Two weekends ago our little fam bam went on our first holiday as a gang of 4. We headed to Walkersons Hotel & Spa in Dullstroom, a not-too-far-drive of 2.5 hours from Jozi and it was just lovely, the exact break that we needed. If you’re busy planning a family holiday you definitely need to put Walkersons Hotel & Spa on the list of places to consider here’s why:

The grounds are just magnificent. We were there in the beginning of autumn and the tree lined roads were full of beautiful red and orange hues, truly a sight to behold. All of the buildings have an old world, Scottish manor feel to them which is gorgeous, think lots of natural stone and wooden accents. The gardens are also so impeccably maintained; the hydrangeas were beautiful when we were there.

The self catering accommodation is perfection. Although the hotel looks divine, the self catering cottages were perfect for our family. The rooms were a great size with really comfy beds (and enough extra blankets for the chilly nights) and the en-suite bathrooms had both a bath and a shower which is always a win. The kitchen had absolutely everything that we needed, including a little dining area in case it was too chilly to eat outside on the patio. The lounge led out onto a lovely garden and patio with gorgeous views of the estate. There was also a built in braai as well as a fire pit area where Dan taught Aria how to build a fire and roast marshmallows.

The dining options are great. We had breakfast at The Terrace and it was lovely and pretty child friendly as Aria could run around in the garden while we munched on our delicious food. They do a great cappuccino and their eggs Royale are incredible; you can’t stay in Dullstroom and not have trout, it would be a sin. They also serve light meals at The Terrace so a great option for lunch or an early dinner. On our last night at Walkersons Hotel & Spa we were set to go and have dinner at The Flying Scotsman, the more formal restaurant, but after thinking about it, Dan and I decided that it might be a bit too hectic with the two girls so we asked if we could pre order our food and have it in our cottage. The staff were so accommodating and said it was no problem. Let me tell you, the food was delicious! I had the trout risotto and Dan had the lamb rack, both of which were amazing, as was the chocolate mousse dessert. We also ordered Aria the kiddies spag bol and she powered through it all, declaring it her new favourite food. We all went to bed with very happy and full tummies!

There’s a ton of stuff to do on the estate. Although we spent a day exploring Dullstroom itself, there is so much to do at Walkersons. We went on a little walk twice a day which the girls loved as there is so much to see; the horses at the stables (you can go for horse rides), the ducks swimming in the ponds and so many nature “treasures” to collect. There is also the spa which looks incredible – perfect to take some time out for yourself, as well as 14 lakes and dams all fully stocked with rainbow trout so that you can try your hand at fly fishing. If you’d prefer to take things easy, why not ask Walkersons to pack you a lovely little picnic, there are so many picturesque spots on the estate to lay down a blanket and munch on some delicious snacks.

Our stay at Walkersons Hotel & Spa was nothing short of amazing. There was enough to keep Aria entertained and we never felt like we were irritating other guests with our kiddies (something that I’m always very aware of) because we were staying in one of the cottages that are all so well spaced, giving you tons of privacy. Would we go back? In a heartbeat! I cannot recommend Walkersons enough, do yourself a favour and book a weekend away, pronto!

If you’d like to see more pictures of our adventures at Walkersons, head over to my Instagram and watch the “Travel” highlight.

*We were hosted by Walkersons Hotel & Spa