Jan Harmsgat Country House offers ten beautifully decorated rooms which are situated in three different buildings. Flat screen TV’s with a selected DSTV package is featured in all rooms plus free Wi-Fi. Jan Harmsgat Guest Farm has seen a renaissance that captures its rich past, in a way that fits in with the discerning traveller's needs: Space, charm and an unsurpassed opportunity to indulge in an authentic country ambience and history. Guests are treated to understated elegance and comfort, combining the power of its original meter thick walls, yellowwood details, and authentic 'Overberg' style while every modern convenience available. The indulgence does not stop with the accommodation but is carried throughout your experience. Jan Harmsgat is registered and has been awarded the Fair Trade in Tourism S.A Trademark.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TGCSA - Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
HOTEL STYLE
Historic Hotel
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Location
R60 District Bonnievale/Drew, On the R60 between Ashton & Swellendam, Swellendam 6740 South Africa
One of the best properties I have stayed at in South Africa! The service was impeccable!!! Leandra went the extra mile with everything, from allowing us to choose which room we would like when we arrived (after already making a booking), doing a special wine tasting and tapas at the pool, accommodating our every need. The ambiance created in the lounge felt like something from the story books. I cannot wait to return to this spectacular and special place.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent 2 evening there. Communication before the time was excellent. We were met by a very friendly and competant Jaco who immediately made us feel at home. The staff is very friendly. The grounds are beautiful and well kept and the room pretty, neat and clean. The supper was well prepared and tasty. This is a very good 4 star, but being advertised as a 5 star, we would suggest that the following needs some attention: 1. Rooms and amenities 2. Dining room 3. Dinner setting 4. Dinner: food and presentation 5. Breakfast. Using margarine is not a good idea and especially the eggs needs some working on 6. All staff needs training
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Date of stay: December 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â It is a good 4 star, but not close to a 5 star, as they advertise
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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The hotel is located very far outside of Swellendamm. But it's quiet and the rooms are actually quite nice, small foyer with a couch and minibar plus coffee. Bedroom is spacious, bathroom is very large and was also fine. The complex is nice amidst pecan trees and olive groves. We were here for dinner and breakfast. But I can't say that both of them were 1 A. On the contrary, chicken in the evening should actually have been grilled, but instead it was cooked and dipped in a sauce poorly and without spices. Service took forever, out of 12 people, 6 got the first round and then the other 6 people continued for about 25 minutes. Wine rather moderate. Breakfast, you can choose what you want, which is nice, but waiting 45 minutes is not an option. It messed up our entire process. No, it wasn't that exciting.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed here on the last night of a solo road trip but friends joined me for the night and we had the use of the 2 upstairs rooms in the Classic Quarters plus the lounge area between the rooms. The rooms cost the same for 1 or 2 people which always irritates me although I can sort of understand it if the establishment is full. I was welcomed and shown to my room by Francois who is a great character. The grounds and views are great. The room looks lovely and is well equipped but inconvenient for tall people!! I am 5'8" (172cms) and could not stand directly in front of the handbasin because of the beams. I couldn't sit up in bed and had to take care getting out. And the safe was in a corner that could only be accessed by kneeling down or sitting on the floor! The upstairs rooms do not have a shower; just a hand held attachment over the bath. Dinner... we checked the wine list and decided on Sauvignon Blanc; one of only 3 white wines on offer. We were told only Chardonnay was available as the Chenin and Sauv Blanc were being kept for a picnic the next day. I'm not keen on Chardonnay. And I think only 1 of the 3 red wines was available. I complained to the manager and only after some time did she grudgingly say we could have a bottle of Sauv Blanc. She was not pleasant about it at all. Our meal was acceptable. Then at breakfast, we asked what juices were available. Our waitress offered orange or pomegranate so the three of us chose the latter only to find later that we were charged for it. Apparently only the orange juice was free but we were not made aware of this. I mentioned this to the same restaurant manager but she did not remove it from the bill. I left feeling the hotel did not deserve its 5 stars.
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were booked for 1 night on 10/12/22. We were well received by the lady in reception and booked into room 5 above the restaurant .
We attended a wedding nearby (different location) that night. On our return later that evening there was a party with loud music in the restaurant. The party only ended at 01:30 the next morning! We were very unhappy with this occurance: how can you book guests into the room above the restaurant while you know there is a party? It was quite an unpleasant stay.
Therefore we requested the booking agent for a refund. It is now 2 weeks later and we have had no reply. No one is willing to answer our emails or phone calls. Very poor and disappointing service.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We arrived at Jan Harmsgat in the afternoon on a rather grey day but the reception we received immediately lifted our spirits. Our room was "the big one" above the restaurant and we couldn't have been happier! I did ask for a scooter to get from one end to the other! The room was brilliant. On top of that the service was superb, the wine fantastic ( with a very good wine-tasting) and the food delicious. We were also treated to a tour of the vineyard - and no extra to pay, except for the 7 bottles of wine we left with. The price was somewhat more per night than we were paying elsewhere but as it included dinner, breakfast, wine tasting and tour of the vineyard, together with the best service and cleanest room (and by far the largest), who's complaining, not us!! Thank you Jan Harmsgat for the best stay of our holiday in South Africa, we will be returning one day for sure. My lower mark on sleep quality below, has nothing to do with the place but two fantastic thunderstorms in the night! we slept very well otherwise.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Francois Prins Manning, General Manager at Jan Harmsgat Country House
Responded 20 Apr 2020
Hi Martin Thank you so much for this great review! We are happy that you enjoyed your big room, meals and our boutique wines! We are looking forward hosting you again when you visit South Africa in the near future! Stay safe and keep well!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My husband and I booked for a night away at JHG. The service was outstanding! Rooms were nice, recently renovated. The grounds were well kept, unfortunately it was pouring with rain, so we didn't get to explore more of the property. The only criticism, we booked on a 50% special, we didn't realise that the advertised rate was already discounted, so we were expecting to pay 50% less.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jaco Badenhorst, Owner at Jan Harmsgat Country House
Responded 09 Sept 2020
Thank you for the nice review. Sorry that you didn't reaise the rate is already discounted. Hope to see you back in the future.
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We had a amazing winter breakaway this past weekend at JHG!
Amazing wine and picnics under the trees.
The staff is what makes this amazing place even more special!
Francois the general manager was warm and engaging from our arrival till our departure, the kitchen staff really made sure that we were spoiled with amazing meals especially the lamb pasta ragu specially and freshly prepared by Chef Josia, it was a flavour explosion!
They have an amazing selection of wines to pair with the amazing meal options and cheese and meat picnic platters.
We will definitely visit JHG again or even just pop in for a special meal when we are in the area.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
At the first opportunity to beat the lockdown blues we booked Jan Harmsgat and could not have made a better choice, from arrival to check out you are look after in a very special way.
Arriving a little before our room was ready we were greeted in the car park by Francois, who gave us a warm and friendly welcome and genuinely went above and beyond to make us feel special.
Things only got better as we strolled across the immaculately kept gardens through a narrow door into ¨Just Amy¨ the restaurant, which I must say is a fabulous treat. Chriselle, the restaurant manager was waiting to greet us by a wood burning stove in full flame. She showed us around and escorted us out onto the patio, where the chairs, tables, umbrella’s, fire pit and loungers were perfectly laid out.
Orchards lined with hazelnut trees reach out into the distance, we gathered a few nuts off the grass and cracked them open, yummy.
Sitting outside in the warm sun we ordered a light lunch cooked by Josh, who we later found out was Chriselle´s husband. It was great to be out of town to soak up and breath-in such a relaxing atmosphere…. So good to be out of Cape Town in the open countryside.
Shortly after lunch Francois came to fetch us. Our room, which was pristine with an enormous bed, rolltop bath, candles on the side tables and a mini bar, was ready, it just got better. Settling into our room Francois asked us if we wanted to join other quests on a short drive in an open top Safari Jeep to see the Wildebeest and sunset, we did not regret taking up his offer, the views and the sunset were awesome.
Back for a shower and change of clothes we wondered over to the restaurant, which was full, we weren’t the only ones who needed to escape the madness. The Oxtail was divine so add this to your list.
The staff and management team at Jan Harmsgat went above and beyond from the moment we arrived until oor departure, ¨you all made our stay very special, thank you¨.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We arrived to deserted restuarant at 1pm. This should have been our first hint. I walked into the kitchen and asked for service. We where served by Zimbabwean girl who apologised in advance that this was her first day. Why don't you train your staff? The menu is plain and very unimaginative. We asked for wine list. we were told that there where only two wines, white and red and they only served by the glass R45. No bottles, no champagne. We ordered red, no name and it was served cold ?? We then got told after two glasses of red that its actually R75 glass. We ordered the chicken schnitzel special, we were told that its R105 with mash and veg, then for told its R175 and then got chips. We never saw a manager, the poor waitress tried hard but come on! who runs this place !?
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Date of stay: January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Swellendam area.
PRICE RANGE
RÂ 2,519 - RÂ 2,740 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeOverberg DistrictSwellendam
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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