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May 9, 2025

Luxury Safari Magazine’s Diane McLeish reviews The Plettenberg Boutique Hotel

Can I tempt you to come and meet me where the sky touches the sea?

With the engine humming and the windows down, my road trip adventure began along one of the most beautiful road trips in South Africa. So scenic is the stretch of road along the Tsitsikamma National Park that it was named the Garden Route.

Location

Somewhere in the middle of this route is the holiday town of Plettenberg Bay, an ultimate South African seaside escape with six beautiful beaches with long stretches of golden beaches lapped by gentle waves. Plettenberg Bay is considered an exclusive and affluent destination for wealthy visitors seeking a secluded holiday retreat in a beautiful natural setting.

Originally known as Baia Formosa (Beautiful Bay) by the Portuguese who landed here, the curve of pristine beach is now a trendy playground for sunbathers, surfers and wildlife lovers. With dolphins leaping in the waves and whales patrolling the waters, Plettenberg Bay is a cosmopolitan coastal paradise that will add a splash of Garden Route glitz to your South Africa holiday.

My destination was The Plettenberg, a 5* Relais & Chateaux Hotel built on a rocky headland in a prime position of coastline with breathtaking vistas of the sea, mountains and miles of golden sand. The bay is situated within a narrow coastal stretch of 300 kilometres between Mossel Bay and the Tsitsikamma Mountains.

The moment I walked in, I felt like I had stepped into a coastal dream, the ocean breeze carrying the scent of salty air. I was welcomed into a beautiful, picture-perfect space of splendid design, inviting public areas, using colour, textures, wallpaper, objects d’art as well as original South African works of art in themes of blues, greens and soft sand colours to emphasise the ocean, beach and sky.

Rooms

The 35 luxury rooms and suites are elegantly furnished, featuring large floor-to-ceiling windows and contemporary bathrooms. Whatever room category you choose, from a Double Room right up to a spacious Premier Suite with a private step-out balcony looking out over the bay and surrounding area, you can rest assured that you will enjoy stylish and comfortable accommodation. The Double rooms are spacious, while the Luxury Double rooms feature a small sitting area. Some also come with a private balcony offering wonderful views of Plettenberg Bay and the ocean. Suites are open and bright, featuring a separate spacious living area, and some can be interconnected to accommodate families. Meanwhile, Premier Suites have French doors leading out to a private balcony. All rooms offer a truly idyllic and indulgent experience, each individually designed with sea-inspired décor with endless sea views.

In addition, two larger accommodation options are also offered, which are perfect for families – the 2-bedroomed Beach House and 3-bedroomed Lookout Villa, which are ideal for those wanting more privacy or who are travelling with larger groups. Both villas also have their private swimming pool.

The hotel is spread over two buildings, with the more private one being the Blue Wing, which is only for the use of in-house guests. It has its heated infinity swimming pool with recliners and an elegant glass-surrounded garden lounge, again exquisitely decorated in cool, green and blue hues.

Food and drink

Set in a contemporary environment, the recently revamped restaurant, Amelia’s, is elegantly decked out in harmonious hues, a palette reflecting the blues, yellows, ochres and turquoise of the seascape it overlooks, and extends out onto the newly widened terrace for easy breezy outdoor dining on sultry summer days and nights.

The menu has a fresh take on the signature dishes that regulars know and love. The indoor dining section offers beautiful views of the pool and ocean, while the outdoor terrace is perfect for alfresco dinners, with mesmerising ocean vistas – especially at sunset. The restaurant is renowned for its ocean bounty, drawing inspiration from the rich marine life that can be found in Plettenberg Bay.

I decided on the tempura prawns for my starter, and these plump and juicy prawns were served with glass noodles, homemade sweet chilli jam, aioli and stir-fried vegetables. My husband enjoyed the steamed black mussels in garlic and white wine, and cream sauce. For our main courses, one was a beautiful pan-seared South Atlantic Ocean tuna with pickled ginger, soba noodles, wok-fried greens and toasted sesame dressing and the other a hand-caught battered hake with triple-cooked chips and peas. The sweet, delicate flavour of the fish was undeniably fresh with a clean, ocean-like flavour. All the dishes were not only delicious but also visually appealing, with careful attention to detail.

The delicious food, impeccable service and charming atmosphere made for a memorable evening.

The Sandbar

Leading off from the sun lounge, the contemporary Sandbar cocktail bar and lounge continues the light and breezy beach theme in its decor. In the evening, it makes an ideal place to savour a selection of local, award-winning wines, bubbly, spirits and expertly mixed cocktails.

Barefoot luxury

I really connected with the hotel in its way of describing itself as barefoot luxury. This concept is strongly associated with South Africa and is a desire to embrace more relaxed, authentic, luxurious experiences that are seamlessly integrated with the natural world. It is a way of appreciating the finer things of life, not in material possessions but in experiences and connections that enrich the soul. Barefoot luxury is a state of mind and invites us to pause, take a breath and simply be.

The Plettenberg is one of the three 5-star hotels in the Liz McGrath Collection. All in unique locations that exemplify South African hospitality and share the philosophy of creating ‘a world away from the ordinary’.

Facilities and activities

Guests can make use of the two outdoor swimming pools, the spa and gym equipment, which is provided in a bag for personal use. The spa, with its cool, calm interior, is the perfect retreat for guests looking to relax, unwind and recharge. The spa menu features a range of indulgent signature treatments and spa packages for ladies, gents and couples. There’s also a boutique and laundry facilities on site, while complimentary Wi-Fi can be accessed throughout the property. Free secure parking is available for those who are self-driving. If you can bear to leave the gorgeous hotel grounds, a leisurely 10-minute stroll takes you to the bustling town centre of Plett, as the town is fondly called, to an array of wonderful shops, boutiques, laid-back restaurants and popular nightlife spots.

The hotel has a whale bell for guests and visitors to ring when they spot whales or dolphins in the bay. There can be year-round sightings of the resident Bryde’s whales, pods of bottlenose dolphins and shy Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. The temperature stays warmer in this area for longer, which means that the whales linger until December.

The wonderfully attentive but discreet staff, who were all incredibly friendly and helpful, are an asset to the hotel, and we received excellent service from everyone.

This magnificent landscape combines with a warm Mediterranean climate, making the Garden Route a perfect cocktail of sunshine and scenery. The winter months are gentle and moderate, while the summer is warm without being uncomfortable. There’s a high level of rainfall in winter, which explains the lush forests, rushing rivers and bright, blooming flowers of the region.

Come dance with the waves, move with the sea and let the rhythms of the water set your soul free. An escape to a world of sun-kissed sand and endless ocean views.

E:  Reservations
W: The Plettenberg Hotel

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Written by Diane McLeish for Luxury Safari Magazine


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