SOFT BEDS, HARD BATTLES
Kimberley was the site of one of the longest sieges of the Anglo-Boer War and some half-a-dozen epic battlefields, such as Magersfontein and Paardeberg, are nearby. To get the full flavour of that history, stay at the Kimberley Club, opened in August 1881 as a watering hole for those men making a fortune in the diamond fields. It was refurbished as a four-star, 22-room boutique hotel in 2004. Dinner in the wood-panelled dining room is a treat — do try the springbok springrolls, which are otherworldly. It is a seductive place to arrive after a long, hot day on the battlefields.
● kimberleyclub.co.za