Belvidere Manor

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Historic Country Estate - Knysna's Secluded Gem.



In these times it seems that Knysna is on everyone's lips - a place to visit, a place to move to, a place to drive through (a problem at Christmas), or a place to avoid. But still it seems that Knysna holds a special place in people's hearts, - memories of family holidays in year's gone by, festive afternoons spent at Tapas in the middle of the lagoon, or stolen weekends spent exploring forests and beaches and then huddling around roaring log fires in winter.

With its popularity has come the inevitable change and development, and today those memories of the quaint village are becoming foggy, as that little village has become a bustling town with its myriad of interesting shops, the Knysna Quays waterfront and a growing population.

But one corner of Knysna still retains it's olde worlde charm, beauty and serenity and that is Belvidere, on the western shore of Knysna's lagoon. And at the centre of Belvidere lies the old manor house, Belvidere House, built by the founder of Belvidere, Thomas Duthie, in 1849. This stately house has been lovingly restored, proclaimed a national monument, and is now the focus of Belvidere Manor Hotel, a gracious establishment which offers the traveler a relaxed and tranquil environment from which he may contemplate the more frenetic activity at the opposite end of the lagoon.

The accommodation at Belvidere Manor is in self-contained rural Cape style cottages situated in park-like gardens overlooking the lagoon. A boardwalk takes one down onto a jetty where boats are moored, and boys fish. Each cottage offers relaxed comfort, with a living-room with an open fireplace, opening onto a wide verandah with views across the gardens and the water, a fully fitted kitchen, and a choice of one, two or three bedrooms, with bathrooms en suite. A number of the cottages are double storey, the main bedroom being situated upstairs with its own balcony offering further magnificent views.

The Manor House now houses the reception rooms of the hotel. Two elegant dining-rooms are situated in the front of the house, and meals are also served on the verandah when the weather allows. Enjoying the fine cuisine on a summer's evening, whilst watching the moon rise over the lagoon is surely one of the most romantic settings in the country. In times gone by, the small drawing-room on the north side of the house was used as the Post Office for the area, and a copy of a letter with a Belvidere postal stamp may be seen in the entrance hall.

A favourite meeting place for the locals living in Belvidere is The Bell Tavern, a quaint pub housed in the recently restored original farmhouse. A feature is the wine cellar which can be viewed through a glass panel in the floor, and which was the original cellar in which the game shot locally was stored by the family. The Duthie family lived in the small farmhouse from 1835 when the estate was founded, but the small cottage became a tight squeeze with 12 children, and Mr. Duthie built "New House" and moved in November 1849 - a 150th anniversary which was celebrated recently.

Belvidere Manor Hotel is popular with international and local travelers alike, not only for its relaxed and tranquil atmosphere, but for its feeling of home away from home. Guests enjoy the privacy of having their own cottage, but with the advantages of excellent service and superb cuisine. Amenities such as the sparkling swimming-pool, tennis courts and boat trips on the lagoon may add to the fun, but a quiet corner to read a book or a cosy log fire and a glass of wine at the end of the day is often all that is required.

When the need comes to enter civilisation again, it is but a short drive to Knysna's many attractions, arguably the best beaches in the world, and some of the most beautiful forests in the country - all of which need no further explanation.

Belvidere Manor - exclusive living in a part of Africa that has no equal.

Belvidere Estate
Knysna, Western Cape
South Africa
P.O. Box 1195
Knysna, 6570
South Africa
Telephone number: +27 (+44) 387 1055
Fax number: +27 (+44) 387 1059
e-mail: manager@belvidere.co.za
www.belvidere.co.za