When I was still reviewing restaurants and eating whatever I was served, the tasting menu that Peter Templehof, Executive Chef of Liz McGrath's Collection Hotels, served at The Greenhouse restaurant at The Cellars Hohenort hotel was rated as one of the most exquisitely tasty and playful meals in memory. He was also the Sunday Times Chef of the Year at the time. I mention this because I believe it is his passion for creating the finest cuisine whatever one's dietary proclivities might be which set the stage for being presented with an entire menu, just for me.
I'm not just talking about a choice of two starters, mains or desserts. I'm talking about 30 items, each suitable for my diet. I could feel the tears were coming when, as someone that understands commercial food production, I realised how much extra effort executive chef Grant Parker and his team went to achieve this.
I don't usually spend so much time talking about food in hotel reviews but it informs the type of hotel that The Plettenberg is, where no matter what the guest's need or desire is, they will do everything they can do to not simply accommodate you but to delight you.
Another example of this is when we asked them to package the left over nibbles (roasted herby almonds, biltong, spicy sausage) they had placed for us in the room into a plastic container to take along on our hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve. They presented us with a packed picnic backpack.
There's a beautiful book of old Cape photographs in the "winter" sitting room at The Plettenberg, which speaks to owner Liz McGrath's passion for historic spaces. The generous sitting room is furnished in the English style and the photo of Mrs M and The Duke of Edinburgh seems perfectly in place. An anteroom has an elegant table and computer stations suitable for a business meeting while enjoying the seaside or the spa - an intimate setup in the next-door villa.
The Plettenberg's "summer" lounge is a less formal space with views over the pool and, from its position on a rocky outcrop, over Look-out beach on the left and Main beach on the right.
From our corner suite number 18 on the first floor, we had five sash windows and French doors that welcomed the rising sun right into our bed. If there were whales in the bay, you are guaranteed to see them from your suite's sitting room where views stretch to the Robberg Peninsula. I suppose that the only better view in Plettenberg Bay might be from the corner suite on the second floor.
As an historic building, decoration throughout is restrained and elegant but they have successfully managed to combine formal spaces with the shimmering underwater feel of the Sandbar and SeaFood restaurant. Our suite may be a little dated compared with the newer Blue Wing but because everything is of the highest quality (the wool carpets are so good to walk on bare footed I didn't even use the slippers provided) it is not a drawback.
One drawback of an old building is that not all rooms follow the same layout. I mention this because if you need to have a bathroom very near your bedroom, ask for a suite with this configuration.
Even the rates, at the top end of the five-star scale, reflect value for money and there are affordable winter packages and outstanding restaurant specials aimed at enticing locals. We visited in the last week of May and had four warm, wind free days in Plettenberg Bay.
I have also been to Plettenberg Bay in high season and the thrill of sharing the beach and nature reserve with just a handful of others or being able to walk into any restaurant without a reservation, is a particular pleasure.
The Blue Wing and two villas, Beach and Look-out are also included in the 39-key offering. Rooms are all individually decorated, all with a marine theme in shades of blues, whites and turquoise. The Blue wing is more contemporary and the public areas, also available to hire for a celebration, have 180 degree sea views with a heated lap pool. Self-catering is allowed in the villas but house manager Riaan tells me most guests order room service from The Plettenberg or opt to dine at Emily Moon and other quality restaurants in the area. We liked that we could walk to the beaches and to the main shopping and restaurant road from the hotel.
The location, service and cuisine of our stay at The Plettenberg reflect the five Cs that define Relais & Chateaux member properties: Charm, Courtesy, Character, Cuisine and Calm. The Plettenberg has these in abundance.
