lodgings are described as , “ On the fringe of the Great Karoo , the Lord Milner Hotel appears as if out of a conjurer ' s hat : an authentic tribute to Victoriana , and the heart of Matjiesfontein Village . The Lord Milner is a graded three-star heritage site hotel and offers fifteen classically furnished historic standard double rooms , and historic luxury and single rooms . Take a step back in time , to hear history ’ s palpable heartbeat — while the rooms have been tastefully updated in terms of linen and bathroom facilities — the experience will take you back to the Karoo of old .”
The hotel was named for Lord Alfred Milner , who was the governor of the Cape during The South African War ( Anglo-Boer War ). The gracious grand dame was completed in 1899 , and shortly thereafter served as the Headquarters of the Cape Western Command . At The Lord Milner Hotel , historic ambience , old world service and classic comfort combine .
We dumped our bags in the garden suite and sat down to enjoy those still icy beers and the tube of now Pringle crumbs before doffing our filthy riding gear . This is when the porter told us about the pool , just a five-minute stroll away . More like crossing a canyon for a blind guy like me , but worth every thorn I later had to pick out of my feet .
Before dinner , we grabbed a cold beer in the quaint hotel bar and were entertained by one of the locals on the piano . We did not hear any trumpet playing but I would bet good money that the one with his lips to the brass is the same guy that beat on the ivories in that honkytonk rendition of Creedence Clearwater revivals ‘ Bad Moon Rising ’. Clearly a legend of the town , but most certainly not the only .
Dinner was a lavish affair . We ended up arriving late after three elderly German ladies in their seventies took to us and the bike . Forcing an escape after thirty minutes of chat , where we were told each of their life stories in detail . The one lady ’ s late husband had owned a few Harleys , but she had of course never seen anything like this Pan Am . They were charming and thirsty to listen to our life stories in exchange for theirs . We eventually made our escape , found a table , and ordered a three-course feast fit for royalty . I know I ate lamb ; I know it was good . I am not sure exactly how I made it to my room though . I just remember waking from a light coma on top of the bed in the middle of the night , big Mike snoring away in the other single .
Breakfast was again lavish . I ate while big Mike , assisted by the three German ladies , tried unsuccessfully to repair his broken jacket zipper . We took the mandatory photos and headed off to the staff waving us away and three Germans clapping . I so regret not snapping a picture with them .
It was all wonderful . For me , the entire experience of the hotel and village was like stepping through some sort of time warp . There is even rumour of the hotel being haunted . Sadly , we did not meet any ghosts of the past . Only three old German fraulein that , now that I think about it , did appear a little ghostly .
Where I had wondered on our arrival what drew the bounty of foreign visitors we saw , the hotel was full when we were there , it was easy to understand . The simplicity of the desert . The charm of the village . The grandeur of the hotel and for us , the ice-cold pool hidden over a riverbed at the back of the hotel . Everything was just wonderful . Simple , but wonderful and after a day of eating dust crossing the Tankwa , swopping over from riding in the Western and Northern Cape multiple times , it was the perfect place to refresh . A true oasis in the nothing .
The morning desert air was crisp , luckily it was not long at that altitude . As we veered down to Montague , via the Koo and Keisie Valley . The chill left us . Down , down , and around , the bends swished back and forth . Not another vehicle in sight , just the bike and us . With that rumble , roar , and perfect bite .
We grabbed a cold soda and a couple of bags of dried fruit from the factory store at the edge of the village
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