Escape the city: Explore the timeless charm of the KZN Midlands
As a born-and-raised city girl used to convenience at my fingertips, maturing is realising that simplicity is the best way to live.
I recently had the opportunity to explore the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands with my best friend, courtesy of ANEW Hotels & Resorts.
The KZN Midlands covers a vast geographical region, spanning from Pietermaritzburg to Mooi River. However, we didn’t stray too far from home and were stationed at Hilton, only about an hour and half’s drive from Durban.
Hilton is a small town between Pietermaritzburg and Howick, with clean mountain air and beautiful views of the Drakensberg.
It is also home to the prestigious school for boys, Hilton College. The KZN Midlands is an ideal place for those looking to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of city life, and I’ll tell you how.
Stay at ANEW Hotel Hilton Pietermaritzburg
From business to leisure travellers, a growing number of people are opting to ditch hotels in pursuit of “home stays”.
These travellers claim that hotel stays don’t have the comfort of home; however, I beg to differ. The moment we stepped foot at in the hotel, it felt like home.
It’s classic Tudor-style exterior blends well with its modern and luxurious interior.
You’re greeted by warm and friendly staff at reception, and check-in is less than five minutes, especially if you utilise the self-service check-in portal on WhatsApp.
The four-star hotel, built in 1936, boasts 100 rooms, a bar, restaurant, and lounging areas including workstations for business travellers and conference rooms.
The property also has two pools for guests and a beautiful well-manicured garden that also hosts weddings. The beauty in a hotel stay is the safety and convenience that it provides.
My friend and I shared the executive suite with complimentary dinner and buffet breakfast. Bedrooms plus lounge and shower in the suite are all spacious. Most hotel rooms are cubicles, but space is part of the luxury available at the hotel.
The hotel combines old-world charm with family values, and friendly and efficient service, making it the perfect base to explore the Midlands Meander.
A stay at the hotel starts from R2 418 a night with breakfast and dinner included.
Where to eat?
As a foodie, one of the most important aspects of any trip is the food. Being in a rural community, you expect the freshest produce, and we were not disappointed.
One of the forgotten perks of staying at a hotel is not not having to worry about breakfast. We enjoyed a buffet breakfast as part of our room package.
There were continental breakfast and complementary options, too. The scone were baked to perfection and, of course, who can say no to bacon and eggs?
The hotel also boasts its Ellingtons Restaurant & Café with executive Chef Ross at the helm.
The restaurant is a modern, contemporary restaurant with a new à la carte menu offering a mouth-watering choice of local cuisine.
On one of the nights of our two-night stay, were treated to a five-course dinning experience at the fireside. All the meals were paired with wines recommended by Chef Ross.
As part of efforts to showcase the Midlands as a culinary destination, we explored other eateries apart from the hotel.
We enjoyed lunch at Piggly Wiggly Coffee Shop. Piggly Wiggly is also an outdoor emporium boasting a variety of retail shops in the heart of the Midlands.
The owner started out selling fruits and vegetables on the side of the road, and it grew to the emporium with stalls we know today. The emporium has six eatery options to choose from, and is also a family-friendly destination.
We also enjoyed a scrumptious dinner at Garlington Bistro, part of Garlington Estate in Hilton.
What to do?
Being Tourism and Heritage month, our activities in the region were curated to reflect the significance of this month. There is plenty of fun activities to do in the Midlands, whether you’re travelling as a family, friends or as a couple.
We visited Howick Falls and learnt about the history of the attraction and got a moment for a photo op at the waterfall. Howick Falls, also “place of the tall one”, is a 95m waterfall that cascades into a broiling, restless pool.
According to local myth, a giant snake-like creature lives in the pool with only the spiritually gifted safe to roam close to the falls.
We were also treated us to an adventurous day activity with Karkloof Canopy Tour. The Karkloof Canopy Tour has been built in a spectacular valley of the mistbelt podocarpus Karkloof Forest Reserve, one of the largest indigenous forests in the country.
After riding up to the top of Karkloof Valley, adrenalin junkies get the opportunity to safely zip-line and glide through the forest canopy from tree to tree.
The KZN Midlands is also a place for oenophiles as we had the delight of trying out a wine-tasting experience at Highgate Wine Estate.
The wine-tasting experience starts from R120 and you can also add a charcuterie board if you’re feeling peckish. The wine estate showcases its own wines from its vineyards.
We also learnt a little bit of history and visited the Nelson Mandela Capture Site. Nelson Mandela was arrested on August 5, 1962, outside Howick. He spent the next 27 years of his life in prison.
The Nelson Mandela Capture Site commemorates this moment in history with a visitor centre and a world-renowned sculpture.
All in all, the Midlands is a destination perfect for travel any time or any season. In summer, the region comes alive and is sparking with activity, while winter also provides a the opportunity for a winter escape.
To book, visit: www.anewhotels.com