Steynshoop Valley Lodge

Steynshoop Valley Lodge is a luxury, child friendly, self-catering lodge, beautifully situated on an elevated site in the scenic Magaliesberg valley, near Hekpoort. It has superb views of the magnificent mountain range and of the valley.

This unique lodge, an hour`s drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, falls within a world heritage site.

There is an attractive homestead and a surrounding quadrangle of buildings which includes a walled kitchen garden and an antique Cape-style fowl run. The homestead has several large, safety fenced, adjoining water features and the overall ambience is of an early Transvaal farmstead, in keeping with the history of the estate.

The homestead has 5 bedrooms all en-suite. The 5 adjoining cottage units each has one bedroom. Three of the units have additional daybeds for children.

There are numerous sporting and recreation such as an all-weather floodlit tennis court, an "infinity", safety fenced, swimming pool and a full-size billiard room. Additionally there are volleyball, badminton and croquet facilities. There is a sports/entertainment area with an additional swimming pool, braai facilities and three thatched gazebos with large tables and benches/chairs.

It is ideal for individual and small group getaways, conferences and retreats, with a natural, peaceful and refreshing ambience.

The estate includes a 50-acre forest and borders the proclaimed Magaliesberg Nature Reserve, which has abundant natural bush and game.

The immediately adjoining Steynshoop Mountain Lodge, which is under common ownership with Steynshoop Valley Lodge, includes a portion of the Nature Reserve and has almost a kilometre of the mountain range above Steynshoop Valley Lodge. It has extensive wild game, thousands of natural protea trees and large areas of indegenous forest with magnificent trees and walks..

Guests at Steynshoop Valley Lodge may hike on the trail at the Mountain Lodge. By prior arrangement and accompanied by a guide from Steynshoop Mountain Lodge, they may take longer hikes over the adjoining extensive properties owned by the Mountain Club of South Africa, which include famous sites such as Castle Gorge (where there is a perennial waterfall )

Birdlife is extensive. There are frequent sightings of eagles and vultures from a nearby cliff colony and guests can hear jackal and hyena cries, baboon barks and other sounds of the surrounding wildlife.

Further accommodation and facilities are available for larger groups at the immediately adjoining Steynshoop Mountain Lodge, described on this website.

Accommodation at Steynshoop Valley Lodge:
The Homestead
The Homestead is the original main house at Steynshoop and has scenic views, through large sliding doors, over the pool and dams and down the valley. It includes an equipped kitchen, a sitting room with sliding doors onto the terrace and pool, a separate dining room overlooking the valley and the range, a fountain courtyard, an upstairs gallery with exercise equipment and a terrace overlooking the quad.

The sitting room has satellite TV and stereo. There is a separate thatched gazebo with a large entertainment table and chairs, next to the pool.

The bedrooms include the following:
Room One - large double bedroom (king size double bed) with sliding doors onto patio overlooking the Magaliesberg range. Large en-suite bathroom (bath plus shower) with enclosed garden courtyard and private outside shower.
Room Two - large double bedroom (queen size double bed) with double height ceiling, fireplace and sliding doors with views over the water garden and range. En-suite bathroom (bath plus shower) with enclosed courtyard and private outside shower.
Room Three - double bedroom (king size double bed) on upper level with superb views down valley and small balcony overlooking pool and dams. Large en-suite bathroom (bath only) overlooking the range.
Room Four - double bedroom (antique brass/enamel double bed) overlooking quad with small en-suite (shower only) bathroom.
Room Five - double bedroom (antique brass/enamel double bed) on upper level under thatch with views up to range. Enclosed en-suite bathroom (bath plus shower).

Warning:
Guests intending to use The Homestead must be aware that this is not a resort, but is the private, luxury lodge of the owner Steynshoop. As such, it has some expensive antique furnishings and other items such as a full-sized billiards table and gym equipment, which can be easily damaged if not used carefully. The carpets and furniture upholstery are white (or light coloured) and can easily be damaged, or require replacement, through careless use, such as red wine spills. The Homestead is therefore not suitable for guests with several young children, or for any form of rowdiness.

Parties or celebrations involving a lot of noise and/or late hours, which could disturb other guests in the adjoining cottages/suites at Steynshoop, are also not permitted. The Homestead`s swimming pool is reserved for its guests but the adjoining (separate) billiards room is to be available for shared use with other guests using the Valley Suite and the Cottages, at Steynshoop, and guests booking The Homestead must be aware of this and treat other guests at Steynshoop with consideration in this regard.

The Valley Suite
This is Steyshoop Valley Lodge`s premier suite - the equivalent of a "honeymoon suite".
It is superbly spacious and luxurious, with a magnificent four-posted bed and a bathroom that one guest refered to as "the ballroom bathroom".
Certain guests return again and again to use this suite which has become almost a second home for them.

Large bedroom with king-size four-poster double bed, fireplace, sofa, antique breakfast table and chairs. Two double slider doors, with magnificent valley views. Fan/air-conditioner unit.

Very substantial bathroom suite and dressing area (large oval bath, large shower, two hand basins, twin wardrobes, occasional Bali sofa-bench), leading onto walled private outside shower facility.

Large sitting room with fireplace, two double slider doors, superb views of the Magaliesberg Valley, patio and adjoining small enclosed (walled) garden. This room has two sofas, a coffee table, DSTV flat-screen TV, and DVD player, dining area and table, and an in-cupboard kitchenette, with fridge, two-plate mini stove/oven and microwave oven, fan/air-conditioner unit.

Guests using this suite frequently arrange to have meals at the immediately adjoining Steynshoop Mountain Lodge.

The Corner Cottage
This charming self-contained cottage is full of character and a favourite with guests who stay at Steynshoop Valley Lodge.
Separate self-catering unit with gallery-style bedroom on an open mezzanine level (queen size double bed). Lower level bathroom, with bath plus shower, and adjoining enclosed courtyard with outside shower.

Ground floor sitting/dining room and self-contained full kitchen, with fridge, stove and microwave oven.
Flat Screen TV, DSTV and DVD player. There is a double sleeper/couch, suitable for occasional use by children, as well as a cot. Small adjoining walled garden with outside table and chairs and Weber braai.

The Gatehouse Cottages
These two adjoining, but self-contained double - storey cottages, are very close to the lodge`s extensive sporting facilities (tennis court, swimming pool, etc) and its guest braai / gazebo complex. The two double-storey self-contained cottages are situated at the base of the quad, overlooking the homestead and the mountain behind it.

Upper level double bedroom (with two single beds, apart) with doors onto balcony with superb views over the quad and the mountain range. Upper level en-suite bathroom (with bath plus shower).

Lower level sitting/dining room with in-cupboard kitchenette, fridge, two-plate mini stove/oven, and microwave oven. Weber braai. Flat screen TV, DSTV and DVD Player. One of the cottages (5A) has a small enclosed (walled) garden and an outside shower.

Both cottages have in their ground floor sitting rooms a double sleeper/couch, suitable for occasional use by children.

The Arbour Cottage
This charming self-contained small cottage is situated close to the homestead, in a high position in the quadrangle, overlooking its garden. The unit has its own full kitchen (fridge, oven, plates, microwave, etc.) and well-equipped bathroom (bath, shower and two basins). Sleeping area with queen-size double bed. Walled outside shower area.

Sitting/dining room, with flat-screen TV, DSTV and DVD player. Interesting Balinese furniture and prints. Patio sitting area, with garden table and chairs, Weber braai. Further sitting area overlooking the mountain and the arbour, to the rear of the cottage.

Conferences and Functions:
Steynshoop Valley Lodge has a large conference/ function hall and a separate dining room seating up to 40 guests overlooking the dam and with a spectacular view of the Magaliesberg Valley. Both are served by a commercial kitchen.