The following is a collection of frequently asked questions, to assist our future guests with useful information regarding their stay at Champagne Castle Hotel.

 

• Does Champagne Castle welcome non-resident visitors?
• Can self-catering guests eat in the hotel restaurant?
• Do you have animal-friendly accommodation?
• Is there free WiFi?
• Recommended directions from Durban and Johannesburg
• Do you offer Halaal food options?
• Do you serve Special Meals to cater for specific Dietary Requirements?
• Does the Restaurant do anything for Special Occasions?
• Can I check-in early?
• What is your Cancelation Policy?

Does Champagne Castle Hotel welcome non-resident visitors?

Champagne Castle Hotel's first priority is always to our Hotel and Self-Catering guests. Them having an incredible experience during their stay drives our entire team.

As we're a small-ish property inside of a World Heritage Site, we do not have volumes of space and the necessary facilities to accommodate large numbers of non-resident visitors. We're always monitoring our numbers and available resources.

As a rule of thumb, yes, we welcome non-resident visitors who would like to enjoy our spectacular views from the veranda or the pub, and enjoy a light meal or scones, coffee, tea or a drink or two.

However, when we are full (often over the weekend and during school holidays) we are forced to close our property to non-resident visitors, in order to ensure our guests in the Hotel and Self-Catering units enjoy the best possible experience during their stay.

This can cause frustration for some non-resident visitors. We certainly don't mean to frustrate anyone (we can sometimes get well over 100 people wanting to visit on a day), and always request that you phone ahead before taking a drive up to see if we're open?

If you'd like to enquire about enjoying a meal at our restaurant, please tap/ click here for more details and our enquiry form.

Can Self-Catering Guests eat in the Hotel Restaurant?

Our Restaurant was built to accommodate the Hotel. Once we were included in the World Heritage Site, we were no longer permitted to add any buildings, or increase the size of any of them. So the answer to the question is that if there is space (the Hotel is not full) we are certainly able to accommodate Self-Catering guests in the Restaurant. However, if the Hotel is full, we are not able to.

It's also slightly complicated in that we offer a Buffet meal service. Tables are allocated to particular rooms, and we're never sure when someone will arrive for a meal, or whether they will come back for another course once they have left the Restaurant. So while the Restaurant can appear as if there are available tables, it's often not the case. We're aware this can seem complicated, and it does, from time to time, cause frustration for our Self-Catering guests. That's not our intention, as we'd love to ensure everyone has an incredible experience.

Our advice is that you come prepared to self-cater, and work on a day to day basis as to whether the Restaurant is full or not?

Do you have Animal Friendly Accommodation?

Champagne Castle Hotel has one self-catering Chalet that is animal friendly. There is a small fenced garden, with a small dam in front of it (outside of the fence).

Please chat to our reservations team for more information, via email, or call now on +27 36 468 1063

Is there free WiFi?

Champagne Castle Hotel offers free WiFi to our guests in our main buildings and all hotel rooms. There is currently no wifi in our self-catering chalets.

Recommended Directions

Directions from Durban:
Follow the N3 from Durban heading towards Johannesburg. Go through the Mooi Plaza toll. Pass Estcourt and take EXIT 194 (Colenso/Bergville R74). Turn left towards Bergville (R74). Drive until you enter Winterton (20 km from the turn off), and take the left turn marked “Central Berg” before the traffic light in Winterton. Travel for 13 km to the Thokozisa 4 way stop. Continue straight on this road for 19 kms, winding up the road to reach Champagne Castle hotel.

Directions from Johannesburg:
From Johannesburg continue past HARRISMITH on the N3 towards DURBAN, travelling down the VAN REENENS PASS. Continue down the N3 do not take any other exit until you get to exit 194 Bergville/Colenso. Take this exit and turn right towards Bergville (R74). Drive until you enter Winterton (20 km from the turn off), and take the left turn marked “Central Berg” before the traffic light in Winterton. Travel for 13 km to the Thokozisa 4 way stop. Continue straight on this road for 19 kms, winding up the road to reach Champagne Castle hotel.

Do you offer Halaal food options?

Should you wish to stay with us, please bear in mind the below information regarding Halaal food options.

We are able to assist in providing meals prepared by a Halaal caterer based in Estcourt.

Shiraaz and Safiya have been assisting lodgings and hotels in the Drakensberg area for Halaal meals and we are happy to work with them to provide a facility here at Champagne Castle hotel.

We do offer a standard 3 meal/ day plan that consists of a breakfast, a 3 course lunch and a 3 course dinner. Lunch and dinner will consist of a starter, one main course and a dessert.

These meals would’ve been prepared in Estcourt and transported to us, sealed and wrapped in compliant containers that are warmed, if required, in a microwave oven used specifically here at the hotel for the heating of Halaal food only.

They will be stored separate from other food items but within the same fridge/ freezer space as other food items before consumption and may be transported to us the day prior to the meal being required, due to logistics and travel costs.

As we would discount a food component from your rate to assist in the extra costs of this facility, below is the balance of the additional charges/ person/ night for the meal plan, over and above the full room/ accommodation rate that will be charged.

R325/ per person/ day. This includes breakfast, a 3 course lunch and dinner with ONE main course each for lunch and dinner.

We would also need at least a 48-hour period in which to arrange these meals prior to your arrival date, so please inform our reservations team of your wishes and we will arrange accordingly.

Safiya can be reached on 083 463 3658 should you need any additional information or clarification on meals offered.

SAMPLE MENU

Breakfast

• Omelette
• Polony
• Sausages
• Baked beans
• Mushrooms
• Yoghurt
• Pancakes

Lunch

• Samoosas
• Lamb curry and basmati rice
• Salad
• Dessert

Dinner

• Chicken moons
• Masala chicken
• Creamy veggies
• Salad
• Rotis
• Dessert

Do you serve Special Meals to cater for specific Dietary Requirements?

We offer buffet meals three times a day, which are tailored to suit most of our guests. Most guests will have a reasonable selection.

For each meal, on request, the chefs will gladly explain the ingredients of the dishes to enable guests to choose accordingly.

We regret that we do not have the facilities to offer an a la carte or special meal requirement menu.

There are so many people with special meal requirements these days (Halaal, diabetic, Jewish, vegetarians, vegan, allergies to many items such as shellfish, gluten, eggs, artificial spices, etc.) it is not possible to cater for these guests individually.

For these reasons, please note that there may be a very limited selection for guests with special meal requirements.

If guests have any special item or dish they wish to bring, the chefs will gladly store and/or heat up and serve as required.

We also offer self-catering chalets for those guests for whom the buffet is not suitable.

Does the Restaurant do anything for Special Occasions?

If you alert us to a Special Occasion, our team will create a 'special table', during dinner to mark the occasion, at no extra cost.

We use a different table runner with special serviettes and candles.

Please let us know during the Reservation process, or speak to the Restaurant Manager directly, giving them 24 hours notice.

Can I check-in early?

We really do try to accommodate our guests whenever possible and reasonable. Some of the reasons we cannot guarantee an early check-in, is as follows:

1. We are fully booked on your day of arrival, so our staff are already under tremendous pressure to have all Hotel Rooms and Chalets cleaned and checked by 2pm, which is our check-in time. We usually need to prioritize our stay-over rooms / chalets as guests do not appreciate going back to their accommodation after a hike or a drive, only to find that their room/chalet is has not be cleaned by lunchtime.
2. With departure Rooms / Chalets, our departure time is 10am. Unfortunately, we have occasional guests who disrespect our check out time. Sometimes, they are not in their accommodation at 10am and haven’t even started packing. They may not be contactable on their mobile phone. Or they may still be having breakfast and even if the staff are standing outside ready to clean, they take their time and only then start slowly packing. This causes unnecessary delays as departure chalets take up to 2 ½ to clean and to check. Also bear in mind that the property is quite spread out, so it takes time for the Managers to check all departure Rooms / Chalets and release them to Reception as 'clean'.
3. We are happy to accommodate guests with an early arrival if we are able to do so on the day.

What is your Cancelation Policy?

Cancellations or non-arrivals will incur a cancellation fee as follows:

• 31 days or more prior to arrival-10% admin fee will be deducted from payment received.
• 30-15 days prior to arrival-50% of payment received will be forfeited.
• 14 or fewer days prior to arrival-the entire payment received is forfeited. Guests are liable for the tariff of the full period booked regardless of early check-out or late arrival.