Testimonials
– What our guests say about us –My happy place. One of our family's favorite locations. Attended a family wedding. Food was absolutely excellent. Breakfast was super. Very friendly staff. Will always come back. Love the new restaurant and the new rooms.
– M Morri, April 2021
Comfortable, clean and safe – The Houwhoek Hotel has lovely history and conveniently located close to several wine farms. The staff were friendly and the rooms clean and comfortable. If you want more character there are many wine farms with accommodation but be prepared to pay for that. For my needs Houw Hoek Hotel was perfect!
– Marna H, April 2021
Happy weekenders. We stayed at Houw Hoek on the recommendation of family and everything that they had told us was true. The room was spacious and beautiful, the view spectacular, the whole atmosphere at the hotel was friendly and inviting and the food a delight. Would definitely come back and recommend others to try it too.
– Zena, April 2021
Great Experience. We had such a lovely time at Houw Hoek... definitely will recommend and will be back.
Loved that the place is child friendly and the fire place was a winner for us. 🙂
The buffet breakfast was amazing and the room service and restaurant had everything we needed.
– Meagan Francis, September 2020
Fantastic getaway – amazing staff make everything happen. No fuss. I spent a Saturday night at Houw Hoek Hotel and cannot fault a thing. Brilliant staff and dinner. Very comfortable and clean room. Amazing breakfast and scones at lunchtime after checkout. Will definitely return.
– M Ziegl, April 2020
Stopover – We had to drop someone at the airport late in the afternoon & did not want to drive all the way back to Swellendam so decided to stop at Houw Hoek. What a delight! Loevly food, great ambience & venue etc but the icing on the cake was the staff. They worked hard as a team, seemingly without waiting for direction, knew what needed to be done & were friendly & polite. we shall be back!
– D Weigh, March 2020
Lovely. Perfect family friendly hotel with all facilities for the kids (jungle gym, sports, mini pool...). Peaceful and great location to explore the beautiful Elgin Valley. Nice restaurant and tasty breakfast!! Hiking is possible around the hotel.
– Julie Pedi, March 2020
Amazingly peaceful, what a spot! Wow is all I can say. We had an amazing time and enjoyed every moment. This will be a yearly occurrence. The food, the views and the entire feel of Houw Hoek Hotel is a memory I will always treasure.
– Hana, February 2020
Lovely stay at SA's oldest hotel.
Lovely evening and memory at SA's oldest hotel. This was the first stay for my wife and I in the Grabouw /Elgin area. What was most meaningful was the lovely dinner dance the Hotel hosts on a Saturday evening. My wife and I are so not accomplished dancers, but what a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable event!
– S Reid, February 2020
An awesome getaway. The houw hoek hotel to us is like a home away from home, awesome rooms and on the whole friendly helpful staff. It has a bit of something for everyone and the old classic bar is great for a few drinks before dinner, Mercia the manager is a gem and is always approachable and so helpful. Can't wait for our next visit.
– 'The Chef's Voice', February 2020
Along with a bunch a friends, we booked the legendary Saturday night dinner & dance package. I've always wanted to stay at this famous old hotel and we were very happy we finally made the decision to go. This had also been sold at a special rate so we were super happy with the amazing value for money that we received at the price. The staff were really nice and helpful when we needed them. Our rooms were clean and you really could not complain at all of the high standard amenities for a 3 star property. As for the dinner dance held in a lovely big venue onsite, the 3 course ala-carte dinner was traditional fare but spot-on. I had the steak choice which was really good. The dessert buffet was yummy and the cheese boards an elegant touch. Dancing was loads of fun with a DJ playing old school and tunes we all knew and loved. Breakfast the next morning was all that could be expected, plus extra's like champers and orange , vegan options like almond milk and gluten free breads etc. Nice touches. Coffee quality was the only disappointment but then again we have all become more coffee-snobbish over the years. I'm in the travel industry and jaded by now with my many, many global hotel stays across all star ratings, but all in all, we will certainly be back and I recommend you go along for a fun bit of adult weekending.
– Shaun B, August 2019
Fast, efficient, friendly warm reception at check in. The rooms were exceptionally clean. The house attendant assisted with getting the fireplace going. Cozy lighting in the rooms. Reception calls answered immediately. Eating area warm and cozy, with friendly staff assisting all the way. The outside play area for the kids, a huge recommendation for parents with little ones, kept them occupied throughout. Best of all, what you see is definitely what you pay for. Lastly, I must say, customer service has shown to be priority for the staff at Houw Hoek Hotel. Thank you. There's absolutely Nothing I didn't like!
– Chimonay Masumbe, August 2019
South Africa's oldest hotel. A beautiful place. Gorgeous, open areas to walk around in. Beautiful hiking trails stretching for many kilometers in the mountains. Very well furnished rooms with beautiful wood furniture. An outdoor play area for kids. A very nice, upscale restaurant where they will sometimes do dance party nights. Excellent breakfast buffet in the morning. Cute little ponds with relaxing places to sit. Definitely not an experience you want to miss.