Article by Britt Urbach, Hills of Africa Travel’s Marketing Director
On my recent South Africa honeymoon, we began our adventures at the beautiful Tintswalo Atlantic boutique hotel in Hout Bay. Here’s a look at our experience . . .
Upon arrival in Johannesburg we took a two-hour flight to Cape Town. We were greeted by our Hills of Africa representative and took a 20-minute ride to our very first hotel on our African honeymoon safari, Tintswalo Atlantic.
Upon arrival at the gate, we were greeted by one of Tinstwalo Atlantic’s delightful staff members who escorted us down a very long, very windy, and very scenic driveway. Once we arrived the property manager, Melissa, greeted us with champagne and we were brought inside to relax and enjoy a spectacular breakfast.
The décor inside is absolutely stunning and is inspired by the bay in which Tinstwalo overlooks – Hout Bay that is. The turquoise blues, seashell statues, plush furniture, and ocean-inspired textures immediately soothed our weary minds (which were exhausted from traveling!).
We were brought to a table overlooking the bay and all the glass doors were open, allowing the seaside breeze to enter. We sat and enjoyed an incredible traditional English breakfast, which consisted of three courses: a parfait with fruit salad, followed by a basket of pastries and plate of meats and cheeses, followed by a hot breakfast of eggs and bacon. We were stuffed! After breakfast we went to our room, which was absolutely gorgeous. The doors reminded me of traditional Italian doors and the interior décor was delightfully plush and vibrant. The designer certainly had an eye for detail!
In our room was a bottle of champagne, bubble bath, fireplace, deck, and the staff even took the time to spell out “congratulations” on our bed, using tiny shells! We could not have had a more pleasant greeting.
The outside temperature was a bit chilly (about 50-degrees Fahrenheit), so we opened our doors to our deck (which overlooked a gorgeous sliver of rocky beach), and lit our fire.
After an hour or so of total relaxation we went for a walk along the rocky outcrops surrounding Tintswalo and snapped some amazing photographs of flowers, towering cliffs, and the beautiful bay. We were the only ones out so it was really splendid.
After our walk we enjoyed an amazing couple’s massage.
After our massage we walked back to our room to find another bubble bath drawn for us, surrounded by purple flower petals, and accompanied by a bottle of champagne. We were already SUPER spoiled to say the least!
Around 4pm we headed to the pool and watched the clouds sail by and took a little nap. By 6pm we were back in the room where we got ready for dinner. We headed to dinner around 7:30 and enjoyed a glass of wine on the main deck, watching a gorgeous sunset behind a dramatic, mountainous backdrop along the ocean. Stunning.
We sat for dinner around 8pm and enjoyed an incredible three-course meal! I started with a tasty butternut squash curry soup, followed by lamb chops, followed by a chocolate cake. Once again, we were highly impressed by Tintswalo’s outstanding food!
After dinner, we headed back to our suite, lit our fire and reminisced about an incredible day. We didn’t want to ever leave!
Important things to note about Tintswalo Atlantic:
- Rates include accommodations, breakfast, house drinks, teas, and coffees.
- Tintswalo Atlantic is boutique in size and is comprised of 10 luxury suites and one Presidential Suite.
- Some of the activities you can take part in while visiting Tintswalo Atlantic include a boat trip to Seal Island, hike through Table Mountain National Park, shopping through Cape Town, Cape Peninsula Tour, a visit to World of Birds, sea kayaking, and whale watching. Note that all of these activities are at an extra cost and some need to be booked in advance.
