If South Africa is a world in one country, then the Eastern Cape is the world’s weather in one province. To say it’s changeable is an understatement — you can get up in the early morning to bright sunshine, freeze your bits off before breakfast, bake by brunch, be blue with cold by lunchtime, be sunbathing by supper and frost-bitten by bedtime.
So when my Nationwide flight landed at George airport mid-morning in a fine drizzle with the Outeniqua mountains completely obscured by cloud I knew what to expect, weatherwise at least.
However, the object of my visit was not in the least what I expected — Fancourt Hotel and Country Club, a legend in its own lifetime and shortly to become a golfing mecca as it hosts the President’s Cup, was, well, very normal.
I had envisaged some sort of trumpet fanfare at the gates, some announcement that I had arrived at what is arguably the finest golfing estate in the country, some nuance of upper-crust snobbery even. What I got was a refreshingly down-to-earth welcome by a team of staff who obviously didn’t care for airs and graces but nonetheless pulled out all the stops in their efforts to make me feel precious.
The normality is nice, because it lets the hotel and estate speak for itself — which it does rather well.
From the entrance gates to the port cochère, the rolling green lawns to the manicured fairways and the immaculate rooms to the luxuriant lounges, Fancourt waxes lyrical in its loveliness.
In terms of appearances, it doesn’t shout or demonstrate, rather it is quiet-spoken and eloquent, with almost whispered attention to detail.
Of course, every phrase and sentence speaks of wealth and accomplishment, after all, this is a five-star establishment. But if keeping up appearances is your bag, then leave that bag at home, because Fancourt isn’t interested in making a fuss. It’s much too genteel for that.
The golf helps, of course. It’s a great leveller of playing fields and an ice-breaker of note. On the golf course you can have a plumber playing with a prince, or a president playing with a painter — it makes no difference whatsoever because the game does the talking and money can’t buy you a better handicap.
It’s a feeling that permeates even the furthest nook of Fancourt — you don’t have to be a member of the jet set to stay here, play here and feel at home here. In fact, you don’t even have to play golf. There’s a world of things to do that don’t involve little white balls — from the heavenly health spa to gentle walks around the estate and eating up a storm at one of five great restaurants.
But obviously things do tend to revolve around outdoor pursuits, with lots to do and see. There are outdoor and indoor swimming pools, tennis courts, lawn bowls and croquet and mountain biking, horse riding, picnics and leisurely hikes can be arranged on request.
Then there’s the beach and the Indian Ocean, a short drive away.
Certainly, as nice as Fancourt is inside, outside it is quite simply breathtaking. At least it is when the clouds lift. Which they do, thankfully, quite quickly. One minute I was sitting in the Morning Cloud restaurant poring over one of the best chicken curries I’ve had in a long time and watching the rain drip off the eaves, the next I was looking at the magnificent wall of the all-embracing Outeniquas in full sunshine.
Indeed, by mid-afternoon all vestiges of cloud had vanished, leaving only clear blue skies and a crisp warmth that breathed new life into the golfers finishing up their rounds on the Outeniqua course.
There are four courses on site — the aforementioned Outeniqua and Montagu courses, both of which are traditional parkland courses, and Bramble Hill (which is open to the public) and the famed Links course that will host the President’s Cup from November 18 to 23.
In addition to these, a fully-fledged Golf Academy recognises that not everyone is an Ernie Els or Tiger Woods. Fully trained golf professionals are on hand to coach and cajole even the most average of swingers, with undercover driving facilities, video rooms, a chipping and putting area and a four-hole playing course devoted to improving your game. And it doesn’t cost an arm or a leg either. A half-hour lesson will set you back R150, with junior tuition available for R50 for half an hour. So if you don’t arrive at Fancourt a golfer, there’s every chance that you’ll leave as one! Or buy into the golf lifestyle.
Around the courses are Fancourt’s pride and joy — homes of the rich and famous, built to exacting standards to blend in with the Cape Dutch style that harks back to Fancourt’s origins.
Henry Fancourt White built Blanco House in the hamlet at the foot of the Outeniquas 140 years ago. Those were the days of ox wagons and transport riders, adventurers and pioneers.
The nearby town of George had been established in 1811 and was a centre for woodcutters and forest workers. Travel, trade and communication was slow, thanks to the high barrier of the mountains and the poor road system that tried to penetrate its way along the coast.
In 1811 there were only two passes through the mountains — the Duiwelskloof pass to the east of George and the Cradock pass to the north. Both were extremely steep and dangerous and, because of the weather, impassable for much of the year.
By 1840 work had begun on an alternative route — the Montagu pass, which was completed and officially opened in 1848. George, and Blanco, began to prosper.
In 1859 White decided to settle in Blanco with his family and began building a home in the style of a Cotswold manor house. However, fate was not kind to him — the George Divisional Bank in which he had invested his fortune went bust in 1860 and he died a pauper six years later.
The house and the farm upon which it was built passed into several different hands and went under several names in the following decades, finally being purchased by White’s son, Ernest Montagu White, in 1903. He renamed the property Fancourt, after his father. However, in 1916 Ernest Montagu White died of mushroom poisoning and Fancourt once again had a series of different owners until 1987 when André and Helena Pieterse bought the property and decided to open a hotel and golf club, surrounded by residential properties — a first for South Africa.
The hotel opened in 1989 and the golf course — designed by Gary Player — was opened by its designer in 1991.
But fate was again to level a blow at Fancourt. The Pieterse’s bankers were Masterbond, which collapsed in 1992, placing the estate in liquidation. It finally changed hands in 1994 when Germans Hasso and Sabine Plattner took the plunge and invested in South Africa, believing in the change to come.
Fancourt hasn’t looked back, and over the years the Plattners have developed and refined the property, creating the Fancourt of today without sacrificing the all-important history — the original manor house built by Henry Fancourt White is now home to 149 hotel rooms and two of the complex’s restaurants.
Sabine Plattner oversaw the refurbishment and has created the perfect blend of traditional African, colonial and modern European, with a range of plush textiles and an eye for quality pieces of furniture and objets d’art.
Besides the Manor House rooms, Fancourt offers executive suites, garden suites and studios, all of which are air-conditioned with satellite television, direct-dial telephones, mini-bars, safes and tea/coffee making facilities. Forty-six new suites have been built for the President’s Cup, overlooking the Outeniqua course. Each room has its own unique décor, creating a home-from-home feeling for guests.
One tip for anyone considering a trip to Fancourt — starve yourself before you go because the food is out of this world. Dining in any of the five restaurants is an event in itself and one that can’t be rushed or skimped over.
Take, for example, the newly opened African-theme restaurant Sansibar. Situated in the Manor House, this is a vibrant homage to our continent’s cuisine, with dishes from all over Africa served in an authentic African setting. Or there’s Le Pecheur, which specialises in fresh seafood in a cosy, cottage kitchen-style setting. La Cantina doubles as a venue for sumptuous buffet breakfasts in the mornings and an upmarket Mediterranean restaurant in the evenings. The Morning Glory is situated in the health spa and, while it concentrates on lighter, healthier fare, don’t be fooled — the portions are huge and absolutely delicious. Bramble Lodge, next to the Links course, is the home of fusion cuisine à la Fancourt and will host the President’s Cup players.
But perhaps one of the best things about Fancourt is its position. A 10-minute drive from George airport and an eight-minute drive from the centre of George itself, Fancourt offers the ideal base from which to explore the Garden Route. Forty minutes down the road is Knysna, an hour-and-a-quarter will have you in Plettenberg Bay. Forty-five minutes and a breathtaking trip through the Outeniqua Pass will put you in Oudtshoorn, from where you can go on to explore the Cango Caves. Just down the road are the fabulous beaches of Wilderness and the craggy beauty of Herold’s Bay.
And on top of all that, it’s only 90 minutes from Josies by plane. On your return trip you can take advantage of Fancourt’s guest lounge at George airport, reserved for guests and club members’ use and the ideal place to relax with tea, coffee, drinks and snacks on the house.
There are daily flights to George from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, which makes Fancourt popular with businessmen and conference groups.
Indeed, when it comes to business, the estate has it all, with an impressive conference centre, computer facilities in beautifully appointed lounges and state-of-the-art conference and function equipment. Two major groups were holding conferences during my visit, and the businessmen I spoke to were impressed with Fancourt’s conferencing staff and how smoothly everything had been organised.
Businessmen aside, the one thing I found extremely encouraging at Fancourt was how welcome families are, and especially children. There’s the most wonderful kid’s club, situated next to the family indoor pool, where children of all ages can have unending fun watching videos or DVDs, playing all manner of games, building Lego for Africa, climbing, jumping, rolling and bouncing, and all under qualified supervision while mum and dad have some quality time to themselves.
It’s a big drawcard in my book as the mom of a busy eight-year-old who sometimes finds his parents “boring”. And it’s further proof that Fancourt is not stuffy or stuck up, but very geared towards keeping its guests happy, no matter how small they are. It also proves the point that you don’t have to be royalty to be treated like royalty, even if you’re only four years old!
The lowdown
Fancourt has a graduated tariff system depending on the accommodation you require and the time of year you wish to visit. The current rates, valid until December 14, are:
Manor House rooms: standard twin R2 585 a room a night; executive king room R3 315 a room a night; deluxe hotel suite R3 660 a room a night.
Garden Suites: one-bedroom garden suite R3 660 a room a night; two-bedroom garden studio R4 925 a room a night; two-bedroom garden suite R6 175 a room a night. These are located in the gardens overlooking the golf courses. All rates include full English breakfast, VAT and the tourism levy. Hotel transfers from George airport to Fancourt cost R90 a person, return.
To make a reservation, contact the hotel on Tel: (044) 804 0010 or visit www.fancourt.com.
For golf-related inquiries, contact the Golf Reservations Department on Tel: (044) 804 0185.
Getting there
Nationwide runs scheduled flights to George from Johannesburg, from Thursday to Monday. Partnered with Virgin Atlantic, the airline keeps its fares highly competitive and scores top points for service on the ground and in the air, and for punctuality.
Nationwide currently operates a fleet of 12 jet aircraft, using Boeing 727s and 737s. It also runs a partnership programme with Air Botswana and Kenya Airways, and Virgin Flying Club members can build up air miles when using Nationwide’s services. In a fast-developing local market, Nationwide is developing a great reputation and is broadening its horizons to meet passenger demand.
For more information, visit www.nationwideair.co.za or telephone reservations on Tel: 0861 73 7737.