Hotel History
The history of Cathedral Peak Hotel: From romantic vision to idyllic reality
This story starts, as all great stories do, with a great upheaval 150 million years ago, the shifting of vast continents caused a volcanic eruption that created the great escarpment that we call the Drakensberg. The passing of time and the shifting of seasons have carved this majestic mountain range into the imposing peaks and lush ravines that Cathedral Peak Hotel calls home today.
When Albert van der Riet visited the area in the early 1900s, his imagination was captured by the beauty of the mountains, and the vibrant fauna and flora. As his eyes played over the valley, he had a captivating vision of a secluded hotel that would be closer to the mountains than any other hotel at the time.
After acquiring the land in mid 1930s, Albert set to work building a road to his new land, training local labourers, laying down infrastructure, and harvesting nearby stone and rock to build his hotel. The doors of the partially-completed 43-room hotel were opened in 1939, and guests enjoyed guided walks through the ‘berg, horse rides, and evenings of dancing and entertainment in the hotel’s lounge.
As the world began to enjoy itself again after the end of World War II, the hotel really started to thrive. Albert, his wife Doreen and their growing family continued to build on his vision, expanding the hotel, adding new recreation facilities and improving the infrastructure. Cathedral Peak Hotel began attracting guests from all over the country and the world.
Albert’s legacy can still be seen in Cathedral Peak Hotel, with sections of the original building having been incorporated into the contemporary structure. Upon Albert’s passing in 1987, the hotel stayed in the family, with the reins being taken up by his son, William. Together with his wife, Belinda, he ensures that Albert’s glorious vision is kept alive in the grandest fashion to this day. They have three children; Byron, Jarred and Ashlea. Byron and his wife Samantha have joined the fold, and are set to become the third generation of van der Riet family to run the hotel. Lillian and Alexander are the start of the fourth generation of van der Riet’s.
As we celebrate over 80 years of providing unrivalled luxury accommodation and adventure amongst the glorious Drakensberg mountains, it’s a privilege to be able to look back on an unbroken history of family-owned and run Cathedral Peak Hotel.
