The family-owned luxurious Boutique Hotel Woodall Country House & Spa is the ideal base for visiting the Addo Elephant National Park and several nearby private game reserves. It is set amidst the orchards of a citrus farm and offers peace, relaxation and a beautiful ambience. The gateway to the malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park is only a few kilometres away, and the nearest major town with an airport is Gqeberha / former Port Elizabeth, which is 65 kilometres away.
The hotel buildings are spread out in a unique garden with indigenous trees, refuge for numerous birds and waterfowl. The restaurant is renowned for its exquisite, regionally influenced South African cuisine. The chef prides himself on using only the finest ingredients, sourced locally as much as possible: Ostrich steaks, lamb from the Karoo and fresh fish from the nearby ocean regularly appear on the dinner menu. Herbs and vegetables are grown in the restaurant’s own garden, and many fruits come from their farm. The wine list favours exquisite boutique wineries hand selected by the owner.
Breakfasts are farm-style with freshly made breads, pastries and muffins, a wide range of homemade jams and preserves, a variety of cheeses, yoghurt, cereals, fruit and meat assortments, as well as a wonderful cooked option with daily egg specials. Weather permitting, guests can also dine on the covered wooden terrace overlooking the garden. Packed breakfasts and lunches can be provided for guests who leave early for their excursion to the game reserves. Dietary requirements are catered for (prior notification required).
The 11 rooms and suites (7 luxury rooms, 3 suites and 1 family suite) are characterised by simple elegance and classic flair and they are exceptionally large, individually colourful designed and modern decorated. They have a bathroom with separate bath and/or shower. All rooms have their own outdoor shower – an invigorating experience not to be missed! The view from the room opens onto the romantic rose gardens.
The suites have a separate living area, dressing room and spacious bathroom with outdoor shower and each has its own small pool and private garden area. The family suite is suitable for families or two couples travelling together. It has 2 separate bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, as well as a small private pool.
The hotel includes a spa with an extensive range of massages, health and beauty treatments inspired by the surrounding citrus orchards. The Citrus Spa has a sauna, hydrotherapy bath, steam bath, Vichy shower and a relaxation room. The hotel facilities also include a fitness room and a large outdoor (salt-water) swimming pool. For relaxation there is a library, a sundowner deck as well as a TV lounge and bar.
The hotel organises daily game drives in their own open terrain vehicles to the nearby, malaria-free Addo Elephant National Park (minimum age 6 years; for children under 6 years, a private safari can be arranged at an additional cost). The park was created as a refuge for elephants, which were almost extinct in the area 100 years ago, and today elephants can be seen again at the waterholes in the park in numbers not seen anywhere else in South Africa. Today the park is also home to the Big7 (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo, white shark and whale). However, the in-house, highly experienced and qualified guide / ranger also introduces guests to lesser-known animals of the African wilderness during the four- to five-hour excursions. Private safaris can be arranged for guests on request, as well as excursions to nearby game reserves such as Amakhala, Schotia or Pumba, just an hour’s drive from Woodall.
Other activities in the area include whale watching (seasonal), canoe safaris on the Sundays River, quad bike excursions, hiking, sand boarding, ziplines and golf. The hotel staff is happy to help with recommendations and reservations.
Sustainably Managed Boutique Hotel WOODALL COUNTRY HOUSE AND SPA
“We strive to leave the world a better place than we found it!“
WOODALL COUNTRY HOUSE & SPA
Energy Saving
Heat pumps and solar energy for heating and hot water, LED lamps in use
Water
Water is purified on site, wastewater is used for garden/farm
CO2 footprint
Home-grown herbs and vegetables. Sourcing of locally grown and produced food. Wherever possible, natural, local building materials such as wood and reeds are used for construction.
Waste management
Reduce, reuse and recycle. Woodall follows an environmentally friendly waste management policy through selective waste separation. Bulk purchases ensure minimal packaging of products, thus minimising waste.
Preserving the environment and biodiversity
Most of the plants you will find on the hotel grounds and the farm are native. Non-native plants (neophytes) are removed on an ongoing basis.
Social and community engagement
Woodall is committed to supporting the local community and has launched several economic and social initiatives. The hotel staff is recruited in the surrounding area. There is a training programme for unemployed locals with no previous work experience in the hotel.
Woodall has a heart for local artists and regularly gives them the opportunity to present their work in the hotel complex.
A special focus is the support of the Thembalethu Trust, a fund that provides crèches in the local community of Nomathamsanqa with basic food, clothing and other essentials, as well as motivating donations for larger projects, for example new classrooms, carpeting, painting, fences, etc. Any hotel equipment that is no longer needed is donated to local charities.
In addition, Woodall is proud to sponsor “Elephant City”, one of the best football teams in Nomathamsanqa, and to co-finance a cricket pitch for the local team.