Earlier this year we stayed in Swellendam at the comfortable little Aan de Heuvel self-catering cottages for a couple of days. As it turns out though, Aan de Heuvel actually forms part of the Aan de Leisure Collection, a small enterprise that operates a number of accommodation options in South Africa’s third oldest town, including the lovely Aan de Oever Guest House, the mid-range and affordable Aan de Eike Guest House, the Battenbergs self-catering, and of course the aforementioned Aan de Heuvel cottages.
Aan De Eike is the largest offering in the group’s stable and as such acts as their official base of operations and home to all their facilities, including a travel desk, souvenir and gift shop, large outdoor swimming pool, a small gym, sauna, and of all things, a bicycle wash bay. (Mountain biking is a popular pastime in Swellendam). There is also a small on-site restaurant, and having been alerted to it when we earlier had picked up the keys to our cottage from the office over there, we decided to one morning rather indulge in something a little nicer than just settle for boring plain toast or cereal back at the house.
Sitting on the main road and open to the public, this welcoming space acts as a neat little Swellendam hub, and we enjoyed taking advantage of their wide open space, lush green lawn, and of course plentiful shade from all the surrounding oak trees.
Scones, pancakes and coffee was indeed a lot nicer than boring old cereal back home, and the service was bright and friendly. Even the girls’ stuffed doggies agreed!
Related Link: Aan de Eike Guest House (ADLC) | Swellendam