Hopefield Country House

Comentarios destacados

• BackPacker800547

  11 febrero 2020
  Highs and lows

  Hopefield is signed from the main road and we were quickly at what appeared to be the gate.  A tree lined avenue was then taped off due to muddy conditions but luckily I spied a possible route in, even if it did appear to enter the citrus farm.  Perhaps a temporary sign would help. At the main gate nothing worked, and we eventually got through by phone. It was apparently due to a loss of power from ongoing load shedding.  That's fine but perhaps a sign here too.  We arrived one minute after the time we'd said so someone looking out wouldn't have been amiss. We were in, that was the main thing. After a very thorough tour of the inside we settled into our room for a while.  It was pleasant, the whole place being a former residence for the owners. As a result it very much has their stamp on it from the books, to the decor and furniture, to the art. Some was mildly eccentric, other elements modern antique.  Our room was nice, a decent size.  An open arch to the bath and shower was a little odd but at least the toilet had a door.  Although there were plenty of alternative toilets in the house, as highlighted during the tour. However, a very large area of long term mold above the shower was disappointing to see. Towels were faded, indicative of it all needing a mild hug. We headed outside, grabbing a couple of recliners close to the pool. It all sits in the middle of a very large lawn as birds of various kinds make all sorts of pleasant noises in the surrounding trees. Idyllic. We'd decided to have dinner here. It has to be said options in Addo are extremely limited and I'm not too keen on being driving out and about after dark. It's a like it or lump it three course affair - set starter and dessert, with the main a meat or vegetarian choice.  In effect it's a dinner party style, at a set time. After a superfluous half quail egg teaser came the starter, a twice baked cheese soufflé.  It arrived hockey puck sized, the long disappeared cheese hidden inside, effectively, an omelette.  The bottom was burnt, the flavours quite bland. We had one of each main.  The meat was oxtail, a niche choice but joyfully one of my favourites.  The meat was long cooked and fell apart. But what it was cooked in lacked any depth of flavour. It was presented on a very sloppy mash and lacked finesse. The vegetarian dish was a pickled onion and mushroom pie. The pastry lid was nice but the contents were simply unpleasant and too extreme a taste to please many. The dishes had been offered with crisp greens and steamed vegetables.  I don't think two beans and three halves of baby corn cut it. Having sent back almost half the starter and now three quarters of the mains, it was a surprise the waiter didn't mention it.  Then onto the dessert, a creme caramel.  This appeared to be very well done but sadly it is probably both of ours least favourite dessert.  We'd hoped to be full and just decline it. The night's sleep was comfortable, air con effective and the site nice and quiet. At breakfast I was still a bit egged out from dinner, so kept it all to a minimum.  It was fine, nothing special. We left to find our car washed, a nice touch, but that was countered by almost tripping over the two staff rushing into our barely vacated room. Bye then. Having seen the management's scornful replies to any form of criticism, here's a couple of thoughts. There appears to be a presumption people will deknow what to do.  Well they don't.  After four hours on the road my main thought was on relaxing, not working out the way in.  Twice. The idea of a set menu is flawed.  I've had it elsewhere but been lucky.  Also having one price for three courses as the only option? Of course I can go elsewhere but as mentioned, in Addo that's not especially realistic. On this occasion one course was below average, one main middle of the road and the other poorly executed with a confusion of flavours.  Only the dessert was truly up to scratch and sadly not one to my taste. Love the setting, it's a roll of the dice on the food due to the restrictive nature of the menu, and the staff charm feels trained rather than wholly genuine.

  

• MontyMcCoy

  29 febrero 2020
  Tranquil and beautifully quirky

  Stayed at Hopefield House for 2 nights on our way to visit the Addo Elephant Park Received really good directions and navigate ourselves along a track through the side of a citrus field ! All very exciting stuff ..before turning into the gated entranced Its a very charming house with lush gardens and landscaping. We were greeted and welcomed by one of the owners and one of their very friendly Schnauzer dogs Rooms were very comfort with good AC making for an excellent night sleep as its very very quiet location The house itself is filled with music memorabilia and personal photographs adding a great deal of charm to the beautiful dinning room , bar/ library and lounge areas We took advantage of the super three course meal served at 7.30pm each evening. Each course was absolutely delicious with attentive service - theres a great wine list and we choose a splendid bottle of red - Gabrielskloop (Shiraz) Breakfast is served fresh and very well presented - eggs, bacon, fresh fruits, yogurt, toast or fresh breads and of course choices of cereal Overall we had an exceptional stay and will have no hesitation in returning

  

• pendred9

  01 marzo 2020
  Beautiful Place to Visit

  Stayed here for three nights, the accommodation is excellent but a bit quirky. We found the property easily but the approach was a challenge for a saloon car, it would be worthwhile if the property invested some money in a better entry. The welcome was warm and friendly. The food was excellent, we opted to eat there the day we arrived and our third evening. My only criticism would be the limited choice but it was all cooked and presented beautifully. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay...oh and the gardens are beautiful.

  

• Sylvia K

  21 marzo 2020
  It was a wonderful stay

  We have been here for the second time to visit the Addo. It was like coming home! Very nice guest house with a wonderful garden. You should not miss the menu in the evening! We´ll be back for sure. The Addo Elephant National Park is only about 20 minutes away, here you can spend the whole day. Very impressive.

  

• CAPEFLY

  05 junio 2020
  Nice Guest House + brilliant dinner

  We stayed at Hopefield for 2 nights in march this year as we were visiting the Addo Elephant park. We had a room facing the garden. Our room was big and clean. Bed comfortable. What was really outstanding was the dinner. You can preorder your 3-course dinner (choice between 1 vegetarian meal and 1 meal with meat). Of course you have to pay extra but it is really worth it. The chef is creating meals of a really high standard and good quality. We really enjoyed it. The staff is also really nice and help whenever needed.