The following article was published by GetIt Joburg North on 25 Janaury 2016.
Welcome to Shangri-La!
Feeling burnt out? Want to take a romantic holiday with that special man? Or maybe you just want some solid me-time. Well, welcome to the 4-star Shangri-La Country Hotel & Spa, a paradise escape nestled in the picturesque, bustling bushveld town of Modimolle.
It’ll take you less than two hours to get there, even if you’re as navigationally challenged as we are. But if, like us, you also have the time management skills of a broken clock, you’ll be glad to know that hotel staff will always make a plan for you. When we rang up to ask them to keep some dinner aside for us if possible, we were told the chef would be informed and would keep the kitchen open until we arrived. Talk about VIP treatment!
When we arrived, we were shown straight to the Heritage Restaurant. Now, we’re the sort of people who go to restaurants and change tables three times before wrestling with the dilemma of which chair ‘feels right’ … but we’d be happy to be seated anywhere in this lavish baroque-themed dining hall again. Enclosed in glass, scattered with hanging chandeliers and candelebras and decorated with antique furniture, a beautiful fireplace and dramatic oversized paintings and mirrors, the Heritage Restaurant is the perfect setting for a romantic dinner.
And don’t even get us started on the food! The lamb shank was cooked to perfection and we were stunned by the excellent service from the staff. Our waiter, Alfred, was warm, welcoming and attentive, even suggesting we order the baked cheescake for dessert (which is fabulous by the way – a must-try!). Seriously, we don’t really like cheesecake, but we loved this one!
Our room was simple but lovely, decorated with rose petals and swan-shaped towels and we can’t remember the last time we had a better night’s sleep. Between the cushy mattress and the black curtains we wouldn’t have opened our eyes ’til noon if it hadn’t been for the 07.30am wake-up call we’d requested from reception. Breakfast time!
Breakfast on the sun deck of the Bellows Restaurant was almost as impressive as the dinner the night before, but more laid-back with a buffet to choose from and staff close at hand to cook those eggs exactly how you like them. We didn’t see much of the hotel the night before as it was already dark when we arrived, but now, in the morning light, it was everything the brochure had promised … a paradise escape isolated from the outside world and the madness of modern life with its lush tropical gardens, a trickling waterfall, leaf-shaded stone pathways and natural wildlife.
Then it was down to the pool to park off in the sun and wait for our food to digest. Honestly, we could easily hang around by the water all day, but there are a number of other facilities available at the hotel to keep you and the kids busy, if they’re tagging along too. Think volleyball, a 9-hole putt-putt mini golf course, tennis court, an outdoor chess set, children’s playroom, stargazing, an amphitheatre and more! Not to mention that the surrounding areas are packed with places to go on a little adventure, from 4×4 drives to clay shooting.
Go on, we know you can’t resist … enjoy your romantic getaway. We know we did!
Read the article on the GetIt Joburg North website blog here.