Imbued in Royal History
The prestigious history of The Marine Hotel – an icon of the Hermanus coast
Some establishments are so iconic and integral to the area in which they exist that they have cemented their place in local history forever. One such establishment in one such locale is The Marine Hotel in Hermanus. Brain Berkman embarked on a journey of discovery at The Marine, with his beloved pooch, Julie, in tow.
Taking its name from a shepherd who discovered the excellent grazing in the area, Hermanuspietersfontein, soon became known as Hermanus and its acclaim for fishing, whales and the “Champagne air” followed. Before long, Hermanus was a sought-after destination.
One of the most historic properties along the Hermanus coast, The Marine opened in 1902, and people have been coming to The Marine in search of a tonic ever since. Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, HRH Princess Alice was a frequent visitor (and a keen mountain climber, which meant she felt right at home at Th Marine). At the hotel, there is a photo Princess Alice, Countless of Athlone, during her 1923 visit, proudly displayed in the reception area.
The Marine Hotel has been used to dealing with royalty for years, and even today, you will still feel royally taken care of. Think Downton Abbey with sand between your toes. Despite its credentials, The Marine is not the least bit pretentious. You and your whole family will feel warmly welcomed and utterly cared for.
We recently put this to the test: Julie, our canine princess, accompanied us on our recent visit. Not only was there a hand-written welcome note addressed to her but also treats galore, special bowls and a pillow, fit for a real-life princess. Julie always travels with her own pillow, but, on this occasion, she preferred the one supplied by the staff at The Marine.
And, at breakfast, which was served poolside, while we were seated under the covered verandah, she rested her head on the neat lawn until her breakfast arrived.
The burger and rice option from the special
Canine-Cuisine Bark-a-Licious menu went down a treat. The chef even asked how Julie wanted her burger cooked.
When a hotel pays this much attention to your four-legged children, you can only imagine the care they apply to the rest of the human family.
We especially liked that they were expressly clear about where Julie was welcome, and which areas were reserved for two-legged guests only. We were never left wondering if we could take her here or there, as great care had been taken to make sure these areas were clearly marked. Other guests without pets are also greatly considered, and thus only ground floor rooms with balconies are available to people travelling with their princess pooches. Julie wasn’t allowed inside the restaurants either so we enjoyed a feast in our suite for dinner ordering off the Room-Service and the Origins Restaurant menus at no additional charge. And, had we wanted to dine out,
The Marine offers a pet-sitting butler service in your room while you are away.
From its position on the cliff path overlooking Walker Bay, it’s hard to imagine
a better place for land-based whale watching. If you are travelling without pets, the best room in the house is the top floor David Rawdon Suite, lovingly named after a previous owner.
In her lifetime, Liz McGrath was the only woman to own three hotels all part of the Relais & Chateaux family. The Marine, along with The Plettenberg in Plettenberg Bay and The Cellars-Hohenort in Constantia were also internationally-acclaimed. Today, The Marine is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection.
This trip, a return visit to The Marine, was the first since the passing of Mrs McGrath. It would make sense that someone who was so hands-on with her hotels would leave a noticeable absence, but not perhaps where you would think. We found none in the quality of the furnishings, the cuisine or, indeed, the customer service, which is a testament to the way she led her organisation, and the legacy she left.
A particular pleasure as a residential guest is to walk down the steps immediately in front of the hotel’s pristine lawn to the tidal pool while wearing your The Marine robe and slippers filling walkers and others at the pool with envy. Although the tidal pool is public property, The Marine’s staff keep an eye on it. If the sea is too rough or when windy, the hotel has a perfect courtyard pool where the whitewashed walls, emerald lawns and pink bougainvillaea and Jasmine vie for attention.
Furnishings are elegant with a blue and white nod to matters maritime but not in the slavish way some decorate their beach houses. There is no risk of stepping on an errant seashell here.
The Hermanus cliff path is a must-do route along the craggy coast and under the Milkwood trees and dogs on leashes are welcome. It was good to see security guards at many places along the 11km route. You might walk in Fernkloof Nature Reserve, (dogs on a leash are welcome on the blue route) nearby or, like Princess Alice, climb in the Hemel & Aarde Valley, now famous for its outstanding wines and eateries.
Or, like princess Julie, sniff your way along the rocks in search of Dassies, the protected Cape Rock Hyrax.
For more info, visit www.TheMarineHotel.co.za, www.CollectionMcGrath.com or contact the hotel directly on +27 (0)28 313 1000.