The midlands meander in KwaZulu Natal is honestly my favourite place in the world.  In fact, I’ve even told Hubs it’s where I’d love to retire one day.  We frequently visit, whether for a day meander or a weekend away, and this was our very first stay at Brahman Hills.  It was also a special occasion for us – our first wedding anniversary!

I have always known about Brahman Hills, and have often heard it mentioned as an exquisite wedding venue.  However, other than stopping by for a decadent spa visit, I’ve never been to the hotel.

The colossal grounds have different areas laid out, with hotel rooms, self-catering cottages and restaurants, as well as the various rooms used for weddings and events.  The Glass Chapel is just gorgeous, with a view of the lake that can’t be beaten.  According to the lovely Zama who showed us around, the chapel can also be hired as a private dining room, which would be magical!  They also have the Glass House, a reception venue that can seat anything from 100 to almost 400 guests, also overlooking the lake.

We were booked into a one-bedroom self catering cottage – the Impala Cottage – and even though we were a little early and there had been a wedding the previous day, with guests staying over, our cottage was ready for us when we arrived!  Zama showed us around the different restaurants, the bar, the cappuccino lounge in the front, as well as the event venues, before providing us with a map (including the wifi password) that directed us across the property to our cottage.

Our cottage was just close enough that we felt part of the hotel and all the eating areas, but far enough that we were in our own little isolated bubble – perfect for a romantic weekend away.

The one bedroom Impala Cottage is equipped with a lounge with fireplace and tv, a small kitchen, a bedroom with a lovely large (if slightly too firm) bed with a heater and electric blankets, a double shower with heated lights and a double sink, and if that’s not enough, a small deck with a heated jacuzzi and a braai.

We spent some time relaxing, before heading out to dinner at 89 on Copper, the gorgeous wine cellar restaurant at Brahman Hills.  You can read my review on our meal HERE – it’s food-heavy, and will make you drool!  We did also pop into the cellar bar Copper, with the last of our bottle of wine.  We snuggled up in huge soft armchairs by the fire and sipped our red wine.  It was so relaxing, and just the ultimate in winter escapes for me.

We decided to not sleep in too late – sure it was a holiday, but we wanted to really get out and explore as much as we could of the area.  We were up, showered and at breakfast just after 8, and we were absolutely wowed by the buffet spread that the Brahman Cafe puts on.  We are suckers for a good breakfast buffet, and this one was exceptional.

I managed to SOMEHOW squeeze in a blueberry muffin along with the obligatory pot of tea (I don’t function without it!) and we rolled out of the dining area to explore the meander.  We saw and did so much – we even scored a gorgeous Royal Doulton china set at Treasures & Trash, a local antique store.

We grabbed some delicious goodies to have for dinner – cold meats and some huge pretzels, along with some German Mustard from Bierfassl, and some chocolates from Chocolate Heaven, and settled in for the afternoon and evening in our cottage.  We had the hot jacuzzi and our anniversary wine from my sister in law and her fiance to start, and ended up with a crackling fire and our dinner, while watching a movie together in the cozy lounge.

We had such a relaxing weekend away, and everyone at Brahman Hills really ensured we had everything we needed.  The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful, particularly Zama at reception and Onwaba, the assistant GM.

I can highly recommend the venue, whether it be for a big event, a romantic weekend escape or a family holiday in one of the bigger self-catering cottages.

The hotel actually has some fantastic specials on at the moment too: –

At the Hotel

Valid until 30 September 2018

• Stay for 5/Pay for 3 – 5 night stay for 2 on a b&b basis, including meal vouchers to the value of R1000, a Spa voucher for R1000 and 15% off additional treatments = R6685
• Breathe Midweek Break – 3 night stay for 2, dinner, bed and breakfast, Sunday-Thursday and includes cappuccinos on tap at the Cappuccino Lounge, R1000 Spa voucher and 15% off additional treatments = R5000
• Winter Weekend Escape – minimum 2 night stay for 2 people, dinner, bed and breakfast and cappuccinos on tap = R3750 per weekend.

Self Catering Cottages

• Stay for 5/Pay for 3 Packages – in the 1 room cottages that we stayed in, you can stay for 5 nights, with R1000 meal vouchers and a R1000 Spa voucher for R7800 per couple. There are various other packages available for the 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom cottages as well, so feel free to call reception on 033-2666965 or email Brahman Hills on reservations@brahmanhills.co.za to enquire.

**DISCLAIMER – while we were hosted by Brahman Hills for the weekend, all opinions are honest and my own.**