I recently had the pleasure of spending a mid-week getaway at one of the Western Cape’s finest hotel/spa complexes. The Arabela Hotel and Spa, about an hour from Cape Town near Gansbaai, boasts fynbos-fringed fairways leading to a golf-course clubhouse with views of the Bot River lagoon and the Kogelberg mountains.
The course has seen professionals such as Ernie Else and Retief Goosen contending for the Nelson Mandela Invitational title.
The hotel is close to Gansbaai, a fishing village with an international reputation as ”the Great White capital of the world” and as a legendary area from which to watch whales.
On our first morning we got off to an early start at 6.30 with breakfast at the hotel’s Premium Restaurant before taking a long boat ride from Gansbaai to watch whales, dolphins and seals.
We took our trip with Dyer Island Cruises, which operates between July and December when the whales are lazy and lounge near the shore.
Despite a touch of sea-sickness, the experience was without a doubt the highlight of my break.
Watching those whales playing and mating was wonderful.
Then it was time for a bit of well-deserved pampering at the hotel’s recently renovated spa, which features a unique ”African rainforest experience”, with a candlelit relaxation room where one can retire after treatments.
The elaborate 15-step ”African rainforest experience” starts off with full-body exfoliation to clear rough and dry skin and sensitise the body for the luxury that follows.
The treatment uses all-African massage products and combines flowing water, an enveloping mist and a variety of colours and fragrances to stimulate the senses.
The next day, and sadly the last of what was proving to be a wonderfully relaxing holiday, was spent horseriding along the Bot River.
Riding beside the meandering river flanked by fynbos was exhilarating.
My mount was a perfectly behaved filly. The 20-year-old pony Christelle must have sensed I was a first-time rider and didn’t put a hoof out of place. The equestrian centre also offers a magnificent beach ride.
The 145-room luxury resort hotel boasts two restaurants and bars. The rooms are spacious and have large balconies or terraces that overlook the Bot River lagoon or the resort’s indigenous gardens.
This holiday was by far one of the most relaxing and rewarding I’ve ever had.
Zodidi Mhlana’s mid-week break was sponsored by The Western Cape Arabela Hotel and Spa