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It’s that time of the year when you can’t open your food-ordering app without being bombarded by Valentine’s Specials – complimentary choccies candy with your take-away burger, or heart-shaped pizzas at ‘a very special price’.
Spread the love
Top South African golf estate Fancourt in George mines its position on the tourist-friendly Garden Route, to offer a variety of specials. Guests staying over during Valentine’s week are enticed with activities within estate boundaries or in neighbouring natural surrounds.
Fancourt’s suggestions for making the most of Valentine’s Day when visiting this picturesque corner of the country include everything from horse-riding to hot-air ballooning, floating down Knysna River and cruising through The Heads with oysters and bubbly to boot.
Another special offer availed to estate guests entails wine pairings on the Southern Cape’s secret wine route. ‘Pair Jakkalsvlei wines with deliciously-light candy floss: Sauvignon Blanc with passion-fruit floss, Pinotage with coffee candyfloss, and Muscadel with Turkish delight-flavoured floss, or indulge in a fudge and wine pairing.’
Just stay in
But first prize, according to the Fancourt crew, is staying over at the estate to ensure your romantic holiday dreams are realised. Exclusive Valentine’s specials include a Picnic for Two, to be enjoyed while taking in the beauty of the estate. Cuddle up on a blankie while tucking chilled sparkling wine, a generous antipasti board, and tiramisu as grand finale.
V Day itself will be celebrated with a dinner on February 14 at the fine-dining Henry White’s, where a romantic meal and welcome drink is priced at R680 per head. Now that’s food for thought if you’re still wondering what’s in it for estates.
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Knysna delights
Simola Golf & Country Estate boasts a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, with added attractions on the 325-hectare property being Simola Hotel & Spa, and the exclusive River Club, where homeowners enjoy swimming, paddling, fishing and birding surrounded by indigenous forests.
Simola is also known for its classy conference facilities and has gained fame as magical wedding venue – which means they’re no strangers to the business side of lurve. This motion was seconded by GM Roxanne Marais, who said they were fully booked weeks in advance, so no accommodation specials were needed.
‘Valid for the week of February 10-17, our Valentine’s specials are being booked up at speed. Dinners, picnics and spa sessions are offered to guests and residents, and we’ve received lots of enquiries since putting out word in local publications and on Facebook.’
When speaking to Marais less than a week before V Day, dinner bookings had already topped the 65-mark; spa bookings were pushing its capacity of 80 treatments per day, and dibs on the picnic-basket offering were streaming in.
Friend-finding facilitated
Avine Lubisi is hotel manager at Quartet Lifestyle Estate in Plettenberg Bay – a retirement location with residential options ranging from independent to assisted living. Adjacent to Goose Valley Golf Course, the estate offers sought-after lifestyle benefits exclusive to the Garden Route.
Lubisi believes that Valentine’s Day can be turned into a win-win for all: ‘It’s a great opportunity to showcase your estate to potential buyers, or to visiting family members who experience our offerings first-hand. Activities on occasions such as Valentine’s Day help putting you on the map.’
He believes onsite attractions avail a different perspective to visiting a website. ‘Our virtual experts ensure effective marketing. But when you’re out to sell cottages, you don’t go into details such as the twice-weekly gathering of our resident art club. We’re not in the market to simply put elders in a home. We look after residents’ mental and physical wellbeing through activities and events.’
Valentine’s Day at Quartet will entail drinks and a braai for residents to socialise; it costs just R45 a head, while non-residents pay R95 for the evening. ‘We aim to accommodate everyone at Quartet, be they non-residents, short-term rentals or hotel guests deserving of a memorable stay.
When reaching retirement age, people often relocate to start this new life stage. In the process, they leave behind old friends and support structures. It’s not uncommon to feel lonely, so Lubisi and his team are out to prove there’s still much to live for.
‘There are many single gentlemen and ladies on the estate and, who knows, apart from making new friends, you may just meet an unexpected love interest this Valentine’s Day.’
