Plateau Country House

Accommodation in 12 suites • Birding • Tsitsikamma National Park • Spa • Forest Trails

At the foot of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, enclosed by the Tsitsikamma National Park, lies Platbos Reserve – the home of Plateau Country House. Dedicated to the health and well-being of its guests and its environment alike, Plateau offers so much more than accommodation. Here nature once again reigns supreme – not only is the need for conservation acknowledged, energy is also focused on the long term rehabilitation of indigenous forest and Cape Fynbos. Experience this diverse eco system intimately with a network of walkways connecting places of interest such as the lake on the forest edge, the Erica Falls waterfall and vantage points of the ocean. Birding is particularly rewarding and encounters with mammals such as bushbuck, bush pig, spotted genet, caracal, and honey badger are common. Mountain, forest and ocean vistas decorate the horizon and the Plateau complex is the only man made structure visible from anywhere on the reserve.

Accommodation is in 12 suites and each suite is named after the museum artist whose art decorates its walls. Large ergonomically designed living spaces are luxuriously appointed with natural materials. All suites are en-suite with private veranda or balcony. An attraction in its own right, the Plateau dining room conjures a blend of ambience and service uncommon to this part of the world. The cultured combination of meticulous décor, sateen linen and crystal glassware stands in contrast to the untamed natural surrounds. The Plateau kitchen prepares a daily set dinner menu comprising four courses and the simple cooking style produce cosmopolitan cuisine low in fat and free from artificial additives.

A range of beauty, massage, reflexology and skin care treatments are available at the Plateau Spa and a fully equipped gymnasium caters for those who wish to keep up with their training routine whilst travelling. There is also the newly unveiled hair salon. Other activities include bird watching, forest and fynbos trails, mountain biking, kayaking, picnics and plenty more. One can also go whale and dolphin watching, swimming, surfing, snorkeling and sun bathing at Nature’s Valley beach. Other attractions in the vicinity include Monkeyland (the world’s first free roaming multi-species primate sanctuary, Birds of Eden (the world’s largest done), the Elephant Sanctuary, Bloukrans Bungy (world’s highest) and Bramon Wine Estate. Tree Top Canopy Tours, visits to game reserves, tennis, golf, squash, scuba diving, horse riding, deep sea fishing, sailing, train excursions, scenic flights (microlight, glider and helicopter) and sky diving can also be arranged.

The wine cellar is a meeting place at Plateau. It is here where guests select a wine to compliment their meal and where cognac and a Cuban cigar round off a dinner party. And it is here where opponents are friends around a game of cards.

The Platbos Reserve conservation program focuses on their own sphere of influence with the aim to identify and arrest the negative impact of humans on the natural environment. Platbos Reserve promotes recycling of all waste and is actively involved in establishing recycling programs for paper, glass and organic kitchen waste in their remote location. Fertilizer free gardening is practised organic kitchen waste is composted and used when planting indigenous trees and the on-site sewer treatment plant was designed by specialists to ensure no negative impact on the environment. Lighting is kept to a minimum and florescent globes are used extensively on Platbos Reserve. Waterpumps, geysers, lighting and other equipment are regulated by timers to conserve electricity and solar energy is used on the Reserve with great success.

Yearly, all alien plants are eliminated from Platbos Reserve using environmentally friendly techniques. Monthly, vegetation is inspected for snares. This is done in conjuction with the South African National Parks. There has been a marked decline of the use of snares to trap animals in the last four years and all fences were removed between Platbos Reserve and the Tsitsikamma National Park to enable free movement of animals over a larger area. Perhaps the most significant contribution to the conservation of our environment is the awareness Platbos Reserve and Plateau creates among the local community. The key to sustainable conservation lies with them.

Taking the first steps...

Platbos Reserve forms part of a very old, very complex and very sensitive forest biome. Environmental factors such as rainfall, groundwater, sunlight, soil condition and temperature all play an interdependant role to sustain the indigenous forest found on the Reserve. Past deforestation has unfortunately had a ripple effect on many of these factors, with the result that restoring balance to this eco system may take generations of active rehabilitation.

The folk at Plateau believe that there is no better time to start this process than right now. In fact, their rehabilitation program started in 1999, and has had as its main focus, the planting of indigenous trees. Since 1999 they have planted more than 400 trees on the Reserve.

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