Durban - The first thing you need to know about San Lameer is that it’s an estate and not an actual little town dotted along the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.
When people talk about the location it tends to come across as a little town, like say Ballito on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast. And after spending a weekend there I can understand why – though not quite a town with a post office and shopping mall, San Lameer is a 169 hectare nature conservancy.
On its grounds you will find 620 privately-owned villas, an 18-hole professional golf course, and the Mondazur hotel and spa, which we stayed at. It’s also the only estate in South Africa with direct access to two Blue Flag beaches, and interestingly was the very first golfing estate development in the country.
It’s featured like a town would be in all the guides illustrating the South Coast, and has the appropriate signage and intersections off the national highway.
In terms of estate feel it’s just about holiday postcard perfect – with kids on bicycles, couples holding hands and walking down to the beach, and braai smells permeating the late afternoon salty air. As far as holiday homes go, I reckon it doesn’t get much better than this, with generously-sized villas scattered along kilometres of tarred roads, idyllic little gardens, and controlled access to the beaches.
The four-star Peermont Mondazur hotel has a bit of a Greek design-style going for it, with its curvy white walls, tropical feel, and views that stretch over the nearby lagoon (the beach is a five minute walk away). In terms of size, it has 40 air-conditioned rooms on offer, comprising eight classic, 26 deluxe, two superior rooms, and two suites.
The rooms adopt that seaside holiday feel, and are airy with tiled floors and wooden furniture – while at the same time offering a modern bathroom, comfy bed, and most of the luxury amenities you would expect. We had a lounge area too, which was relaxing to just read a book or watch TV, and a luxurious bathtub for a soak after a swim. You can also hear the ocean from your room.
The hotel offers just one dining area, the Lagoon Grill and Bar, and it must be said that I didn’t have a bad meal there. Being KwaZulu-Natal the curries were excellent, but so were the grills and the buffet breakfast. I liked that room service had the tastier options from the restaurant menu, and was brought to our room with condiments.
Other hotel amenities include two floodlit tennis courts, two swimming pools and two squash courts; while additional recreation can be had in the form of action cricket, volleyball, mashie golf, boat rides, bowling, and walking trails.
Or there’s the famous Oribi Gorge nearby, which offers one of the highest abseil and cable-slide locations on the planet.
Overall, service at the hotel is above par. We had different little snack platters waiting in our room daily, and snack bags prepared for road trips when we skipped breakfast. The staff are friendly and easy going, and put you in that holiday mood – something you don’t easily get in fancier establishments.
The beach is the highlight of the estate, and is pristine with lifeguards keeping an eye on your activities and the water warm.
The estate borders on the kilometre-long Marina Beach, and features a tidal pool, should the little ones prefer a calmer approach. Make sure you take your fishing rod along too – it seems a prime spot for casting a line.
We went in mid-winter and I have to say the weather was warm, balmy and ideal – not hot and humid like the coastal summer.
The only real issue with San Lameer is that it’s about 160km from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, meaning you can’t use it as a Durban holiday per se – it’s more of a stand-alone retreat. - Sunday Independent
To book or for more info visit www.sanlameer.co.za
l Minesh Bhagaloo was a guest of San Lameer