Swartberg Hotel

The Swartberg Hotel sits on Church Street in Prince Albert, a town at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains. You stay in one of twenty-five rooms, each with its own layout and furnishings. Some have king-size beds and seating areas; others are cottages with kitchenettes. The hotel has a generator to keep the lights on during power cuts.

The Victoria Dining Room serves local dishes in a space that dates to 1864. The Green Prince Gin Bar stocks regional gins like Cape Saint Blaize and Inverroche. A deli sells bread, figs, and olive products from eight in the morning until five in the afternoon.

A courtyard holds the pool, where you can cool off in the Karoo heat. The spa offers massages with Lamelle Skin Care products. For events, the Royal Venue takes up to a hundred guests under chandeliers, and the Albert Room holds twenty-eight.

Prince Albert itself is small enough to walk. The Swartberg Pass, a short drive away, climbs into the mountains behind the town.