Fairview House: A Tranquil Fynbos Escape outside Plettenberg Bay

Set on a 28-hectare headland at The Crags (between Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley), every window at Fairview House frames endless views over fynbos-clad slopes and the Keurbooms indigenous forest to the Tsitsikamma Mountains… There is serenity and silence, time to slow down and relax into the gentle enfolding warmth of unspoilt country living.

The Cape Dutch-style homestead has been home to three generations of the Rattray family, the force behind Fugitive’s Drift, an award-winning lodge in KwaZulu-Natal. The recent renovation has upgraded Fairview House from family home to luxury boutique hotel, although that personal family touch is still evident, with Andrew and Anel Rattray as welcoming hosts.

All this peace and nature feels like it’s miles from anywhere, but it’s only a short drive from the beach and nature hotspots of Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley, making the ideal base for exploration if you can tear yourself away.

The lodgings

Interior designer, Heather Hensley, took inspiration from South African artist Irma Stern in the colour palette, updating country-house style with contemporary panache. She worked with Nicky Rattray to include family furniture and pictures, so that layers of history remain to balance the new, and she selected artworks from the Everard Read Gallery to hang on the walls. Clean lines, custom-made fabrics, contemporary furnishings alongside vintage, the overall effect is comfortable and timeless, with couches you really can sink into.  

The eight bedrooms and suites, two in the main house, six in the nearby Coach House, open out onto balconies or patios so it’s easy to lose yourself in those mesmerising views, which change with the light from pastel sunrise to glorious sunset.

• 2 bedrooms in the Main House (standard room and luxury room)
• 6 rooms in the Coach House (2 deluxe family suites and 4 luxury garden rooms: 2 king, 2 twin)
• en-suite bathroom with a bath and shower
• private patio or balcony
• study nook and seating area
• smart TV with select DStv channels 
• tea- and coffee-making facilities
• complimentary wifi
• air conditioning

While you’re there

Soak up the serenity of the fynbos on walking and bicycle trails, feasting your eyes on the endless horizons of successive mountain ranges and exploring shady pine forests. Lounge by the pool in the peace of the fynbos garden, grab a book from the library and settle into a garden nook for the afternoon.

Breakfast is on the deep verandah in summer, and beside the dining room’s wood-burning stove in winter, and lazy picnics in the garden add to the feeling of country idyll. The vegetable garden supplies fresh ingredients for breakfast (as well as lunch, dinner and picnics by arrangement); the rest is sourced from local independent producers. 

 The property is only a 10-minute drive to Plettenberg Bay in one direction and 15 minutes to Nature’s Valley in the other, so you’re perfectly placed to dip into all the attractions along this stretch of the Garden Route, from beach bliss and wine-tasting, to polo, golf, whale-watching and nature hikes, retreating to the tranquil embrace of this beautiful hideaway to recharge in between.

Distance from CT 6 hours
Child friendly? Yes
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes, free
Cost From R3 000 per room per night (depending on season and room type), includes breakfast
Where to find it Fairview Farm, N2, The Crags, Western Cape
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