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THE LORD MILNER HOTEL:  The Hotel Accommodation |
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| THE LORD MILNER
HOTEL |
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the fringe of the Grand Karoo, the Lord
Milner Hotel, the last authentic vestige of Victoriana, sits
in all its past glory as a "must" stop on the N1
national highway linking Cape Town to Johannesburg and the northern
part of South Africa. The Lord Milner's
58 guest rooms have been well maintained over the years and
a high standard of service upheld.
 he
esprit de corps of the courteous
staff, the clean crisp air and the warmth of the atmosphere
surrounding the Hotel, makes for a relaxing and revitalising stay.
A pond, fountains, a riverbed and beautiful lush gardens can be
seen around the hotel and guest rooms. Along with the blood-red
sunsets, remarkable fauna and flora
and its age-old traditions, Matjiesfontein and the Lord Milner Hotel
gives itself to the ultimate tranquil escape.
 eneral
Services:
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Ample Parking |
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Concierge and Valet service |
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Courtyards, Swimming Pool and Gardens |
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Room Service (incl. Morning Tea / Coffee served in Guest Rooms)
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Television Lounge - DSTV all hours |
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Chapel |
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| STAFF
MEMBER, JOHN, ON A TOUR IN THE ROYAL LOUNGE |
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he
Royal Lounge
The Royal Lounge portrays the lives and style
of James Logan, famous historic personalities and servants
who occupied it centuries ago. Origional furniture and
antiques still feature, along its the immaculate condition
and ambiance of age-old traditions.Amongst these timeless
treasures is a harp, aged 150 years, a handmade jewelry
case dating back to the 18th century and a portrait
of the author and feminist activist, Olive
Schreiner
The lounge is open to all visitors. After
dinner liqueurs and coffee is served here in
an atmosphere of timelessness.
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| ONE
OF THREE ANTIQUE CLOCKS IN THE WORLD |
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he
Dining Room
Located at the lobby level, over-looking the entrance
of the Hotel, the dining room boasts the same historic
ambiance found throughout Matjiesfontein. It is placed
in a Victorian setting filled with period antiques,
such as the antique clock - one of just three in the
world. The unique wooden ceiling detail is supported
centrally by a bronze sculpted pillar, a twin of the
same pillar found at the Buckingham
Palace.
Here breakfast and dinner is served by courteous staff.
Our nationally reknowned Karoo Lamb Curry features on
the lunch and dinner
menus. The dress code for dinner
is smart casual.
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FORMER PARADE
GROUNDS BETWEEN THE
LORD MILNER HOTEL AND THE MATJIESFONTEIN RAILWAY STATION |
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 here
the former throughway
between Cape Town and Kimberley crossed Matjiesfontein in
front of the Village, one can see, between The Lord Milner
Hotel and the Matjiesfontein
Railway Station, a large open space that, according
to history, was used as parade grounds during the Anglo-Boer
War by the British Regiments
that were stationed at Matjiesfontein.
In later years, regiments making nostalgic
anniversary visits to Matjiesfontein used the same grounds
to hold their parades and flag ceremonies.
The Union Jack is raised daily at the
entrance of Matjiesfontein, on the turret of The Lord Milner
Hotel and on a hill close to the airstrip.
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 istory
of the Lord Milner Hotel
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his
100-year-old establishment, with its fine dining,
quaint Laird's Arms Bar, Losieshuis and Coffee House, caters
to the taste of history enthusiasts.
Matjiesfontein Village was
officially opened in November 1889
in a grand manner. The guests were leading politicians and
personages who had reached the Village by train from Cape
Town. During the 1890s, a steady stream of celebrated figures
visited Matjiesfontein, such as Randolph Churchill (father
of Winston), the Duke of Hamilton and the Sultan of Zanzibar,
amongst others.
The double-storeyed Milner Hotel
was built in 1899 by James Logan, in the early stages of the
Anglo-Boer War. The hotel was used as a military
hospital during the conflict by the British forces
and the hotel turret was then used as a lookout post. Some
12 000 troops were camped around the Village. James Logan,
founder of Matjiesfontein, died in 1920 and is buried in a
little cemetery 10 kilometres from Matjiesfontein, where his
tomb is located next to the grave of George Lohmann, one of
the greatest English cricketers, who spent the last years
of his life in the superb climatic environment of the Karoo.
In the late 1960s, David Rawdon,
a hotelier par excellence, whose claim to fame was the establishing
of the well-known Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch and the Marina
Hotel in Hermanus, purchased Matjiesfontein Village. After
performing extensive renovations on the hotel, utilising the
wealth of antiques gathered during his world travels, Mr.
Rawdon re-opened the property in 1970 and renamed it The Lord
Milner Hotel.
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