ORION MONT AUX SOURCES HOTEL Visiting the Drakensberg Amphitheatre in style

ORION MONT AUX SOURCES HOTEL

Capetonians may disagree, but the view of the Drakensberg Amphitheatre must rate as one of the most scenic sites in our country. It certainly is the second-most photographed venue in South Africa – despite its rather isolated location – and guests at the Orion Mont aux Sources Hotel, which borders on the Royal Natal National Park, are usually those outdoor types who enjoy activities such as hiking trails, mountain biking and horse riding.

The magnetic pull of the mountains, as the hospitality industry has established, tends to draw those guests who, despite their love of the great outdoors, also appreciate fairly high standards when selecting suitable accommodation during a visit to the ’Berg.

In addition, these ’Berg hotels mostly lack fly-in capabilities,

by BERNARD K. HELLBERG

resulting in a rather arduous long-distance trip by car. In the case of the Orion Mont aux Sources Hotel, this means a four-hour road trip of 350 kilometres from Johannesburg via the N3 with a branch off at Harrismith on the R74 which takes one past the Sterkfontein Dam over the Oliviershoek Pass to the destination. Fortunately, there is only one stop-go delay (ten minutes) which will probably be a thing of the past by the time you read this.

Arriving at the hotel, one had to take one’s luggage to reception without assistance from the staff. This minor glitsch, however, was offset by the friendly and efficient staff at the reception desk who quickly settled the admin side of things and arranged for a porter to assist with the luggage.

With a selection of standard rooms featuring either single or double beds, as well as en-suite bathrooms and TVs, the choice is augmented by deluxe rooms which feature a 42“ TV, air conditioning, a small lounge area and a desk for those who need to work when they should be relaxing.

The large and beautifully maintained grounds also contain

private chalets with two private bedrooms each, a full kitchenette, lounge area, gas fireplace, as well as an outside braai with tables and chairs.

In-room amenities also include Wi-Fi Internet access which was rather unstable at times, tea and coffee (instant) making facilities, hairdryer and room service. All rooms have full air conditioning and heating – a vital component since it gets really cold in the ’Berg during winter with snow a fairly regular occurrence.

The Mont aux Sources Hotel, part of the Orion Group, is a comfortable three-star establishment with serious four-star pretensions. Nestled at the foothills of the Northern Drakensberg range, the hotel is perfectly situated and the spectacular view raises expectations when it comes to accommodation and cuisine.

Menus, while not exactly haute cuisine, rely on the tried and trusted principles of freshness and innovative dishes which one would not expect at what is, essentially, a holiday resort. With freshly prepared dishes appearing out of a kitchen in the hands of Chef Riaan van Niekerk, all guests were suitably impressed by a wide choice of starters, mains and completely insane desserts specifically designed to do serious harm to anyone hell-bent on becoming disciples of Tim Noakes or the Banting craze sweeping the world.

One of the signature dishes, and one which may become legendary, is the Chef’s special beef curry – the perfect ending to

a chilly winter evening, assisted, of course, by a fine reasonably priced red.

Breakfasts and dinner are always buffet-style, while lunch is an a la carte affair for those who, unusually, still find themselves within the confines of the hotel at midday. The relaxed nature of dining at Orion Mont aux Sources is underlined by the long hours set aside for meals.

But what is a country hotel without a bar?

The elegant Thukela Bar – named after the mighty river which originates at the very top of the Amphitheatre and then finds its way to the Indian Ocean near Durban after having plunged nearly a kilometre over the world’s second-highest waterfall – has a warm country feel with a walk-out terrace and a stunning view of the very source of this mighty river. With its obligatory large flat screen TV, the Thukela is a popular gathering place for watching sporting events.

The Orion Mont aux Sources Hotel is a well-run three-star establishment with some noteworthy four-star features. It is the ideal weekend getaway for couples and fitness fanatics who should remember to bring their mountain bikes along for the ride. Rooms are roomy, apart from our rather cramped bathroom, while the linen and pillows, likewise, lived up to expectations. Managed in hands-on fashion by manager Steven Smith, the Orion Mont aux Sources is the type of venue that one will return to, again and again. www.montauxsources.co.za