Steytlerville
Karoo Charm
A very quiet town bordering the Klein and the Groot Karoo, impeccably clean with a wide main street awash with bourgainvilla. A quaint town; a lost-in-time town.
There are some beautiful houses and fabulous examples of a bygone era – I’m sure there’s a bargain to be had although probably not much return on investment!
Lots of photographic opportunities for lovers of architecture – and apparently the NG church holds the record for being the biggest Edwardian-style church in Southern Africa.
However….
There is another very good reason to visit Steytlerville – The Karoo Theatrical Hotel.
It can be found about 1km from the centre of town down a dirt road and apparently was a shell of a building when the current owners found it and fell in love with it. Now it is a beautifully decorated, charming place with 360 degree views of the surrounding Karoo countryside.
Dinner and alternative cabaret
On a Saturday night is when the fun really begins with a dinner and show in the theatre presented by the owners – Mark the classically trained musician and Jacques, a wonderful mime artist, whose alter ego is Leyla Lamborghini. Not only does he pull this off to great effect he also designs and makes all the costumes. It’s really fun, the food is fab (real boerekos) and the night we were there it was a full house.
During the week the hotel is much quieter but there’s a lovely bar, stoep to sip sundowners on and a large fireplace for winter. It is decorated with fabulous art and antiques and is really worth a visit.
Hedonist Hippy Recommends
To do:
Hiking – there are trails on nearby farms, surrounded by beautiful landscapes
The Royal Hotel – sit and people watch on the stoep of this refurbished local inn, with a cold beer in hand. Star gazing can also be arranged from here, on a neighbouring farm.
To stay:
Karoo Theatrical Hotel – see above.
Slow down time
This is a town of big skies and scenery and a town for relaxing, unwinding and doing the same again. There isn’t much energy required here, so there’s no guilt involved in sitting in a chair, reading, supping or just daydreaming – it’s all here for the taking. Take some time after dark to gaze at the myriad of stars and the huge night skies.
For more information visit the tourism website