A pinch of pink in the Swartland

Spring in the Swartland and the fields are alive with colour. From the West Coast National Park to the roadsides as you head north, there’s a Technicolor Dreamcoat of daisies and bulbs erupting into flowers after a winter of soaking rains. The blooms are later than usual, but cold and wet winters always make for stunning spring shows. And this year there’s an extra bit colour — a dab of bright pink — in the Swartland village of Koringberg, a tiny hamlet hidden off the N7 yet conveniently close to Cape Town for a weekend escape.

The Marrian George opened its doors in August, adding “boutique hotel” to the village’s roster of overnight options. Until now it’s been a space of laid-back self-catering cottages — The Old Barn perhaps the most elegant option in town — but the arrival of Marrian George means you can rock up with your leather travel tote (I swear by my Jinger Jack) and get straight into downtime.

Marrian George is the passion project of Joanne Hurst — Marrian is her maiden name and George is the title of her stately English Pointer — who has called Koringberg home for the past 21 years. It’s a quiet place, where only a few roads are tarred and the loudest noise is the creak of a windmill or the whistle of wind through the bluegum trees. Bright lights? They are few and far between. Hurst and her husband founded Wildehurst Wines in the village and when production moved off-site she decided the cellar needed a new lease on life. Two years later, and after a substantial rebuild, Marrian George was born.

“Marrian George is my legacy,” says Joanne. “It’s my life story. If I were an artist, I’d paint a canvas. If I were an author, I’d write a book. But I’m not. I’m a designer, and I create spaces that people feel relaxed and at peace in. That’s what Marrian George is. A place for people to come together.”

With that in mind, there are plenty of bold public spaces in which to connect with like-minded travellers. Grab a seat in the gardens. Head out on the croquet lawn. Settle into a chair in The Ivy (more on that later).

Beyond the public areas, it’s a boutique space, offering just four luxe rooms and one spacious suite. Each is colourful and distinctive, boasting bold wallpaper (hand-picked from storied British collections including York, Clarke & Clarke, Harlequin and Sanderson) and bespoke furniture pieces. There are dollops of personality here, with the décor in each inspired by elements of Hurst’s life.

While the ground-floor Avon suite is the largest in the house, my pick of the rooms is the Natal. Situated on the first floor, it’s a room celebrating the riotous greenery of KwaZulu-Natal. Strelitzias flourish across the wallpaper, and the private balcony offers superb views across the Swartland.

And to keep you busy? The beauty of a place like Koringberg is that there’s not much to tempt you out.

“This isn’t a place to watch the clock and worry about the time,” says Joanne. “It’s a place to switch off and relax. Talk to people. Have a nap. Read a book. Gaze out the window. Take a break from the everyday!”

To that, I’d add, laze by the pool or take a stroll through the village. Run up the Koringberg if you really must. But honestly, it’s a place to kick back, rest and recharge. If you’re staying more than a weekend you may want to venture further afield, and then you’ll see just how perfect Koringberg’s locale is.

It’s an hour to the West Coast (hello Wolfgat, and Paternoster) and less than that to the wineries of Riebeek-Kasteel. The Cederberg is two hours by car if you’re feeling adventurous, or ask about the laid-back sundowner cruises they’re planning for nearby Misverstand Dam. There’s little in the way of retail therapy out this way, but look to Org de Rac for olive oil and organic wines, or Desert Rose Farm Stall just down the road for Nguni rugs and home-made preserves.

Desert Rose is also famous for its pies and home-bakes but there’s little need, with the MG Canteen offering a hearty breakfast for in-house guests and a seasonal menu inspired by local produce. It’s open for dinner on Wednesdays, and lunch and dinner from Thursdays to Saturdays. There’s the occasional Sunday lunch soirée too.

“We are certainly not fine dining,” says Joanne. “I want refined cuisine without frippery and fuss. It’s uncomplicated but considered, with an honest focus on fresh, seasonal produce. There is so much fantastic produce in the region ... the Swartland is famous for its lamb, and we’ll be working with a local butchery, but there are also fantastic small producers in the Bo-Piketberg region.”

It’s all served up in the elegant ground-floor MG Canteen space, where the walls are lined with art from Hurst’s private collection. Then there’s the delightful side-room dubbed The Ivy, a light-filled space of memorable wallpapers, colourful banquettes and upholstered antique occasional chairs.

It’s a place for afternoon cocktails, a morning coffee or just a quiet space to reboot. Much like Koringberg itself. As the year starts to wind down, we need spaces like these all the more. Consider this for a stop on your travels this summer.