Escape to the Drostdy Hotel in the heart of Graaff Reinet, where two centuries of history meet modern luxury. Originally built in 1804, the Drostdy has undergone meticulous refinement over the years, to become one of South Africa’s most beloved heritage hotels.

This magnificent 48 room boutique 5-star hotel offers opulent accommodation, outstanding Karoo cuisine, an Africology Spa, an art gallery and wine shop. Plus, the chance to explore South Africa’s fourth oldest town which has more than 200 heritage sites and monuments.

The Drostdy Hotel has recently partnered with Air du Cap which flies from the Cape to Graaff Reinet in under two hours. Based at Cape Winelands Airport, Air du Cap specialises in providing charter flights across the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape in their flagship Beechcraft Baron 58.

Both Air du Cap and the Drostdy Hotel are pet friendly. Small and medium dogs are welcome in specific pet-friendly rooms, and on arrival, will receive their own water bowl, food bowl and a comfortable dog bed.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Air du Cap to offer our guests an exceptional and seamless travel experience,” says Tarryn Farrell, Sales and Marketing Director for Africa at Valor Hospitality. “The convenience of a charter flight, combined with our pet-friendly accommodation, ensures that every traveller – human or fur baby – can enjoy a truly memorable stay.”

It has been a decade since the Rupert Family Foundation donated the hotel to the SA College for Tourism (SACT), and together they have become an inspiring model of five-star service, sustainable tourism, and warm Karoo hospitality.

The SA College for Tourism is a registered Non-Profit Organisation founded in 2001 by Dr Anton Rupert with the mission to provide capacity building and economic empowerment for marginalised, unemployed, rural, and peri-urban youth, with a focus on women, in the hospitality industry.

In 2012 the Rupert Family Foundation bought the Drostdy Hotel and reopened it two years later, after extensive renovations. The hotel was donated to SACT which provides hospitality training for young women from impoverished rural backgrounds.

“By nurturing local talent we’re ensuring a thriving future for the tourism industry,” says Tony Romer-Lee, Co-Founder and Managing Partner AMEA. In addition to hospitality training, SACT also has a Tracker Academy.

The Drostdy Hotel has a long and lively history. It was first built in 1805 during the second occupation of the Cape by the Dutch, by architect Louis Thibault as a residence for the landrost (a Boer magistrate prior to the establishment of British administration) and it hosted many important historical characters.

In 1878 the hotel was bought by Henry Kromm in 1878 and converted into a hotel which became known as Kromm’s Drostdy Hotel. After Kromm sold it in 1903 it continued as a hotel under various owners until its acquisition in 1975 by Historical Homes of South Africa when the building was again restored and became a national monument.

“We have honoured the heritage of this remarkable building”, says director of the Drostdy Hotel, John Loftie-Eaton, “yet also elevated it to luxury accommodation. We remain dedicated to honouring the hotel’s past while ensuring it remains a vibrant part of the future of the Karoo. All of this is a true reflection of the incredible vision and support from the Rupert family.”