MZANZI ISSUE 16

Regional HEADER Feature
extensive renovations in the late 2000s when the Tollman family
purchased her. She is quite an iconic South African hotel, much
loved by local and foreign visitors alike.
A stay at The Oyster Box is an invitation to a sensorial experience par
excellence. The décor is simply unrivalled – each space is a fantastic
feast of colour and texture. Perhaps the hotel’s most recognisable
setting is the lavish seaside pool area, marked by splashes of the
ravishing Oyster Box trademark red. Also featured on the umbrellas
and loungers, the red and white stripes reflect the adjacent lighthouse,
which the hotel is a proud steward of.
From the garden villas to sea-facing rooms to spacious suites,
no detail is too small, and you may, like me, struggle to leave the
calming views of the ocean from your private balcony. When I did,
however, it was simply for a stroll through the tropical gardens to the
spa, a lazy lounge at the pool, a walk along the famous uMhlanga
promenade adjacent to the hotel, or a visit to one of the six exquisite
dining spaces that are on offer.
Dining at The Oyster Box is an extraordinary and quintessential
experience. Unmissable is the hotel’s well-loved High Tea experience.
The setting for this sweet spectacle is the lavish surroundings of the
Palm Court. With live music, an overly generous cake table, bubbly,
teas and coffees one could hardly ask for more. The Curry Buffet
is understandably also a firm favourite with locals and travellers
from afar. In the heart of curry country, a variety of 10 curries are
on offer every lunch and evening - I managed to get through seven
before I had to call it quits.
This is a hotel that effortlessly redefines seaside opulence and has
a dedicated staff waiting to care for and curate your every need.
It’s no wonder The Oyster Box has been awarded the Top Hotel in
South Africa by the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award for the
last three years running, and the country’s leading hotel last year
by Condé Nast Traveler readers.
Bush: Big 5 territory at Nambiti Hills
Having driven all the way to the coast it was time to point the
Evoque back in the direction of Joburg, but with a very important
stop along the way. Two hours of driving took us first through the
Valley of a Thousand Hills, then the picturesque Midlands, and finally
through the dirt back roads to Nambiti Hills Private Game Reserve.
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