Durban - Marc Basset, restaurant critic and central character in Jay Rayner’s novel The Apologist, speaks eloquently of the difficulty of critiquing a fine meal, where everything combines to make an immensely enjoyable occasion that washes over one, rather than having a snag on which to hang catchy phrases.
I feel much the same way about Ama Casa self-catering cottages in the central Drakensberg. Our weekend there was just wonderful – a blurring of most pleasant, well, everything.
Like most fine meals, you pay for the experience – R1 200 a night on the weekends for the Hoopoe and Kingfisher cottages, and R2 400 for the Sunbird, but you get what you pay for – and so much more. And you can shell out a great deal more elsewhere.
And, to quote a hackneyed phrase by lesser scribes than Rayner, the Ama Casa cottages are “nestled in the foothills of the Drakensberg”. And they nestle oh, so beautifully, offering unobscured, wonderful views of Champagne Castle and Cathkin Peak.
Quiet, private, safe, carefully thought-out and designed, and proudly cared for by curators Les and Dave Goldsworthy, the three cottages have so much going for them.
Hoopoe and Kingfisher are gorgeous open-plan two-sleepers, perfect for romantic getaways.
We were in the six-sleeper Sunbird, with three full en-suite bedrooms (two with queen beds and one with twins), each with views that trumped those on DStv, though we did check the weather on the big flatscreen in the lounge.
It seems we brought welcome cooler and wetter weather with us. These cottages are made for cold weather, with heated towel rails, fireplaces in the lounges, underfloor heating and outdoor Jacuzzis.
I’ve always thought Jacuzzis overrated, but that Jacuzzi? Sold! We spent a lot of time in the tub, usually with the jets off to appreciate the silence, toasting the views across the beautiful garden to the mountains.
The Goldsworthys are more than keen gardeners. Indeed, they have a nursery on the property. Les oversees the pretty bits, while Dave’s handiwork is impressively evident in the various water and other features dotted about outside.
Joey, a delightful little Jack Russell, oversees guest relations, though she knows not to gatecrash the cottages – sort of.
The grounds are large. An extensive ramble will take you over an hour, and may also lead you to the rimflow swimming pool shared with the neighbours, although we did not swim in it. Instead, we rambled further afield after our first breakfast and swam in the river pools in the Monks Cowl reserve, just a 10-minute drive away.
We contributed to the local economy – some great basketware – and headed for the 10.30am show at Falcon Ridge Bird Of Prey Centre. The lowering clouds caused the raptor show to be cancelled, but it was a privilege to be around the magnificent winged creatures.
We didn’t make it to the next-door reptile centre, but returned to our home comforts as the rain came down. Jacuzzis are lekker in the rain too, but we scarpered at the first thunderclap.
Indoors was a nice place to be, though. I appreciated the foldaway glass doors and very tall windows in the triple-volume space, which kept us connected with the outside while we cooked in the kitchen, since braaiing was out of the question.
The grill was a very efficient substitute, the dishwasher a welcome help, and the siesta we had afterwards even more appreciated.
Rain or shine, there is lots to do in the area. The resort also has a way of keeping you there, perhaps in the quiet courtyard alongside the water feature with a good read.
The quiet is encouraged (no children under 13 are allowed unless by prior arrangement), and the peace is priceless. I wasn’t the only one who has slept better than in ages since returning home.
l Call 036 468 1303 and visit www.amacasa.co.za.
Adrian Rorvik, Sunday Tribune