I'm a former ballet dancer, theatre performer, and creative director, still working as a freelance copywriter. I love hosting and creating memorable settings and experiences for our guests and visitors. Our in-house team includes my life partner, Gavin (boyfriend, barman, barista, & bellboy), my sister-from-another-mother, Werna, an excellent foodie who keeps us all very well-fed, and the ever-patient and super dependable Luke, our brilliant Malawian cook. Our super-duper support services team includes Rachel (our housekeeping superwoman), Terry (maintenance dynamite in a small package), and Jabu (our always-helpful -whatever-the-ask rasta). Our heads of security and the welcoming committee are Pippi Longstocking, our Staffie-Pitbull, and Haasdas, our Corgi-Dacshund. We all look forward to hosting you, and to making your stay as pleasant and memorable as possible.

I grew up in this charming century-old Cape Dutch manor home (now on just three erven.) I returned in 2016 to restore it to accommodate guests. The interior decor is in an eclectic Victorian-Bohemian style, with a mix of beautiful old and new wallpapers, antiques and quirky decor, and ideal for photo and film shoots. We have an intimate restaurant and venue with an old-school pub (open for dinners/functions by pre-arrangement). Breakfast can be served in the parlour, under the Oak, or in your room. As this is also our home, we regularly invite overnight guests to enjoy our living areas and bar (provided we're available). We have solar power to spare you the inconvenience of load shedding (scheduled power cuts nationwide, sadly, due to government corruption and incompetence). The Chocolate Suite (queen bed) with slipper bath and shower has a sleeper couch in the kitchenette, making it ideal for family stays. There are also three comfortable, side-by-side, vintage-style suites, tucked away in the courtyard (Teal, Pink, and Blue). There is a private barbeque area for guests, or you can relax anywhere in the large garden or at the fire pit under the century-old oak. With our many large trees, we have a lot of bird life and bird song here. Our neighbourhood is largely peaceful and quiet. Spacious, safe, gated parking is free of charge, and your room key ring has a gate remote. We have 2 friendly dogs. If you are travelling with a pet and staying in the Pink Suite, kindly give us a heads-up first so we can make suitable arrangements for supervised introductions. We can recommend several places nearby to explore/shop/dine, and our guests can enjoy these perks: 1) free 5km nature trail walk on a friend's beautiful farm just outside town (book horseriding), 2) discounted day rate at Sionbergh campsite with lake, swimming pool, and more facilities (8km). 3) discounted rate for a professional massage therapy session ordered to your room (availability dependent).

Our town (which is a 45-min drive from Johannesburg) is quiet and pretty, a river runs through it, and the Suikerbos Rand (hills) flank us. Community groups pull together to keep the town clean and maintained. We have a Heidelberg Heritage Museum and Brewery from where history tours sometimes depart, or better yet, we can connect you with a personal tour guide who has a wealth of heritage knowledge). Heidelberg may be a sleepy country-town, but we still boast several world-class coffee and gift shops, an antique shop, a vintage store, and several decent, great-value restaurants. There is a good shopping centre in town and a fair-sized mall next to the highway. Henly-On-Klip, a small village with several interesting restaurants, is only 20 minutes away. Take a 5km run or walk on our friend's beautiful farm just 8 minutes away, at no charge. Another farm in our area does beautiful riverside picnics by appointment, and the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve (which you can drive through in an hour) also has three walking trails and is only 12km away. Remember that discounted day rate you can enjoy at Sionbergh as an OVM guest... midweek visits require an appointment though. It is truly pretty in summer, with a small lake, a pool, a kitchen for orders, and loads for the kids to do. Feel free to ask us anything while you are here, we are happy to share info or contact numbers. But we've listed our favourites on the back of the information sheet in your room.