I love a little weekend away, and by the end of June the girls and I were more than ready for a break from the city! We packed our bags and headed off to Whispering Pines in the Magaliesburg for an absolute treat of a weekend.

If you don’t sit in traffic like we did, it’s an easy 90 minute drive from Johannesburg but when you arrive at Whispering Pines, you feel like you are a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life. There are so many wonderful reasons to visit this gorgeous country getaway, but no one wants to read a 10 page blog post, so I thought I would keep it short and sweet with my top 5.

1. The rooms are just lovely: we each had our own cottage which was a real spoil and they were so divine. The beds were ultra comfortable and the electric blanket that got switched on with the turn down service was just the best as it was ridiculously chilly the weekend that we were there! There is also a fireplace that the staff are happy to light for you as well as a balcony with gorgeous views of the Magaliesburg.

2. The food is delicious: I don’t know about you, but when it’s cold, I eat. A lot. Too much really. The food at Whispering Pines is so good. As you know, I’m a sucker for a hotel breakfast and this one did not disappoint; more-ish pastries, yummy fruit and piping hot omelettes are only a few of the dishes you can fill your tummy with. If you opt to have dinner at the hotel, make sure to order the potato and leek soup as a starter, all three of us agreed that it was next level amazing.

3. The spa treatments are fantastic: I’m always so wary of spa treatments, I hate going for one and then being bitterly disappointed. Not this time! I decided on a pedicure as a treat on Saturday afternoon and it was absolute bliss. The massage was out of this world and girls also only had good things to say about their treatments as well.

4. The lunch time picnic is a great feature: it’s so fab when there’s something slightly different being offered, and at Whispering Pines, it’s their lunch time picnics. All set up under the giant oak trees, we enjoyed a generous spread of food and drinks. It was lovely to just sit back and relax, in nature and feast. I would absolutely recommend this option for your stay.

5. The staff are just wonderful: for me personally, this just makes all the difference. The staff at Whispering Pines were so happy and always willing to help. They answered all of our questions and were so happy to chat to us. I love that Whispering Pines has such a warm and homey feel to it, I’m pretty confident that it’s because of how lovely the staff are.

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway where you’ll really recharge, I highly recommend Whispering Pines, even in the dead of winter! It has so much charm and even more to offer, plus you’ll be able to really explore the Magaliesburg too. There’s no down side really.

To make your booking, pop over to their website over here.