Ok ... Hope I got your attention with the SHOCKING comment... We love travelling all over and have stayed in numerous backpackers in the last couple of years........ some bad, some OK ..... But this one was EXCELLENT! Really excellent... Clean, good quality and very organised..... The owners live on site and it is obvious that they live by the comment .. if it is not good enough for us, it is not good enough for our guests...
kitchen well equipt ... Bedroom large and clean!
They would un-obtrusively inquire if you have any needs and really love helping out.... Yes! .. We have raved about this place to all we meet.... This is how a backpackers should be run ... with pride and passion! Well done .. Dorothy and Geoff... !!! Proudly South African.
When I was searching the net for accommodation in McGregor; I simply, by default, overlooked McGregor Backpackers, purely on grounds of the fact that, during my 20's, I spent many months in various backpackers in London and New Zealand and; based upon my experiences, these were typically rather noisy, overcrowded, pretty basic dormitory type 'digs', predominantly occupied by party going 20-somethings. So I didn't even consider looking at it as an option.
Until a friend told me it wasn't really a backpackers, but rather, more of a guesthouse - at half the price of accommodation of an equal standard one would otherwise pay for in McGregor.
And he was entirely right: I spent 5 weeks there in a fabulous, quaint, cottage style, large en suite bedroom with my own entrance and overnight parking within the locked premises ... for R450 a night - including free wifi! (although possibly more now as that was 2017 and I was travelling solo and staying 5 weeks).
Contrary to my expectations (given that I'm now almost 50, this was a relevant consideration); it wasn't AT ALL rowdy, crowded or filled with party going 20-somethings ... it was, in fact, a beautiful, quiet retreat and sanctuary of sorts - not at all what I'd expected.
Sharing the kitchen wasn't a problem as guests were typically within the 30 and upwards age range and all were considerate, quiet and cleaned up after themselves. I usually found myself preparing my meals in the kitchen either alone or with one or two other guests (ie there wasn't any queuing for the toaster, as was the case in London, or as I'd expected there to be!),
The most attractive feature of the guesthouse (as I've since referred to it as being) was its Safari style central courtyard, populated with beautiful plants, ferns and flowers, surrounding a quaint fountain feature at its centre, with comfy wooden benches and umbrella shaded tables, set alongside a communal barbeque area, for dining outside on the warm summer evenings I was there.
This was typically when guests were welcomed by lovely hosts, Dorothy and Geoff, to join them in watching Saturday's rugby game in the communal lounge area - another truly unique, warmly decorated and cosy relaxation area, with its own quaint, African style pub.
A fabulous experience overall and one I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend for any class of traveler.
At the end of December, My husband, two adult sons, and I stayed one night at McGregors Backpackers after a full day of hiking on the gorgeous Boesmankloof Trail. The trail leads to a waterfall where we met with other McGregor backpacker guests who told us we were going to love our stay! They were right. This one day/night was a highlight of our 2100 km drive through South Africa. Dorothy and Geoff were so helpful answering all of my emails weeks before, as I planned our trip across the ocean from Vermont. When we arrived at Backpackers, Geoff greeted us and directed our car to its secure spot for the night. He personally drove me to a store where I could buy refreshments after our exhausting and adventurous day. The rooms were clean and welcoming. Just outside our room was a courtyard with a lovely outdoor sitting area. A communal kitchen and farmhouse table brought guests together in the evening for a drink (there is a kitchen too for cooking your own meals) and a cup of coffee in the morning. Instead of cooking in, we chose to eat out at a wonderful restaurant, Tebaldi’s, which was just a 3-minute walk away. In the morning Geoff helped me identify a beautiful and scenic route to our next stop down to Plettenberg Bay. McGregor is a quaint and beautiful town. Despite our short visit, we will always think of that one night with Dorothy and Geoff at McGregors Backpackers!
We decided to hike the Boesmanskloof Hiking Route from Greyton to McGregor and back. With the hiking accommodation fully booked, we were referred to McGregor Backpackers. What a stunning alternative!
To start with - communicating with Dorothy was such a pleasure. Not only did she give us excellent advice on the hiking but also assisted greatly with finding a restaurant for dinner and even purchasing our breakfast goodies - as there is no proper shop in McGregor to get groceries.
She also accommodated our changes - as our group grew bigger - with a smile
Our hike too much longer than planned due to extreme heat and difficulty - but Geoff was so accommodating on changing the pickup time. We are SO happy to see him at the end of a hectic 15km walk.
The accommodation was absolutely fab. The girls had the bunk room with 6 bed - but the extra bathrooms with the beautiful mosaic work were heaven!
The court yard is a little oasis and it is here where we all just packed off, took off our shoes and had a well deserving beer!
Needless to say that the group decided not to hike back and the return transfer service, run by Geoff was a life saver.
We opted to explore the little town the next day and Dorothy was kind enough to keep our bags and allow for late check out.
What a stunning place and we will be back again (for the hike down!)
THanx Dorothy and Geoff for making us feel so welcome!
This accommodation was recommended by a family member from the area and lived up to its promise. As 'seniors', backpacker accommodation wouldn't normally be our first choice but although ours was only a one night stay had it been possible we'd have gladly extended our visit.
Communication with the owners was prompt and friendly and very welcoming, from our initial enquiry onwards, and pricing very reasonable.
Our room was spacious, with a very comfortable queen-sized bed, good bed linen, spotless en suite bathroom, little patio of its own - all well maintained. The common indoor area of pub (not licenced), sitting room with TV, dining area and extremely well equipped kitchen were all equally clean and neat.
Most rooms are situated around a large central courtyard with koi pond, BBQ area, outdoor seating plus a covered patio. A selection of trees, shrubs and bird feeders (which attracted hordes of red bishops) nicely reflect the country village feel.
Thank you Dorothy and Geoff for a delightful short stay - next time we won't leave with your keys!