Accommodation

The Drakensberg and Natal Midlands offer ideal pet-friendly accommodation

As someone who has and loves pets, the prospect of enjoying a pet-friendly stay is something that appeals to me. It comes as a relief to know that the Drakensberg and Natal Midlands of KwaZulu Natal are an ideal destination should you be on the lookout for a pet-friendly accommodation.

For many, pets are family, so why would you want to plan a family vacation without a member of your family? Not only is having your pet with you a joyful experience, it also eliminates the stress of having to organise someone to look over them during your getaway.

What to look for in a pet-friendly accommodation?

Accommodation that is considered to be pet friendly would mostly provide a large space to take you dog for walks as well as provide you with a fenced in garden. The area also would not have any other animals that would be considered a threat to the animal.

Pet owners also need to be aware of the policies that need to be adhered to, as the owners have a responsibility that their pet will be well-behaved during the visit. Dogs are not allowed inside the KwaZulu Natal National Parks, so here are some pet-friendly suggestions in the Drakensberg and Natal Midlands for you to review.

Ask us for pet-friendly accommodation suggestions HERE.

Win a pet-friendly holiday for 2 worth R16 200 HERE.

Antbear Lodge

If you are looking for some much needed breathing space with place for your pet to run around, then you can’t beat the offering from Antbear Lodge. Antbear is not only a pet-friendly stay, it is also widely regarded to be amongst the top accommodation stays in the Drakensberg.

The eco lodge has beautiful views of the mountains and has plenty of ground for dogs to roam off their leash. The dams on-site will also keep the canines content for hours on end, whilst the prospect of seeing horses will be an exciting one.

The pet-friendly units at Antbear each have their own fenced off gardens and there is no limitation to the size of dog that can stay. The team encourage furry visitors and can even offer a pet welcome pack which includes a few goodies and a doggie towel.

Read more about Antbear Lodge HERE

For more information, click here, call 076 441 2362 or ail reservations@antbear.co.za. To watch their video, click here. Find them on Google Maps, click here. To make a booking online, click here.

Ardmore Guest Farm

The best pet friendly option in the Champagne Valley is Ardmore Guest Farm. The guest farm also has lovely fenced in units with self-catering options. There is plenty of space for pets to wonder around on the premises. Small and medium-sized dogs are welcome.

Read more about the Ardmore Guest Farm HERE.

Ardmore Guest Farm is located at property D275, off the R600, Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal. For bookings, call +27 76 267 0969 / +27 36 468 1164 / +27 87 997 1194 or WhatsApp +27 83 789 1314 or email info@ardmore.co.za. Alternatively, you can do your bookings online HERE. Here is their location on Google Maps. Also follow them on Facebook HERE.

Pet-friendly Restaurants in the Area

The Bierfassel is a quaint Austrian themed pub that serves hearty meals, catering for all tastes. The children can play in the kids’ activity area while you can enjoy tasting their Bavarian, Austrian and Midlands country fare. The pub offers over 35 different beers from around the world, including their very own local draught beers from Nottingham Road Brewery. Pets are welcome as long as you sit outside which is where you want to be anyway.
Walking at Karkloof Falls – The Karkloof is a spectacular waterfall just about 15km from Howick of which about 5km is a reasonable dirt road. The falls is not directly accessible but a small partially hidden pathway from the car park gives you a beautiful view. The picnic area is relatively small but airy. You can bring your braai. This is one of those places that don’t officially offer pet friendly options but nobody will bother you here if you bring your dog either.
Cattle Paths offers a number of walking trails and a little pizza restaurant between Estcourt and Weenen. The trails can be walked or mountain biked and pets are welcome too.
Dragon Peaks offers camping where you can also take your dog. Day visitors also welcome. Lots of hiking and walking opportunities but dogs do need to be on a lead. They are also welcome at Dragons Rest Restaurant if you want a bite to eat.
Piggly Wiggly a restaurant in the Natal Midlands together with lots of arts & craft outlets is an ideal family stop. You can visit here with your children and keep them entertained, as well as your four-legged children. If you pop by on a Saturday nice and early you can do the Park Run too.

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About us

Actually, Home Food and Travel offers a lot more than just reviews of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities. We also visit great destinations, receive advice from interior designers and stop to smell the roses and taste the coffee.

Our team of journalists are seasoned travels and love visiting the myriad of exciting places around South Africa. Whether it is off the beaten track or in the heart of the top attractions of the country, we’ll be there,

Home Food and Travel advice on finding the right accommodation

So what is the right accommodation? Well more often than not, it’s your travel budget that dictates the type of accommodation that you choose.

Expensive is not always better. Our team at Home Food and Travel will tell you that they have camped in areas with limited ablutions and had a wonderful holiday. They have also spent a night in a five star hotel only to be disappointed because their expectations exceeded the experience.

The reason for your travels will also affect your choice. A business trip requires different amenities to a beach holiday.

Our articles, reviews and experiences can certainly help you make your decision.

Restaurants with a good mix of service, food and ambiance

To my mind a great restaurant offers three things – excellent service, great food and a wonderful ambiance. Of these, service is the most important.

No matter that the food is delicious and the setting delightful, poor service can ruin the occasion. However, great service combined with mediocre meal and a plane jane restaurant can still be a pleasant night out.

We’ve eaten in restaurants that are really dirty but with incredible food and couldn’t help but give a rave review. We’ve also hardly noticed what we ate because the setting was just amazing.

However, the best restaurants come with the best of service, food and ambiance.

Spas are the ultimate relaxation aid

How do you know when you have had a great spa experience? The answer, of course, is when you doze off on the treatment table.

Well that’s our theory anyway. It also doesn’t take a grand location with enormous facilities for a spa to be really good

A small, personal spa that is owner run can result in the best massage you have ever experienced. However, the grand spas in five star hotels offer unsurpassed facilities in an environment that just makes the stress in your shoulders and neck melt away before you even finish checking in.

Adventure!

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junky to enjoy an exciting experience. In fact, what are commonly termed adventure activities usually have incredibly high safety standards and unblemished safety records.

Ziplining, bungy jumping and shark cage diving are all very safe. It’s just that our mind tells us we are craaazzzzyyyy to be doing this.

On the road to great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities

If you’re driving, be safe and make use of all the wonderful farm stalls that populate South Africa’s open roads.

If you overhear somebody asking a lot of questions or see someone taking photos of empty bedrooms chances are it’s one of our Home Food and Travel team members.

We’re out looking or those great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.

See you on the road!