If The Ivory Haus was a novel, it’d be on the bestseller list for weeks on end, with all of the stories it has to tell. Chapter after chapter, decade after decade, this hideaway – settled along the main stretch of Plettenberg Bay. – is not shy about its past and ever-so becoming if its current stature.
Having swapped its name from The Grand to The Ivory Haus, under its new family-run ownership, this beautiful boutique hotel has undergone a nip and a tuck, and a slight lift in all of the necessary places. Retaining the bones of its build and essence of its character – all of the arches and doors, and architectural structure of the hotel is still intact. With large dollops of luxury smeared across every level of the hotel.
As many as 11 spacious suites with their own unique qualities scatter themselves around the hotel. Opening out onto patios, into courtyards, leading to the swimming pool and drawing you out with those signature sea views. Or onto the lagoon that is ever-changing. The ambience of each suite is tranquil and inviting, exuding luxury and evoking its historical tales of the past. A romance that is palpable in every space of the hotel.
Of course you’ll be tapping into the vivacious energy of the communal living, dining and entertaining areas of the hotel. That also somehow share the stories of worldly travel at every turn, yet encase a contemporary elegance and refinement in all of its finishes, furnishings and frilly bits.
You’ll love the swimming pool, and most especially the rooftop deck dining and cocktail area. A fusion of all kinds of continents in one spot. The Palms Restaurant will definitely be a place where you and travelling companions can gather for one feasting after the other.
Picnics can be prepared for you by the lovely team of staff. They’ll even loan you one their colourful Fieldbar cooler boxes to accompany you on an outing into nature. Plett’s beach activities and mountain trails will have you busy in the day. A round of golf, shopping, fishing, horse riding, wine tasting, and boat trips out to sea.
The Ivory Haus prides itself on the exceptional service each discerning guest receives. So if you’re not venturing out into the wilderness of Plett, then you’ll be waited on in the most creative manner. Breakfast trays in the swimming pool or movie nights on your own projector. Rose petal baths for that extra bit of romance and special moments uniquely catered for, all in the name of a luxuriously bespoke Plettenberg Bay experience. It’s the little things that add to something entirely unique in this magical spot on the Garden Route.
A stunning seaside escape for those inclined to enjoy the finest of Plettenberg Bay, along the Garden Route
Aside all else, you’ll be tending to a lot of reading and relaxing in your gorgeous suites, beside the swimming pool and in the very comfy reclining spaces of the hotel. Listening to those riveting stories, as they reinvent themselves with a slightly more contemporary narrative.
Reviewed by Colleen Ogilvie