Belvidere Manor

Belvidere Manor is an owner-run, four-star luxury retreat in an idyllic setting in the heart of South Africa’s Garden Route.

Accommodation is in charming Cape-style cottages set among ten acres of beautiful parkland running down to Knysna Lagoon. 

The village of Belvidere is an historic settlement on the lagoon and about 9 km from Knysna. The estate dates from 1834; the manor house from 1850. There is a dining-room in the house, which retains the original yellowwood floor and beams – and serves fine food. After dinner, there is a tiny pub, The Bell, on the estate. Take breakfast on your own verandah, or on the patio of Belvidere House, overlooking the lagoon.

Accommodation

Each of the one-, two- or three-bedroom cottages has a fully-equipped kitchen and a separate lounge that opens onto a verandah. Each has satellite television, ceiling fans and a range of amenities. There are several different types of cottage, but the main division is between garden cottages, set in the gardens behind the manor house, which provide views of the gardens, and lagoon cottages, in the gardens between the house and the lagoon.

Food at Belvidere

Caroline’s at Belvidere, the restaurant named for the first mistress of the manor house, is an à la carte restaurant and a member of ‘Chaine des Rotisseurs’. Dinner is served in the dining room of the house or, on soft summer evenings, outside on the verandah. The menu is a showcase for the excellent produce of the locality, including Knysna oysters, ostrich, local cheeses, Karoo lamb and venison. The Bell has an extensive menu. Meals are served in the garden in summer or in the cosy interior, with its wood-burning stove. If you would rather eat in your cottage, you can order from the room service menu.

Facilities / Activities at Belvidere Manor

You can laze on the lawns by the pool, play on one of the tennis courts, go fishing or on a nature walk, take a boat cruise or pamper yourself with a massage or aromatherapy treatment. Take a drive to the lovely beach at nearby Brenton-on-Sea, or drive into Knysna to avail yourself of its many attractions.

Children

Children aged 10 and over are welcome at Belvidere Manor.