Plumbago Guest House

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Through wrought-iron gates at the end of a bougainvillaea-lined drive I found Plumbago, as pretty as the flower that shares its name. Set on an avocado and banana farm, it sits above the plantation watching over it and out to Kruger Park in the distance.....

.... When I arrived, 1940s jazz was swinging out from the radio, just the right aural accompaniment to the nostalgic, colonial-inspired setting. In the drawing room and bar, an eclectic collection of antiques, paintings and rugs are interspersed with vases filled with exotic flowers and extravagant palm-leaf fans that stretch up to the ceiling. The rooms have the same casual gracefulness about them with their subtle, natural tones, Jacobean print curtains, mahogany beds and abundance of vased and water-coloured flowers. With a large lived-in verandah, elegant pool and sauna in the beautifully tended garden there’s plenty of opportunity to relax and mull over days gone by, particularly in Robbie’s history-reading section in the tennis court’s viewing lapa. But what really makes this place stand apart are the Robertsons themselves. On my visit, Ilara (who honed her culinary skills cooking for diplomats) was deciding on that evening’s dinner menu while Robbie was itching to go flying before being back for waitering duty later on. A young and active bunch, they are often busying about doing their own thing but are more than happy to share their passions with you. 20 mins to Kruger and close to Panorama Route and God’s Window. Babysitting available. Activities, game drives, beauty treatments can be arranged with help from Ilara. Small weddings can be arranged in the garden.

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