Message From the General Manager
Spring has sprung in the Drakensberg, bringing longer and warmer days, exquisite sunsets, blossoming wildflowers and a rich abundance of fauna. With summer just a few months away, we are looking forward to hot sunny days, epic thunderstorms to fill our rivers and richer greenery to cover our landscape.
Our Heritage Day long weekend celebration was a huge success, with all our guests enjoying the themed entertainment programme, singing and dancing by our staff and a delicious braai and themed dinner buffet.
A quick reminder to sign up or renew your Golf Club membership for just R1040 per year in order to qualify for next year’s Golf Club Champs in March.
As we draw closer to the end of 2023, so our festive season preparations have begun. We’re looking forward to a merry occasion with a full Christmas and New Year’s Eve entertainment line-up for the whole family. As it is the season of giving, we kindly ask for your assistance in uplifting the communities that surround our hotel by finding a little extra s pace in your bag for some school supplies for local children.
For those of you who will not be able to join us for our 84th Christmas and/or New Year, on behalf of the van der Riet Family, management, and staff of Cathedral Peak Hotel, we would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and prosperous New Year!
Bruce Botes
EXCITING UPGRADES
Last year we successfully achieved our upgrade objectives, and we are thrilled that, as each month passes, our 2023 upgrade and refurbishment objectives are being achieved.
We’re taking strides towards inclusivity with our new wheelchair ramp. Soon, guests will have smoother access to the wheelchair-friendly thatched rooms 60 and 61, allowing you to effortlessly savour the beauty of the Drakensberg.
Inspired by the captivating shweshwe patterns, our new table linen and runners add a touch of South African culture and vibrancy , brightening up your dining room experience.
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
WILLIAM’S MILESTONE BIRTHDAY
Congratulations to William van der Riet, the current owner of our hotel, on this milestone birthday! Here’s to many more years with you at our helm.
TRIPADVISOR 2023 WINNER
We are honoured to announce that we have been awarded with a 2023 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our amazing guests for your unwavering support and valuable feedback that has put us in the top 10% of hotels worldwide.
HILL’S 1000 PAWS WALK FOR THE SPCA SPONSORSHIP
We were delighted to be able to make a difference to the lives of the area’s animals and communities by sponsoring a weekend getaway at the hotel at this year’s 14th Hill’s 1000 Paws Walk charity drive for the SPCA. We look forward to supporting this invaluable event again next year!
MANDELA DAY BLOOD DRIVE
To help our staff and guests give back in celebration of Mandela Day, we organised a blood drive at the hotel with South African National Blood Services on Wednesday, 12th July. It was fantastic to see so many of our guests and staff donating blood to this valuable cause, and we look forward to hosting another blood drive soon.
BARN OWL CUSTODIANS
We are extremely privileged to have been selected yet again by Free Wildlife as custodians for not two but four juvenile barn owls. A temporary enclosure was installed where we fed them for two weeks, after which, they were successfully released. We hope they will make use of and breed in the owl box we erected last year, thus ensuring our hotel has resident barn owls for generations to come.
SIBUYA MAGIC MIMI RHINO UPDATE
In April this year, Sibuya Game Reserve suffered a terrible loss, with two of their rhinos being killed for their horns, while one of the calves, Mimi, was shot and injured. Mimi has since been recovering at a rehabilitation centre and we are so thrilled to see how wonderfully she is doing.
Thank you so much to those who have generously donated towards the wellbeing and preservation of these beautiful rhinos. Should you wish to make a donation, please visit https://sibuya.co.za/rhino-foundation/
Upcoming Events
BLACK FRIDAY VOUCHER SALE – COMING SOON
November is just around the corner and with it comes our incredible Black Friday voucher sale – available for one week only from Monday, 20th November! Keep a look out on our social media pages for updates.
JOIN US FOR AN EXCITING & ACTION-PACKED FESTIVE SEASON
From Carols by Candlelight and a traditional Christmas dinner, to a New Year’ s Eve party with music by Chris Jensen, our festive season entertainment programme promises to delight all our guests.
INTRODUCING A NEW TEENS RATE
To help our guests save on an unrivalled Drakensberg family holiday, we’re introducing new rates for teens aged 13-16 years. As from 1 November 2023, teens will pay just 70% of adult rack rates – inclusive of all meals.
MEET THE CATHEDRAL PEAK HOTEL TEAM
We are so privileged to have such a wonderful team who work together to provide our guests with the ultimate Drakensberg experience!
Say hello to our very popular Stable Grooms, Jerome Ngubeni and Mathiba Mncube. Both have a passion for horses, the mountains and the guests that they get to meet and share their knowledge with. Jerome has been working at the hotel for 23 years and Mathiba has been with us for 8 years.
MIKE’S PASS HAS
OFFICIALLY REOPENED
Just a few short kilometres away from the hotel lies the famous road up Mike’s Pass to the top of the ‘Little Berg’. As you wind your way up, the majestic Drakensberg mountains unfold before you with panoramic views from the top that will take your breath away.
This is a self-drive 4×4 vehicle route and permits need to be purchased from Didima Camp Reception before starting your ascent. Mountain bike enthusiasts can also enjoy this challenging 22km return mountain pas s, with an elevation gain of 480m – permits are not required for cyclists.
THE CATHEDRAL PEAK HOTEL STORY CONTINUED
Not only did the family flourish after the War, the hotel started to increase in popularity as well, resulting in Albert expanding the facilities on offer. In 1948, the ballroom was designed and built, where many a happy hour was spent by our guests as they danced the night away. In more recent years, William renovated and extended the ballroom to create a venue now used for weddings and conferences. In the early 1950s, the first lines of thatched cottages on the north-facing slope below the main building and long block were built, known today as our Standard Thatch Rooms.
SAVE ON AN UNFORGETTABLE DRAKENSBERG GETAWAY WITH THESE
special offers
SUMMER SPECIAL
15% off rack rates for adults and teens | 50% off rack rates for kids 12 and under
Discounted rates start from R1695 per adult, R1185 per teen (13-16 y ears) and just R430 (8-12 years) / R330 (4-7 years) per child per night, inclusive of all meals.
Valid 1st Dec ’23 to 31st Jan ’24 for new booking only , excl. 15th Dec ’23 to 2nd Jan ’24. Min 2-night stay.
Rates exclude levies. T’s & C’s apply.
