We finally made it to Pont De Val River Escape which is located inside the Cote de Val River Lifestyle Estate, set on the banks of the Vaal River – 91.8km (1h7m) from Johannesburg via the N1. This riverside escape is a perfect getaway from the city life.
We had booked lunch at the restaurant and an overnight stay at the newly built hotel on the estate.
The Restaurant
This bistro specializes in French cuisine and serves lunch and dinner. They have lounge style dining area outside and proper tables and chairs to accommodate different type of diners.
We had booked lunch and it was great to see a selection of vegetarian option. I had the Spinach, Feta and Sundried Tomato Baguette. The baguette was eatable but there was an overpowering taste in the spinach. My +1 had the Halloumi burger which he raved about and said it tasted really good. (It was so good he actually refused to share it)
The dessert was the best part of the food, we had the Petit Fours Platter – an assortment of mini dessert that serves 2 people. As full as I was, I just had to try everything and glad I did. It was devilishly good.
The food was beautifully presented, a tad on the duur (expensive) side. For the wine connoisseur, they offer wine tasting on Saturday & Sundays at R40pp and have a 30m River Cruise at R275pp.
The overall experience at the riverside bistro was astounding, its a place we will visit again.
The Hotel
The Boutique hotel is a new addition to the Pont de Val accommodation offerings, they also have Self-Catering holiday homes. The French countryside-style with a unique, timeless, modern feel is carried through the hotel.
We were booked in the Luxe Room which has its own balcony with views over the vineyard towards the river.
The rooms have uncapped WI-FI, DSTV, air-conditioning, safe, Illy coffee machine, tea station, bath, shower, king size bed (or two singles), work desk with USB charging point as well as inside and outside sitting spaces.
The hotel accommodation rates start from R2590 – R2790 per room and that comes with breakfast. For guest that love a big breakfast, you will not be disappointed. The breakfast is substantial.
The muesli and fruit were delicious however when it came to our egg order, there were a few minor glitches.Even though our breakfast was presented well and you could see that they made a real effort, we were left underwhelmed mainly because of the egg order. Its one thing to get one order wrong but both orders not very good.
Pont de Val has a spa that is located in the hotel building, they also have venues where they host weddings, functions and conferences.
The Cote de Val River Lifestyle Estate is positioned to make for the ideal weekend escape, a great escape from busy city life and for us a perfect mid-week recharge.
Don’t believe that you have to travel far to discover hidden gems in your country, hidden gems can be found in your own backyard and not halfway around the world.
Stay Splendid:-)
TS!
SPLENDID EXPERIENCES 