A warm welcome awaits all guests at Granny Mouse Country House and Spa - a charming country hotel situated in the Natal Midlands Meander at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains.  

The Granny Mouse Bistro restaurant is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Vegetarian options are always available. The same menu can be enjoyed on the pool deck and is available to all in house guests from Room Service.

The Eaves Restaurant is a fine dining restaurant hidden in the eaves above the Bistro, where the focus is on personalised yet discreet hospitality where guests enjoy quality service and a world-class, contemporary South African menu. Ingredients, sourced from local suppliers, are farm fresh and organic, where possible.

The Granny Mouse Spa offers treatments for all preferences.  You’ll be spoilt for choice with a full range of massage and beauty treatments, jacuzzi and hydrotherapy as well as a steam room.

The accommodation is as quaint as the name of the hotel implies. Old-world charm, embedded in the foundations of the hotel, complements the rural ambiance and modern comforts of the rooms and venues. 

Guests can choose from Garden Rooms, Deluxe Rooms with river views, or Deluxe Suites, also with river views. 

Address

Granny Mouse Country House,Near Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal, Balgowan

Directions

From Durban: Take the N3 northwards. Come off at Exit No 107, turn left at the stop street and follow the road to the T-junction. Turn right onto the R103, and go through Lions River. Follow the road for approximately 12 km and the hotel is on the right hand side.

From Ladysmith: Take the N11 and leave Ladysmith before turning right to stay on the N11, following directions to Bergville. After around 12 km, turn left to merge onto the N3 heading towards Pietermaritzburg. Follow the N3 for 97 km before taking the exit 132. Turn right over the motorway and proceed for 8 km until you reach the R103 in Nottingham Road village. Continue in the direction of Balgowan / Pietermaritzburg on the R103 for a further 17 km, and you’ll find Granny Mouse Country House on the left.

From Johannesburg/Gauteng: Take the N3 south bound to Exit 132. Turn right over the highway and proceed for 8km until you reach the R103 in Nottingham Road village. Continue in the direction of Balgowan / Pietermaritzburg on the R103 for a further 17km and you’ll find Granny Mouse Country House & Spa on the left.

 The hotel is perfect for romantic escapes, family holidays and business travel and offers an idyllic place for guests to unwind and enjoy the gracious and intuitive service it is so well-known for.

The award-winning Beverly Hills hotel opened her doors over 50 years ago and is considered to be one of Durban's finest hotels. Over the past 5 decades, the  hotel has been home to royalty, celebrities and captains of industry - the place where deals have been done and memories have been made.

The hotel is situated in Umhlanga and boasts uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean. The 88 Standard and Deluxe Rooms are all eleganty and stylished decorated.

The hotel also boasts a state of the art fitness centre, heated swimming pool, spa, two restaurants with an al fresco dining option and a convenient retail outlet. 

Directions

Directions from The King Shaka Airport: Take the M4 Highway toward Durban.

Proceed until the Umhlanga Rocks off ramp and keep left on Lighthouse Road.

Proceed on Lighthouse Road pass two sets of traffic lights.

Proceed through the stop street keeping left to the Beverly Hills Hotel.:

AmaKhosi Safari Lodge is situated in the 12,000 hectare Amazulu Private Game Reserve, about 4 hours north of Durban.

The reserve is made up of a varied ecosystem which includes savanna, mountains and wetlands - making it the ideal home to the Big 5 as well as giraffe, zebra, warthog and hyena, hippopotamus and crocodile. There are also more than 400 bird species.

Early morning and late afternoon guided walks and game drives take you into the African bush to observe the animals and their fascinating behaviour. Qualified game rangers introduce the unique role each animal plays on the massive stage within the African Kingdom.

Amakhosi's main lodge boasts a deck with an intimate bar, lounge area, a swimming pool and dining area where meals are served under the stars. With panoramic river views, guests can unwind at Amakhosi River Spa, which offers beauty and message treatments using eco-friendly and holistic products.

The 6 luxury river suites are situated along the flowing Mkuze River. Each one boasts a separate air-conditioned bedroom, a lounge with a fully stocked mini bar and tea/coffee making facilities. The high thatched ceilings and glass walls are complimented by a large bathroom with a unique bath made for two and an outdoor (al fresco) shower.  

For ultimate privacy there are 2 honeymoon suites with private plunge pools and hammocks.

'IsiGodlo' (meaning 'chiefs residence') is a private 2 bedroom house which overlooks the Mkuze River and can accommodate up to 4 guests. Guests staying here have their own ranger, tracker and private game vehicle for game drives.

Address

AmaKhosi Safari Lodge,Near Pongola, AmaKhosi Private Game Reserve

Directions

From Johannesburg: Take the N4 towards Witbank. Take the Middelburg exit to Hendrina, and continue towards Ermelo on the N11.

Continue towards Piet Retief on the N2. Drive through the town Piet Retief and continue for approx 3 km. Turn right towards Paul Pietersburg on R33 - DO NOT continue on N2 due to terrible roadworks (roadworks likely to be there until early 2010). Continue past Paul Pietersburg towards Vryheid on R33. Turn left onto the R69.

From here the main gate is approx 103 km. Continue on R69 past Louwsburg. 2 km before the junction with R66, you will see the Amakhosi main gate on the right.

Please note that you drive through the reserve to get to the lodge - do not get out of your car until you reach the lodge. You may see some wildlife on your way - if you do, slow down and maintain a good distance. Do not drive off-road in any circumstanance.: : Alternative directions from Johannesburg (after roadworks have finished): Take the N4 towards Witbank. Take the Middelburg exit to Hendrina, and continue towards Ermelo on the N11. Continue towards Piet Retief on the N2, and stay on the N2 North until you reach Pongola. Take the R66 to Nongoma and continue for +/- 22 km past Magudu sign on your left. Turn right at the R69 towards Vryheid and continue for 2 km. Turn left down a gravel road and follow the AmaKhosi Lodge signs.

From Durban: Take the N2 North, and stay on this road until you reach Pongola. Take the R66 to Nongoma and continue for +/- 22 km past Magudu sign on your left. Turn right at the R69 towards Vryheid and continue for 2 km. Turn left down a gravel road and follow the AmaKhosi Lodge signs.

Set deep in the heart of a rare dry sand forest, AndBeyond Phinda Forest Lodge fuses spectacular architectural design with the ultimate in conservation principles. The creation of this award-winning safari lodge was an exemplary exercise in building eco-sensitive structures with a light environmental footprint (not one tree was felled during construction).

The lodge is situated in the Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, home to not only the Big 5, but a plethora of other animals and birds within its 28,555 hectares.

Activities include twice-daily interpretive game-drives, bush walks and seasonal riverboat cruises.

The Phinda night eye experience offers you the chance to see the wild world of the bush in the dark, and watch everything play out right in front of you. This experience includes a dedicated vehicle, guide, tracker and specialist cameraman. High definition infra-red cameras are used, providing not only excellent visuals on your drive, but also high quality video footage of your night-eye experience for you to take home, as a memento of your safari.

The lodge's sparkling rim-flow swimming pool, as well as the expansive decks in its seating area, looks out onto panoramic views of an open meadow where animals frequently graze. A traditional African boma is enclosed with a wooden fence and offers lantern-lit open-air dining beneath a canvas of stars.

The 16 air-conditioned suites are built on stilts and appear to float between the forest floor and the towering torchwood trees. Each glass-encased suite boasts a minimalist flair that incorporates high-gloss wooden floors, richly tactile fabrics and brightly accented Zulu artefacts.

The suites also feature luxurious en-suite bathrooms with slate hand basins and viewing decks where guests can drink in the sight of graceful nyala and duiker in the dappled shade of the forest.

Address

AndBeyond Phinda Forest Lodge,Off the N2, Phinda Game Reserve

Directions

From Johannesburg: Depart Johannesburg on the R24 highway to Johannesburg, and merge onto the N12/N3. Keep left to continue on N3, follow signs for Heidelberg/Durban/N17/Springs. Take exit 103 for N17 East to Springs. Merge onto N17 and continue on the road for 196 km towards Ermelo. In Ermelo turn left onto Voortrekker Street/N2. Proceed on the N2 towards Piet Retief.

From Piet Retief continue on the N2 through Pongola onto Mkuze. 40 km beyond Mkuze, you will see a 'Phinda' sign-posted turn-off. Do not take this turn-off however as it leads to Mountain Lodge and Rock Lodge. Instead remain on the N2 for an additional 10 km until you reach the Hluhluwe turn-off. Take the Hluhluwe turn-off and follow the signs into the town of Hluhluwe (4 km).

Entering Hluhluwe, you will cross 3 consecutive roundabouts. The 1st roundabout is located just before you enter the town. The 2nd roundabout is located just after the Engen fuel garage. The 3rd is located just before the Total fuel garage. Continue to the 4th roundabout which is opposite the AWF Outdoor Shop. At the 4th roundabout, turn left following the False Bay/Sodwana Bay signage.

As you pass the 'Build-It Hardware Store' you will leave the outskirts of town, and prepare to take a right turn, crossing over the railway line. Signage should indicate Sodwana Bay/False Bay. Continue along this tar road for approximately 28 km (do not take any turns leading to False Bay). When you reach the Mduku Crossing (indicated clearly by numerous consecutive speed bumps), take the 'Phinda' sign-posted D675 turning to your left.

Continue along this road, which soon turns from a tarred surface into gravel, for approximately 2.6 km before you reach a T-junction. At the T-junction, take a right turn onto the D448 and travel for 3.6 km until you reach the entrance gate to the Munyawana Private Game Reserve.

At the gate, a security guard will welcome you and assist with directions to the lodge. The lodge is signposted within the Reserve.

Please note that you drive through the reserve to get to the lodge - do not get out of your car until you reach the lodge. You may see some wildlife on your way - if you do, slow down and maintain a good distance. Do not drive off-road in any circumstanance.

From Durban: Take the N2 highway northbound from Durban, toward Stanger - please note you will pass through 3 toll gates en-route from Durban to Phinda - they accept cash or credit card payments. Go past the towns of Ballito, Tinley Manor, Stanger, Mtunzini, Empangeni, Richard's Bay, Kwambonambi and Mtubatuba.

Continue until Hluhluwe. Take the Hluhluwe turn-off and follow the signs into the town of Hluhluwe (4 km). Then follow the directions as above.

If you need to contact the lodge and it is an emergency, then use their emergency telephone line: +27 (0) 79 149 2278.