La Plume: The Lowdown

Extraordinary Africa>South Africa>Garden Route > La Plume

La Plume is a charming traditional farm stay located around 10-15 minutes outside the ostrich-farming town of Oudtshoorn.

What’s La Plume really like?

The main homestead at La Plume dates back to the Victorian era, and we felt a definite sense of stepping back in time when we visited. There’s sherry to welcome you to your room, antique furniture, lacy tablecloths and silver ornaments on the dining tables. True to its location, ostrich is a key feature on the menu- you can even have it for breakfast if you like! A top tip from us- if you have dinner here you generally need to give the chef some advance notice.

What can I do at La Plume? 

In low buildings in and around the main house, La Plume has 20 rooms and suites in total, all with wifi and ensuite bathrooms. The simplest rooms are the luxury rooms- they’re comfortable and have little verandahs overlooking the gardens outside. We thought the bathrooms here might have been slightly more modern feeling, but in many ways, this is a more traditional, rural part of South Africa, so the fittings of a slick city hotel might feel rather out of place. Larger are the beautifully decorated and cosy-feeling honeymoon suites, and larger still the Superior Suites which have a big seating area and huge bathrooms with a standalone tub. There are also two family cottages, both with two bedrooms- Plume Cottage is next to the swimming pool, and the Farm Villa is across the road overlooking the alfafa fields and ostrich enclosures.

The majority of our guests who stay at La Plume are just passing through Oudtshoorn for a night or two on their way to and from the Garden Route. However, while you’re here, there’s usually a farm tour each morning to see the ostriches and you can visit the Cango Caves under your own steam if you have a bit longer. Quite a few of our visitors arrive here after a long drive, so there’s also a chance to have a massage in the La Plume spa (again – if this sounds appealing, just let us know so we can give the hotel some advance warning).

Want to know more? We’ve stayed here, so just