural tourism experience for all to enjoy, and build a strong and sustainable hotel business that provides far-reaching opportunities for the small Karoo community to which it is inextricably linked" says Tom Rawdon in a media statement.
"Through this collaboration with The Collection by Liz McGrath, The Rawdon Family will be in a position where they can realise their long-term objectives of lifting Matjiesfontein to a healthy, sustainable position and securing the future of the village and its people."
Having stopped at The Lord Milner Hotel three or four times in the last decade while on The Rovos Rail or The Blue Train, the historic hotel, while still charming, was looking increasingly long in the tooth. Happily, things today seem much fresher yet without losing some of the anachronistic touches like the in-room music system that made it so charming.
This was the first time I'd spent overnight and while I didn't meet any of the famed Matjiesfontein ghosts, I did see more stars than I ever do nearer Cape Town. Not surprising I suppose that the observatory at Sutherland is nearby (by Karoo standards, anyway.)
Most enjoyable other than taking in the clean, dry air, was the walk on the site of the British camp. It is hard to imagine that 10, 000 soldiers were there during the South African War until you walk among the shards and fragments of rusted cans and remnants of arms or thick piece of glass, ceramics and other clues of life. The whole of historic Matjiesfontein is a museum but it is absolutely worth visiting the museum at the train station and the transport museum especially if you're a petrolhead.
Our room 18 has a generous front-facing balcony from which to watch the arrivals and departures including the trains and many who simply stop for refreshments. It's quirkiest feature, is, however, the twin bath tubs that hint at the once health spa nature of the building. With two grand high backs and a canopied bed, the room is elegant but at the same time comfortable enough to feel you can kick off your shoes and put your feet up. Some restorations also manage to restore the original soul out of a property but this hasn't happened here. In fact, it would be remiss to describe this as anything but lovingly restored. It may be odd in today's climate not to have TVs in every room, but I actually hope that they never do.
We found ourselves, after just one day, more relaxed than we usually do during a hotel stay.
Maybe, like it did for Olive Schreiner who lived next to the hotel, (and the movie Story of an African Farm was made nearby) this town will feed your creativity too.
And, speaking of food, even if you're on a LCHF/Banting diet the cuisine is as generous as you'd hope from a Karoo village and delicious coming from the likes of The Liz McGrath Collection chefs.
With restaurant staff wearing hats like Downtown Abbey's Mrs Patmore you have no choice but to immerse yourself in the kind of delicious hospitality you can imagine from a place where while time has stood still. Yet, happily the linen is as crisp, and the bedding as firm, as any five-star hotel in the city.
Rates are much more affordable than you'd expect and there is accommodation in the hotel itself, in cottages as well as in The Matjies Motel.
For more, go to www.matjiesfontein.com.
