Karoo Art Hotel Review: Colour Your World at this Unique Hotel in Barrydale
A road trip is a great way to experience the Western Cape’s amazing small-town hospitality, and for a road trip as short as 4 nights, you can combine stays in two small towns and use them as a base to explore Route 62, because, why not! We spent four nights with Cape Country Routes exploring Montagu and Barrydale (which are just 41 minutes from each other), spending 2 nights in each town. Following an adventure-packed stay in Montagu at the Montagu Country Hotel, we set off to Barrydale’s Karoo Art Hotel for a cultural tour of this art-centric town.
If art galleries are at the top of your travel itinerary, then Barrydale’s Art Hotel offers an interesting way to get your culture fix and add some colour to your road trip. Guests at the 4-star hotel can expect upscale lodgings with fascinating artwork right in your suite and throughout the hotel.
Offering a thoughtful, quirky alternative to the sterile, minimalist design of many modern hotels, the beautiful Karoo Art Hotel boasts captivating collections right at your fingertips. From burgeoning local artists to renowned names, the hotel basically doubles as an art gallery and museum. The artwork, which is available for purchase, rotates throughout the year, so there’s always something new for returning guests to indulge in.
The art of joy
They say art imitates life, and this creative hotel shows that life is one colourful, adventurous, beautiful ride. With art as the primary focus, the Karoo Art Hotel, together with the surrounding art destinations in Barrydale, fully immerses guests in both the artistic process and its incredible results. From the lobby to the guest rooms, curated works surround guests as they sleep, eat, and check in at this special hotel. The boutique hotel has a laid-back luxury feel that stretches beyond its 4-star rating, with guest rooms offering so much more than just the basics travellers have come to expect from a mid-tier hotel.
Steeped in history, the Karoo Art Hotel has been recently re-born as a hip, art-drenched destination that bleeds right into the colourful antics of the small town of Barrydale. There is no separating the hotel from the town, as its local people and culture are deeply intertwined within it — part local watering hole, part upmarket boutique hotel, it’s a seemingly odd mix, but somehow it works. If you hope to get a true sense of what Barrydale is all about then you simply have to stay at the Karoo Art Hotel.
Unlike any hotel you’ve ever stayed at, the Karoo Art Hotel isn’t in the hotel business… or even the art business for that matter, it’s in the business of joy. Ask Karoo Art Hotel owners Rick and Sue Melvill what the most important part is, their reply is always — “The art of joy.” With that in mind, the hotel is the ideal base from which to experience the splendid nature of the locals and the part that this rather unusual hotel plays in it all. With its colourful approach to life and travel, I dare you to check out of the Karoo Art Hotel without a smile on your face.
A feast for the eyes
The latest addition to the Cape Country Routes collection, guests at the Karoo Art Hotel are treated to a visual feast of colour and art throughout the lobby, halls and guest rooms. Each of the 16 spacious en-suite bedrooms are decorated according to a theme, and you can choose from the likes of the Ostrich Room, Melvill & Moon Room, Magnolia Room or the dog-friendly Dog Box suite.
The hotel offers guests a choice of two room types, Klein Karoo rooms with a shower only or the larger, Groot Karoo rooms with King-sized beds and additional features like a bathtub or private balcony. The pet-friendly ground-floor Garden Suite has a separate living area and a private courtyard. In the garden, a swimming pool and manicured gardens create a peaceful place to soak in your holiday and unwind.
I spent two blissful nights in the tastefully decorated Ostrich Room. Pegged as the brightest bedroom in the building, this room is named after the bird that (by myth) hides its head in the sand to create the illusion of darkness. The stripe work in this room was beautifully executed by Barrydale artist, Sean Daniel, while murals were done by Barrydale mural artist, Quinton Faro.
With a large bathroom, complete with a shower and luxury Victorian-style ball-and-claw bath, this extra-large room is decorated in a minimalist pallet of white and subtle grey. Pops of contrasting patterns on the walls and furniture add whimsy and create a sanctuary of peace and calm. The incredibly comfortable king-sized bed is dressed in butter-soft linen, further convincing you that leaving your hotel room, even in search of much-needed sustenance, is a rather silly idea.
What to do in Barrydale
But, of course, I didn’t travel to Barrydale to spend all day in bed or soaking in a bubble bath; there was an adventure to be had, food and drinks to enjoy, and small-town theatre to immerse oneself in. So immerse myself I did. While I would recommend taking things slow in Barrydale (it is, after all, a sleepy artists’ town), there’s some much to see that you can take a city-folk approach to squeeze it all in. If you’re more sensible than me, then you can decide on a theme for your trip, and you’ll find a smorgasbord of activities to keep you engrossed.
Whether you’re after a trip focused on art, health and wellness, food, or a mixture of a few things, you’ll find something to fit the bill in Barrydale. The hotel is within easy reach of the Barrydale brandy cellar, the Tradouw Pass, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve, and the Warmwaterberg Hot Mineral Springs Spa.
The town is also small enough for you to park your car at the hotel for the duration of your stay and explore everything on foot. It’s more fun that way and you’ll come across some real gems, like the unmissable House of Books. Legend has it that this second-hand bookshop has a collection of over 40,000 books — after visiting the shop, I can’t confirm that number but I can confirm this library in a house has books piled high, from floor to ceiling, room after room, so I’ll leave the counting up to you. Tea lovers will want to make their way to Yamu Botanicals for a tea ceremony and a tour of this unique sustainable farming project focusing on medicinal plants and rare herbs.
Art abounds
It’s no surprise that opportunities for artistic discovery abound in Barrydale. For guests who don’t know where to start, the Karoo Art Hotel presents an ongoing programme of ‘Art of’ workshops on a broad range of themes — writing, cooking, yoga, meditation, music and film, each hosted by experts and leading facilitators.
Further afield, there’s plenty more to discover from fine art studios displaying photography, paintings, and sculptures to shops and studios selling the wares of local craftsmen. Many studios also offer workshops for visitors wanting to expand their horizons. If you’re all about supporting local creators, then the main drag offers plenty of opportunities to shop and take home a piece of Barrydale, whether it’s fashion or home decor.
If you love the art of home decor, then a visit to the famous Barrydale Hand Weavers is a must. The weavery and shop are located at the Joseph Barry Distillery (the old Barrydale Cellar). Here guests have an opportunity to join in on a weavery tour to see the talented weavers in action. Once you’ve seen how the sauce gets made you can make your way to the shop to view the beautiful linens, table clothes, towels, cushion covers and more on display. Don’t leave without experiencing a brandy tasting in the Joseph Barry Distillery tasting room, or you’ll miss out on the opportunity to try what locals call one of the best brandies in the world.
For a little more guidance on what to see in Barrydale, book a tour with Barrydale’s own Doris Day. On this Art of the Amble tour (R250 per person) you’ll join your guide on a historic amble through Barrydale where you’ll visit local artists and craftsmen at their studios. There’s also the option for a Tradouw Pass tour by car where you can learn about the historic journey of the pass and the town of Barrydale. There are a variety of tours and activities available for hotel guests and all tours can be booked through the hotel at reception.
Where to eat in Barrydale
When it comes to food, the best place to start is inside the hotel itself. The hotel’s Karoo Country Kitchen restaurant offers traditional South African and Karoo-inspired cuisine, that is sure to excite fans of home-style cooking.
Breakfast is quite the occasion at the hotel, and you can’t leave without trying the Route 62 Toast. This decadently moreish dish features banana bread French toast topped with locally-sourced cream cheese, maple syrup, and local Karoo bacon. It was so good that I had to order it for breakfast both mornings, and it was by far the most enjoyable meal I had over the 2-day stay. If you prefer something a little healthier or savoury, then try the Health Bowl or Karoo Benedict — both great choices according to my fellow travellers.
For a quick bite, visit the hotel bakery for a freshly baked Almond Croissant, freshly baked breads served with butter and preserves. The bakery is open throughout the day, serving coffee and baked goods to enjoy as a quick breakfast or tea-time snack. This quiet spot adjacent to the hotel lounge proved to be a great place to get some coffee-fueled work done in the afternoons.
Come lunch and dinner time, you’ll want to ensure you experience at least one meal in the adjoining Anna Jordaan Bar. The hotel’s pub is where the town’s colourful characters gather for open mic music nights and a jolly good time. If you’re enamoured with small-town theatre, then this is where you’ll find it.
Plus, there’s plenty of good pub grub on offer, including wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and pub classics like Chicken and Mushroom Pie, Bangers and Mash, as well as Steak, Egg and Chips. While you’re there, be sure to try some of the locally produced spirits on offer at the bar, including the Joseph Barry brandies and Heerlik Gin and Brandy.
If you fancy leaving the hotel for a meal, then Diesel & Crème Vintage Diner is another must. Legendary for its gourmet milkshakes and burgers, the eatery’s décor is as show-stopping as its food — once-grand carousel horses suspended from the ceiling, old-school vending machines and vintage knick-knacks offer plenty to marvel at when you visit Diesel & Crème. Visiting this one-of-a-kind diner is indeed a memorable experience. Grab a seat inside amongst the haberdashery of vintage Americana collectables, or cool off at a shaded table outside and go ready to feast!
Portions are very generous, especially the gourmet milkshakes, so you might want to consider sharing if you’re also ordering a burger and chips. Gourmet milkshake flavours include a range of traditional and unusual flavours, including the likes of Zoo Cookie, Nutella, and Cinnamon Macadamia. I went with a more sensible option of the Mini Classic Burger (R70) paired with a gourmet Strawberry Milkshake (R60). With a 100g beef patty, BBQ sauce, and double-thick Montagu matured cheddar, the burger was simple and oh-so-delicious. The gourmet milkshake was made with real strawberries, and was a meal on its own!
How to get there
The road from Cape Town to Barrydale is a three-hour journey. Our party of six embarked on the road trip in two vehicles; one of which was a fully kitted-out Tread Lite Suzuki Jimny 4×4. The rugged little 4×4 is the perfect car for a couple tackling a road trip in the Western Cape, especially if you like to explore gravel roads and places off the beaten track.
Also, a Cape Country Routes member, Tread Lite 4×4 hire, offers adventurous, yet discerning travellers the opportunity to hire compact Jimny 4x4s to discover Southern Africa. The vehicles come equipped with all the essentials for a self-drive trip so you get a vehicle with “everything you need and nothing you don’t.” Despite its size, the Jimny is an extremely capable 4×4 for peace-of-mind travelling wherever guests choose to venture — be it camping, self-catering or stays in B&Bs and lodges, the vehicle set-ups are adapted to the specific travel needs of guests.
If you love to make the journey to your destination part of your holiday, then a quick stop at Van Loveren wine estate on your way home from Barrydale is a must. Boasting an exquisite tasting room, with a wide variety of fun food and wine pairings to sip and sample, even a quick visit to this beautiful spot is a no-brainer. The tasting room even offers alcohol-free pairings for designated drivers and kids pairing options, so it’s a great stop on a family road trip. Choose from pairings like the Chocolate and Wine, Cheese and Wine, or the Almost Zero de-alcoholised wine and macaroons. If you have more time to spare, then stay for lunch at Christina’s Bistro. Specialising in thin-crusted, wood-fired pizzas and gourmet burgers, the bistro is a favourite stop for many visitors to the area.
There’s plenty of fun to be had on Route 62 and beyond, especially if you love the thrill of a road trip holiday. For more getaway ideas in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, visit the Cape Country Routes (CCR) website. From places to stay to must-try activities, the site is filled with great local travel ideas. CCR is a leading group of owner-operated and managed accommodation and activity establishments located on the scenic and historic routes in the Western and Eastern Cape. All carefully selected for their character, charm, and romance, these establishments offer the best accommodation and activity options to suit every taste and budget.
