SOUTH AFRICA
Hawthorn Boutique Hotel
Peacocks and strawberry fields, whales and oysters, then bungee jumping, ziplining, a round of golf, braais on boats and a hot tub overlooking a waterfall... This definitely was not your average‘ let’ s get away for a few days’ kind of trip. My almost week-long Garden Route adventure included all of the above – and so much more...
It was the kind of trip where the kilometres kept adding up; the 2026 Ford Wildtrak 4x2 kept asking for more N2, and I kept asking my passengers:“ What are we doing next?” The answer was usually something involving food and hi-octane thrills. And thankfully, I was completely up for that, too.
Day One: Peacocks, Old-School Charm And Checking In Our Garden Route story began with a check-in at The Hawthorn Boutique Hotel in George, and within minutes I knew this was going to be a different kind of stay. There is something wonderfully old-school about the place. It has that timeless charm that makes you slow down a little. It’ s elegant – the kind of place where you half expect someone to appear with a silver tray and ask whether you would like a spot of tea. Then there were the peacocks … strutting around as if they owned the property. I was the visitor. Clearly, they were management.
My room was lovely – comfortable, and exactly what I needed after the long drive. I put my bags down, sank onto the bed and thought,“ This is going to be a goody”. And it was. The first evening was about settling in, taking in the surroundings and preparing for what was already looking like a busy few days ahead. Little did I know just how busy it was going to get...
THE HAWTHORN BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Where the Garden Route meets timeless elegance
www. hawthorn. co. za | George, Western Cape, South Africa
SPRING 2026 • rovesa. co. za | 59