STAY
The setting does most of the talking. Greenery surrounds the property; the atmosphere is peaceful, and there is that unmistakable feeling of being properly away from the city. No traffic noise competing for attention. No frantic schedule. Just nature doing what nature does best.
And suddenly, the idea of checking your phone every five minutes seems slightly ridiculous.
My one-night stay was exactly that, one night, but it was enough to remind me how quickly your body responds when you slow down. There is time to sit. Time to look around. Time to actually enjoy where you are instead of simply documenting it for Instagram and moving on to the next stop.
A member of the Cape Country Routes, the lodge has that intimate feeling of a country escape, making it particularly suited to a Garden Route getaway. It feels peaceful without being completely disconnected from the world, and the surrounding landscape gives you plenty of reason to step outside and explore.
As the evening progressed, I found myself sitting in front of a nice fire, in a quiet lounge, glass of white in the hand, chatting to one of the owners, Niels.
DID YOU KNOW? What started as a holiday adventure became a new chapter in South Africa for Niels and Margret. Originally from the Netherlands, the couple first visited South Africa on holiday and quickly fell in love with the country.
On 1 December 2002, they returned with a much bigger plan: purchasing Lily Pond Country Lodge and making South Africa their new home.
Since then, Niels and Margret have worked side by side, continually improved the property and turned their vision into a tranquil four-star country lodge surrounded by the beauty of the Garden Route.
Then came dinner at The lodge’ s restaurant now proudly carries its own name— LYS, inspired by the French word for lily. Just as the lily ponds mirror the landscape around them, LYS reflects the lodge’ s philosophy: elegant, natureconnected, and quietly creative. IB
Email: info @ lilypond. co. za Website: www. lilypond. co. za Tel: 0827468782 www. capecountryroutes. com