The location is beautiful, the accommodation excellent, and our hosts were friendly and went the extra mile to make everything perfect. We had an awesome time.
[via Conservio]
Testimonial Category: Room Comfort & Quality
Company Annual Summit
As a South African and former lifestyle copywriter, I am fortunate to be familiar with the exceptional hospitality the Western Cape offers. Even with this high standard in mind, Penhill Farm exceeded all expectations for our company’s annual summit. Feedback from my team confirmed that our stay at Penhill was not only a treat but a truly unique experience.
When tasked with finding a setting that broke away from the typical corporate summit — no hotel rooms, no conference venues, but rather something intimate, private, and distinctly non-traditional — I initially thought it might be an impossible brief. Then I discovered Perfect Hideaways, who recommended Penhill Farm. It turned out to be exactly what we were looking for.
From the outset, working with Frikkie was a pleasure. Communication was seamless, and even complex dietary requirements were met with enthusiasm and ease. The food was exceptional — abundant, delicious, and thoughtfully prepared.
Bruce’s hospitality was outstanding. He consistently went above and beyond, always with a smile and a warm demeanour. A personal highlight was when I had a flat tyre. One of the groundsmen immediately stepped in to help without hesitation, even offering to take the tyre into town for repairs — all while I stood by, rather uselessly, in awe of his willingness to assist.
The accommodations were flawless. The manor house and cottages are impeccably designed and maintained, offering luxury, comfort, and functionality. The rooms were well-appointed with every amenity we could possibly need, and daily servicing ensured that everything remained pristine.
The grounds are stunning, with immaculate gardens and abundant wildlife. Waking up to birdsong, encountering tame ducks and tortoises, and soaking in the serene surroundings made the experience all the more special.
Thanks to Penhill, our company summit was set to a standard that will be incredibly hard to match — so much so that we may very well return next year.
Thank you, Penhill Farm, for the perfect stay and for creating such a special experience!
80th Birthday Celebration
ELO’s farm is a perfect example of a Luxury Gentleman’s Cape Dutch Estate where the owner is determined to maintain a property in excellent working order. The main house and cottages are authentically decorated in a modern Cape Dutch Style with beautiful South African art on display too. The garden and extended grounds are a joy to behold and a sensory delight. We had a dream intimate celebration for kids and grandkids for my mum’s 80th. Frikkie and Bruce were consummate hosts, no request was too big or too small to tend to. We elected for the full catered option and we were not disappointed. In fact I would give the food a six star rating. Generous portions and scrumptious recipes were produced with miracle speed by Frikkie in a tiny kitchen with a small staff compliment. I can recommend the hike to the look-out point. It was worth the steep incline. Highly recommend this property and really, there was not a single thing to complain about!
Luxury
The property was well-kept and enticing. The cottage came with all the expected amenities, it was comfortable and spacious. The hot tub was filled and ready to go. There was sufficient wood for the hot tub and fireplace. The braai came with charcoal and firelighters. The property had many different activities with all the required equipment, including a tennis court, cycling, and kayaking on the small dam. The location is peaceful and surrounded by pristine bush. The breakfast with brilliant and a complete surprise.
There wasn’t a document with the wifi code, and by the time we realised that we didn’t have it in the cottage, it was too late to ask. Guess that’s a good sign, though. One of the TV remotes had food messed on it, easy to miss. We were not sure if the property composted organic waste and would have been happy if that was the case.
[via Agoda]
Very Good
Prachtig huis, heel verzorgd.
Helaas werd er niet mee gedacht in de ontbijt en diner keuze’s en met name voor onze dochter. Wij waren de enige gasten en bij het inchecken zagen ze duidelijk dat we met een 4 jarige waren en bij het diner werd er niets voor haar voorgesteld, er stond niet eens een bord klaar. We kregen een verassing menu wat trouwens heerlijk was maar helaas niets voor onze dochter, de volgende ochtend bij het ontbijt werd er niet overlegd waar ze ons blij mee konden maken maar in plaats daarvan kregen we een grote schaal met worst, spek, champignons voorgeschoteld, niets van dit alles eten wij in de ochtend dus dood zonde dat we er niets van hebben gegeten. Toen we vroegen of ze iets voor onze dochter hadden of iets konden maken, een simpele toast met avocado bijv. Werd er lachend gezegd; ‘nee helaas we hebben niets en moeten boodschappen doen’ , vooral aangezien we de enige gasten waren, hadden we verwacht dat er de aandacht zou zijn maar helaas.
[via Agoda]
Peaceful Penhill
It’s a beautiful and peaceful farm. The West Grange apartment was lovely and well-appointed. It was wonderful to have a daily cleaning service. We had stayed once before in the Fruit Barn which we preferred as it is a self-contained cottage. The Swedish hot tub was lovely on the cool evenings. We enjoyed the walks, paddling on the dam, tennis and boules. We also enjoyed travelling to Saggy Stone Brewery, the Bistro at Rooiberg and Nuy on the Hill for lovely meals.
We were in West Grange. The couch is very comfortable but the two other chairs in the lounge are not easy to sit on, we moved in two of the outdoor chairs instead as we are a family of four. Outdoors areas are nice. West Grange is semi-detached and unfortunately the last night we had noisy neighbours with loud music, but otherwise the preceding few days were fine. We didn’t know about the Cellars restaurant as this has changed since last we visited, it would have been nice to have information in the cottages about the farm walks, dam, the restaurant and surrounding areas.
[via Agoda]
Beautiful estate
Penhill is a lovely farm. The gardens are immaculate and the dam with canoes and cute ducks are a nice addition. The tennis court has the best views and the units are well designed and very comfortable with lovely touches with a farm/Karoo feel yet classy. We also enjoyed tasty breakfasts at The Cellars. The hot tubs were a hit with the kids.
[via Agoda]
Last Minute Summer Vacation
I am not really into making New Years Resolutions, but I have decided that 2017 is the year to make sure our holidays are booked well in advance! Last year we found ourselves making very last minute plans for the summer vacation, but as luck would have it, I discovered The Old Fruit Barn at Penhill Manor.
Penhill Manor Nuy Valley
Penhill Manor tucked away in the Nuy Valley between Worcester and Robertson, is what I call off the beaten track, a hidden gem if you like. It is somewhere you can go to escape city life. As well as offering extremely charming accommodation, the farm is a haven of peace and tranquillity. Beautifully manicured gardens are alive with bird and insect life. It does not get much better than this.
A variety of self-catering accommodation options sleeps from 4 to 8 people per cottage. Units offer a fully equipped kitchen, dining room, and sitting room. A great bonus, especially in the heat we experienced, is that all cottages have air-conditioning units! For winter months there is a wood burning stove. There is also satellite TV, WiFi, as well as a sound system available.
The Old Fruit Barn
The cottage we booked for our stay was The Old Fruit Barn, originally built in 1870. The original building converted into holiday accommodation, can sleep four people in two double bedrooms. Each bedroom also has an en-suite bathroom. It has a fully equipped kitchen, dining room, and sitting room. The decor is simple but stylish with an array of various artefacts.
Our cottage also had air-conditioning units in the bedrooms, as well as the living area. It also includes a wood burning stove, satellite TV, WiFi and a sound system. Although the cottage has been modernised, they have managed to retain its rustic charm. The only downside for me was that there is no dishwasher, units however are serviced daily.
What we particularly loved about The Fruit Barn was the gorgeous pool area, which overlooks the beautiful gardens and magnificent Riviersonderend Mountains.
Activities on the Farm
There is a dam for swimming, fishing or paddling. Various cottages offer either private swimming pools or jacuzzis. We spent most of our time in the pool during our stay, which was wonderful!
It was a bit too hot when we visited, but there is also a tennis court, including rackets and tennis balls for guests to use. For something a bit different why not try croquet on the lawn or a spot of Boule.
For the more energetic explore one of the hiking, running or Mountain bike trails {with six bikes available for guests use}.
I loved the fact that there are five wine estates, two olive farms and a local brewery in the Nuy Valley alone. We did not get a chance to do much tasting while we were there because of the public holidays but it is on the agenda for next time.
Closing Thoughts
The staff at Penhill were most accommodating and friendly! A great touch was a bottle of bubbly that was delivered to our door on New Year’s Eve – a definite win in my books. I am hoping to book a longer stay there soon and do more exploring in the area and perhaps a hike or two.
