Long Hope Villa @ River Bend, Addo Elephant Park

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Accommodation in South Africa » Self Catering Villas & Holiday Houses » South Africa Honeymoons » South Africa Hotels » South African Game Lodges »

DESCRIPTION:

Dating back to the early 1900’s, Long Hope Villa is a beautifully restored exclusive safari villa. Located in the Greater Addo Elephant National Park, on a private concession, the villa has spectacular vistas of the towering Zuurberg Mountain range and Eastern Cape bushveld.

A malaria-free destination and within an hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth, Long Hope Villa makes for a wonderful extension to a Garden Route holiday. The interior of the house comprises of original wooden floors and doors as well as restored, authentic light fittings and finishes.

ACCOMMODATION

Each of the 3 en-suite bedrooms offers top of the range, extra-length beds which can be made up as twins or king beds. Percale linen, soft furnishings and elegant lighting ensure a good night’s rest! There is also a unique Pillow-Library for you to choose your perfect feather-fit! All rooms have a walk-in wardrobe where his and hers bathrobes, a safe and ample cupboard space is available. Leading off the wardrobe is the large en-suite bathroom with separate toilet.

The main bedroom leads into a private library, which is fully stocked with novels, reference books and magazines. In keeping with the old-world charm, each bathroom is unique and features ball-and-claw baths, authentic fittings and large showers.

The spacious lounge is furnished with large and comfy sofas and chairs, a Television set with satellite viewing as well as DVD / CD player. Leading off from the lounge is the open-plan dining room and fully stocked bar. Concertina doors open up 4 meters wide to a deep veranda, which leads to the indigenous garden.

The beautiful farmhouse kitchen encourages interaction between the guests and the private chef. Sit around the old kitchen table and watch, as your meals are expertly prepared by your personal chef. Outdoors you can enjoy fabulous barbecues on a cool summer evening, or dine al fresco under the stars. The path leads through the indigenous garden to the swimming pool, which invites you to cool off from a hot summer’s day.

The Eastern Cape enjoys splendid sunsets and guests of the villa can observe these magnificent skies from the beautiful and private Sunset Deck. Located a short stroll away from the villa, the Sunset Deck offers a wonderful retreat for a lazy afternoon relaxing on the day-beds or in the hammocks. Sip cocktails, lie back and relax as you watch another magnificent sunset on a splendid African day.

FACILITIES

Guests at the Villa can enjoy complete privacy in the private indigenous garden with private swimming pool. A garden path leads to the Sunset Deck, overlooking a waterhole where sundowners can be enjoyed whilst relaxing in hammocks and daybeds. Pampering treatments are available to guests at the main River Bend Lodge, or alternatively the resident therapist will massage away your stress in the comfort and privacy at Long Hope Villa. A fully stocked games rooms for children is open all day to keep the little ones entertained (located at the River Bend lodge).

ACTIVITIES

An exceptionally passionate and expert personal guide leads all your safari activities at Long Hope Villa. Discover the many species of wildlife and birds as you enjoy personalised game drives and guided walks. There are no set rules for when the game activities take place, rather your guide will discuss with you what you’d like to do and when and the day’s activities will be tailored around your interests. Enjoy full day game drives, or just early morning excursions. Discover the bustling nightlife on an exhilarating night game drive, under a canopy of dense stars on a clear dark night.

Additional activities are also offered nearby such as scenic flights and helicopter flips, historical tours, cultural excursions, horse-riding safaris and elephant encounters.

SPECIAL SERVICES

Your every whim is catered for at Long Hope Villa. The private game ranger and personal chef are on hand to ensure you have a truly personalised and relaxing stay at Long Hope Villa. Baby-sitting services are also available for families, although children are welcome on all activities.

LOCATION & ATTRACTIONS

A mere 45 minutes from Port Elizabeth, this area enjoys mild winters with clear warm days and cool evenings. Home to the densest population of elephant together with lion, hyena, buffalo, black rhino and a variety of antelope including eland, zebra, hartebeest and more, a stay at the exclusive-use Long Hope Villa makes a memorable safari experience.

Special attention is also paid to the smaller and more unusual game such as the endangered flightless-dung beetle (found only here and in small parts of Namibia), the shy Cape fox, the more than 300 bird-species and many others. Famous to the National Park particularly however, are the Addo elephants with their gentle and unperturbed nature, quite unlike their relatives in the Kruger National Park and other parts of Africa.

River Bend Lodge