6 Best Hotels in The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, KwaZulu-Natal and Durban

In the heart of a lush dairy farm that dates back to the 1800s, original stone buildings have been converted into a five-star luxury hotel and spa. The award-winning spa is uniquely African. Dr. Elliott Ndlovu, a sangoma (traditional African healer), herbalist, and ethnobotanist, helped to develop Fordoun's signature range of holistic products. Book a session with him and watch him "throw" the bones and assess your well-being, as well as prescribe healing herbs that he grows in Mooi River. Tuck into some of the specials at the on-site gourmet Skye Bistro, which uses fresh farm produce; book in advance if you're not a guest. If you're energetic, you can go fly-fishing, mountain biking, play a round of golf, or go shopping. Ask for a mountain-facing suite, or stock up on local goods along the Midlands Meander and check into a self-catering suite for a budget-friendly alternative. 

This is an exclusive yet unpretentious genuine health hydro, set in one of the province's prettiest locations, only an hour's drive from Durban, and five hours from Johannesburg. A haven of tranquility, you'll stay in one of 17 rooms or 5 suites clustered round tree- and bird-filled courtyards, relax on the wraparound decks that overlook the indigenous forest, pamper your body with all sorts of treatments, float around in two large pools (outdoor and indoor) and eat healthy, delicious food—this is definitely not a one-lettuce-leaf place. Amazingly, however, even with the great food, guests do lose weight as they de-stress. Attend interesting lectures, go for lovely early morning forest walks, or go shopping on the Midlands Meander.

Brahman Hills is a contemporary slick country hotel with standard rooms, serviced self-catering cottages, and five-star self-catering villas—ideal for couples or families. Set on the Blue Crane nature reserve, expect to see zebras and various buck grazing nearby at sunset—kids will be in awe. The bar and the bistro built belowground at the main building, using the original walls, tend to get a little cold, but expect a crackling fire in colder months and warm service. The on-site chapel by the dam and the conference facilities are booked solid, so it does lose some of the intimacy if you're not part of a group. The spa and room service options (even if you're at a self-catering cottage) ensure you can fully relax without leaving the property.

One of the best-loved and oldest hotels on the Meander, Granny Mouse has cozy thatched rooms, all slightly different, with a bush view, fireplace, and homey, though upmarket, atmosphere. Freestanding rooms offer more privacy and peace than the newer hotel wing, though the latter have more space. All rooms have a his-and-hers bathroom vanity and a separate bathtub. The main hotel building—formerly an unusual farmhouse with doors and windows from an old church—offers conviviality and warmth in its several lounges. The on-site bistro is locally famous for its lavish breakfasts and afternoon teas. Upstairs, the fine-dining restaurant is known for its gorgeous plating in an intimate room. Some of the best places on the Meander are within easy reach.

Deliciously luxurious, if rather formal, this 1875 inn, high up on the Meander in the foothills of the Drakensberg, is steeped in history and misty beauty. Some suites are in the original house; others in the gardens look onto an ethereal, lovely lake. The hotel has undergone a trendy revamp and each suite is individually decorated in a gloriously cosmopolitan collision of fabrics and furnishings from Africa, Europe, and the East. The food, which has garnered top honors, is just as rich and eclectically surprising. Dinner (reservations are essential) is an unforgettable event with wine-pairing. Tijnhuis offers a relaxed venue for high teas and lunches Wednesday through Sunday. If you have time, visit Summerhill Stud, the neighboring thoroughbred racehorse stud farm. 

In the heart of the lush KwaZulu Natal Midlands, this lakeside English cottage–style hotel offers lawn tennis, walking trails, a distillery, and a brewery, with beers best enjoyed at the Boars Head Pub.