A carefully restored 1852 homestead on the edge of Oudtshoorn, its yellowwood beams and antique furniture wrapped in the rose gardens that gave the house its name.
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Overview
A Homestead, Named for Its Roses
Rosenhof — Afrikaans for rose house — takes its name from the sprawling rose garden surrounding a carefully restored Victorian homestead dating to 1852.
Yellowwood beams and ceilings, antique furniture and artworks by well-known South African artists fill the main house, its atmosphere firmly rooted in the 19th century despite recent refurbishments bringing rooms into the present day. Twelve classic rooms sit within the main homestead, each individually decorated with its own terrace, while two Executive Suites stand 100 metres away with their own private pools, lounges and Swartberg Mountain views. Set on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn in the heart of the Klein Karoo, Rosenhof makes an ideal stopover between the Garden Route and the wider Route 62, within reach of the Cango Caves and the region's famous ostrich farms.
A Platinum-graded restaurant. Rosenhof's restaurant holds a Platinum grading from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, with a particular emphasis on dishes built around Karoo ostrich.
12
Classic Rooms
2
Executive Suites, Private Pools
1852
Homestead Established
30min
To the Cango Caves
Rooms
Yellowwood Beams, Antique Furniture
Twelve classic rooms sit within the main homestead, each individually decorated, while two Executive Suites offer added privacy 100 metres from the main house.
Executive Suite — Private Pool
01
Classic RoomsTwelve air-conditioned rooms with wooden fittings, antique furniture and a small private terrace, each uniquely decorated with paintings by South African artists.
02
Executive SuitesSet 100 metres from the main house for extra privacy, each with a king bed, separate lounge, fireplace and its own swimming pool and garden.
03
The Bird CottageA double-storey, three-bedroom cottage with its own kitchen and swimming pool, suited to families or groups travelling together.
04
Swartberg Mountain ViewsExecutive Suite patios look out toward the Swartberg range, a view guests frequently cite as unforgettable.
Experiences
Ostriches, Caves & Meerkats at Dawn
Oudtshoorn's setting in the Klein Karoo brings together some of South Africa's more unusual wildlife and geological attractions, all within a short drive.
Wildlife
Ostrich Farms
Oudtshoorn is famous as an ostrich-farming capital, with several working farms open for tours a short drive from the house.
Geology
Cango Caves
One of South Africa's oldest, most visited natural attractions lies roughly 30 minutes from Rosenhof, its chambers among the largest of their kind.
Wildlife
Meerkat Encounters
Guided early-morning excursions bring guests within close range of wild meerkat colonies as they emerge from their burrows.
Sanctuary
Cango Wildlife Ranch
A wildlife sanctuary and conservation centre offering close encounters with cheetah, crocodile and other species.
Scenic Drive
The Swartberg Pass
A dramatic mountain pass connects Oudtshoorn to the Great Karoo, a rewarding half-day drive for those with time.
Wellness
Bliss Spa
An on-site spa and wellness centre offers skin treatments and therapeutic massages after a day of Karoo sightseeing.
Dining
Karoo Cuisine, Ostrich Included
Rosenhof's Platinum-graded restaurant serves traditional Karoo cooking from a daily-changing table d'hôte menu, with a particular focus on locally farmed ostrich.
01The Country Kitchen, for lunches and three-course dinners
02Poolside dining under the Karoo night sky
03A private table in the rose gardens
04The veranda, for a romantic evening meal
The Rose Garden — Private Table
Location
The Klein Karoo, on Route 62
Rosenhof sits on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn, a classic stopover on the scenic Route 62 between the Cape Winelands and the Garden Route.
Located on the corner of Baron van Reede and North streets in Oudtshoorn, Klein Karoo.
A convenient overnight stop for travellers moving between Cape Town and the Garden Route.
Within easy reach of the Cango Caves, ostrich farms and the Swartberg Pass.
Surrounded by a landscaped rose garden with a communal pool, gazebo and herb garden.
Fly
George Airport is roughly an hour's drive, with Cape Town International around four hours away.
Drive
Oudtshoorn sits directly on Route 62, a scenic alternative to the N2 coastal highway.
Combine
Rosenhof works well as an overnight stop on a longer Cape Town-to-Garden-Route self-drive itinerary.
A Route 62 Classic
The Ideal Karoo Stopover
Rosenhof has welcomed self-drive travellers along Route 62 for generations, pairing 19th-century charm with genuine Karoo hospitality.