Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
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Agert Pakhuis Pass, Clanwilliam 8135 South Africa
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$886
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What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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What you can expect during your stay
- All linens sanitized in high-temperature wash
- Hand sanitizer available to guests & staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Staff required to regularly wash hands
- Daily temperature and symptom checks for staff
- Contactless check-in
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Updated 08/06/20 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
A note from Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
Updated 08/06/20 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
About
#2 of 15 B&Bs / Inns in Clanwilliam
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travelers' Choice
Cradled by the rugged Cederberg Mountains, Bushmans Kloof offers an utterly unique wilderness escape in South Africa. This family-owned lodge and ecological oasis is set within a 7500-hectare private reserve. Offering five-star luxury accommodation and inspired South African cuisine, memorable days at Bushmans Kloof are spent discovering the wide-open plains, awe-inspiring wildlife and pristine mountain landscapes. Discover our special world, with unique access to more than 130 ancient rock art sites, some dating back as far as 10,000 years, and the opportunity to discover the region’s ancient San culture in the company of our experienced local guides.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Free breakfast
Bicycles available
Canoeing
Airport transportation
Secured parking
Wifi
Hot tub
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Breakfast in the room
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Hiking
Fishing
Business Center with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Meeting rooms
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Full body massage
Massage
Baggage storage
Concierge
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor fireplace
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
Butler service
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Room service
Safe
Seating area
Minibar
Flatscreen TV
Telephone
VIP room facilities
Bottled water
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Hidden Gem
Languages Spoken
Afrikaans
Location
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Contact
Agert Pakhuis Pass, Clanwilliam 8135 South Africa
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Reviews
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This was our second time returning to Bushmans Kloof. We were here in winter and now in summer and definitely recommend winter over summer as the vibe/feeling is quite different. What we enjoyed: - We stayed in a delux room and bathroom was really spacious. The patio was close to a pool and felt as though we had a private pool. - There is enough food to eat... Maybe too much :). There is breakfast, lunch, high tea and dinner included and I never felt hungry. - The spa treatments were amazing and I’d highly recommend it! - The wine and drinks list is extensive which was great. What we didn’t enjoy: - Service was well below average. When we stayed during winter, we met our guide early, discussed all the options went through the detail of our stay etc. This time, we didn’t get to chat to our guide until late the night and needed to chat to him via reception. Service also felt forced from the onset. When we arrived, we received a sheet with info about the meals and activities, but we needed keep asking for info on activities and never received clear guidance. It wasn’t: “what do you enjoy and we can match something for you”. It was very much come and ask us and we’ll give the info, but only answer your questions. - The food was just ok. The menus didn’t have the right balanced options and the food was either bland or ok. We didn’t really enjoy the food and didn’t feel like a 5 star experience. The menus were also the same over days so not much choice if you’re there for more than a day and don’t want to try anything ‘exotic’. - Lighting is absolutely poor during dinner and no one could see anything on the menu or the food we received. What the team needs to remember is that we visually eat as well and we needed to use torches on our mobiles to see the food. - The rooms are large but a quite outdated. If you look at the pictures loaded, you’ll get a sense and see that an upgrade is needed. - Our pool area did not have any towels which was really frustrating. - There’s quite a bit of deep cleaning needed. As an example, the pool was filled with moss and I didn’t want to walk in the pool. The basins were very dirty around the drain area and needs a proper clean. - The water pressure was terrible and we constantly needed adjust the temperature when the pressure dropped. - The bar closes at 22:00. That’s really early and very impractical. - When we stayed over, there seemed to be a lady working who was seated breakfast area and constantly on her mobile talking to colleagues about work. We’re at the venue to get away from work and they place a lady doing work in the middle of everyone during breakfast! We also visited reception and she happened to be working in the area without a mask on, which was terrible in the tiny area. To me, there was a huge drop in the service and the experience and I was really disappointed with that. It’s unfortunately not on my return list.…
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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This is a beautiful location but unfortunately this is not a 5 star establishment. It has a tired feel and has seen better days. Where to start? I booked a deluxe room. There was no natural light coming through- the windows were covered in bushes (pretty from the outside but blocks light and a view). Out of the other windows one could see the next door room's a/c vents. The bathroom wallpaper is bubbling/ peeling and there was mould in the corner of the ceiling and dirt in the tile grooves. Quite how the room with its outdated feel gets 5 stars is beyond me. There are also no small touches one would expect when paying so much. I then moved rooms, thanks to Jackie but only after a rather unhelpful response from her colleague, Gerhardt. I chose to stay in the luxury room which was R2000 cheaper because it was closer to the others in our group. I received the 'refund' in a voucher form which I was not expecting so Jackie tried her best to make up for her colleague's unhelpful attitude. The food is generally good but not always fresh and again, for a 5 star establishment, one expects a bit more finesse. The service can be described as a little overbearing but waivers between that and being passive aggressive. One feels as if one is constantly being hurried along. The Food and Beverage manager can't wait to get people out of the dining area- very little flexibility for sitting at the fire (curfew was at 9pm but can a plan not be made to allow guests access after that?). There is an inflexibility about the place which can be irritating. The entire property needs a revamp. One senses that the owners are 'absent' and that there is little interest in the day to day running of BK. The staff do not seem empowered. This is the time of a pandemic and those of us who can't travel overseas are happy to spend our money locally. But, if one is paying R16000 for 3 nights then it should be better. Last year I visited Michael Lutzeyer's Grootbos in Gansbaai/ Hermanus. That is a truly 5 star experience from start to finish: incredible staff, food etc....small touches- like a welcome note in the room, a complimentary bottle of wine and fresh flowers in the room. None of that exists at BK: all very pedestrian and the flowers in both rooms were dead proteas, no note, no personal touch. I do have to single out our field guide, Evan who was wonderful! He also left biscuits and water in our cars before we left. He is an asset to BK. Thanks also to Beatrice, Luzanne and Zamo who were lovely. It is no-one's fault that the owners do not put effort into revamping the property and ensuring that the small touches which set places apart, are present. I was also surprised that BK doesn't seem to place much emphasis on being 'green'/ environmentally friendly. If it does, it is hard to see...there was a note about water but not much else and it doesn't seem to be a priority. Francois at reservations also mentioned that the road into BK was well-maintained. It is a pretty torrid drive especially when it's been raining. Also, there is no mobile reception at the main areas- only wifi and in the rooms that is patchy. (That is fine but one should be told) . Unfortunately, we will not return - while it's a beautiful location, the rooms are just not good enough.…
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Date of stay: June 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Don't book Masson as deluxe room - bad bathroom and
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Expensive disappointment I have been fortunate enough to stay in some really nice places in the last 6 months. Initially I thought my discerning attitude to my experience was due to luxury fatigue (if thats a thing). The reality is the experience at Bushmans has bothered me so much that 2 months later I am still making the effort to write a review. Lets start by saying the location and unique nature lends itself to something wonderful. I could see why people have had a fantastic time. The rock painting and field guide were incredible and we thoroughly enjoyed the game drive and sundowners. Like wise the special garden dinner was wonderful. Due to the fact that you are part of red carnation I thought it best to compare you to the Oysterbox (which I have visited twice since last year October) Our experience: 1. The rooms were outdated - The bathroom did not have space for you vanities. - The shower had very little water pressure - the coffee station was in your windowsill Overall it was rather cramped and ill considered Compared to Oysterbox - Showers were incredible (water pressure & size) Although the room was of similar size there was ample vanity space in the bathroom 2. The service - there were so many people there to assist, yet if you needed a drink or towel or the like the team were just looking at you -worst of all was probably when we gave feedback on the lack of service we got a defensive response as opposed to just taking it and improving…only once we took matters in our own hands about who would assist, did things improve The Oysterbox service was so brilliant that you never saw tons of people around but they were ready to assist if you needed absolutely anything. We even knew Clive by name when we left. It was intuitive service that made the stay so wonderful 3. The glasses Gosh when you are drinking magnificent wines in a beautiful setting you at least expect glasses to match the occasion. The glasses were similar to what I would expect from a Spur or Ocean basket - each has its place but for Relais and Chateau quality not what I expected. 4. The Coffee This was so bad that we ended up preferring instant sachets… I hope the feedback assists you in improving as we would not like a true gem to go to waste as we definitely left not wanting to return or refer people.…
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Traveled with friends
Helpful
Although many things have changed since our last visit in 2004 when the property was still owned and managed by the McAdam family, the magic remains and we had a wonderful 3 nights back at Bushmans Kloof. From the time of our arrival and the welcome received from the team who would be looking after us, to our tastefully decorated room, a very tranquil hour & a half spent in the spa, delicious meals, special drives out at times that suited us (and it was not too cold) with our ranger, Zenobia, and a great hike on our last day, all was first class, and I would recommend a visit to anyone looking for a venue for a special occasion.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Helpful
This is a decades-old establishment designed and engineered to strike you….to impress you…to bewitch….to haunt. You are met by Klara who serves a rooibos drink. Klara – ‘die klein baasie’, as she called herself, is charming and ravishing with a voice and face exuding tranquility, inviting you to absorb our common humanity or, more precisely, the roots of humankind. And Jacky, the receptionist and front of house, is warm, responsive and efficient. Then there is the staff who makes your stay at the establishment both indulgent and decadent. Food from heaven - bravo chef! - is served by Vovo, the waitress. Its perfect execution with an eye to detail. And Aviwe, the barman, is professional and polished. I have not encountered staff who go many extra miles out of the way to please you. And last, but not least, a special thank you to Zenobia, our individually assigned ranger. She is just superb – brimming with insights and perspectives that amazes, excites and enthralls. The San rock art is tribute and testimony to the immortal words of Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD): Semper aliquid novi Africa affert! (Africa always brings forth/contributes something new). My journey and the art is reminder that Africa is both the cradle of humanity and cradle of civilization. And Bushmans Kloof is the grand gilded throne holding in tension the past and present. The grandeur and the splendor of Bushman’s Kloof is in the stratosphere - one runs out of superlatives from entry to exit (measurably better than the Oyster Box in Durban and the Twelve Apostles in Cape Town). I will definitely be back! Prof Khan…
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Date of stay: May 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Cottages at the entrance, especially for winter
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PRICE RANGE
$335 - $1,434 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
bushmans kloof wilderness reserve & wellness retreat hotel clanwilliam, bushmans kloof wilderness reserve and wellness retreat
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeClanwilliam
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
What are some of the property amenities at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness center during their stay.
Does Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business center, meeting rooms, and conference facilities.
Does Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.