Sunbird Guesthouse

Situated 1.5km from the N3, Sunbird Guesthouse is a personal establishment offering graded accommodation in a beautiful country environment with a high standard of privacy and security.

Howick is the hub of the Midlands waterfall country, 20 minutes from Pietermaritzburg the capital of KwaZulu-Natal and one hour from Durban, Southern Drakensburg and the Sani Pass. Your hosts Nicky and Norman live in the garden cottage connected by intercom, keeping the personal touch.

Guests cam relax in the quiet landscaped bird and Japanese garden.  After a long day’s journey or outing one may rejuvenate and experience the beneficial effects in their private Superior Spa Bath (small fee to cover usage) or sunbathe on the private lawn.

An English breakfast or alternatives by prior request is served in the communal log cabin type outdoor gazebo with dining and braai (barbeque) facilities. They have a courtesy fridge with soft drinks etc.

M-Net and Satelite television is available to guests. There is off-street parking behind remote controlled access to the property. There is also an ADSL connection for e-mail and internet facilities plus computer and fax.

There are many restaurants in the area, a shopping centre with SPAR including TOPS bottle store and ATM, post office, butcher, Scooters Pizza and hair dresser.

Activities:

• View the wonder of the +100m Howick Falls (½-1 day);
• Another site is the Midmar Dam situated within the 1600ha Nature Reserve (½-1 day);
• Arrange a day hike or just drive through the Umgeni Valley Reserve and experience Africa’s wildlife and bush splendour (½-1 day);
• Tour the award winning art and craft related Midlands Meander route and enjoy one of South Africa’s best country farming regions (1-2 days);
• See the Southern Drakensberg range with an opportunity to go up Sani Pass (1 day);
• Golf at two very close courses in the area.
• Other sports nearby include tennis, squash, bowls, hot-air ballooning, hang gliding and water sports.

Accommodation:

Bed and Breakfast:

Barbet 1:

An extra length kingsize bed with full en-suite. There is a television, ceiling fan and wall heater. Tea/coffee making facilities are available. Barbet 1 opens out onto the beautiful Japanese Garden.

Robin 1:

Robin 1 has a double bed with en-suite shower. There is a ceiling fan and wall heater. Robin 1 also has an enclosed verandah where guests can relax. Tea/coffee making facilities are available and the room opens out onto the spectacular bird garden.

Robin 2:

Robin 2 offers twin beds with a fan and wall heater. There is an en-suite bathroom with a shower over bath. Tea/coffee making facilities are available.

NB: Robin 1 and Robin 2 make excellent family units.

Self-catering:

Self-catering cottage:

The self-catering cottege has two bedrooms and looks out onto the beautiful Japanese garden. It has a separate vehicle entrance with secure parking. One room has a queen size bed and the other twin beds.

There is a sleeper couch for one extra guest. It has a lounge and dining area and a fully equipped kitchen.

The Wallis’s reasons for opening a guesthouse:

After six months of planning, Nicky and Norman left South Africa in 1998 to see as much of the world as possible.  They still enjoy talking about their experience and say that it changed their lives – in particular they way they view their own country.  Their journey around the world took around 9 months and covered exciting destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Italy, Germany, the UK and the USA.  Their quest focused on nature, hiking, architecture, gardens and all the different people and landscapes of the world.

After staying in timeshares, B&B's, motels, campsites and other forms of accommodation; and after trying many national dishes as well as cooking on their own stove, the Wallis’s returned to South Africa.

They still loved their existing property, but were by now so used to a small tent that they decided to move into the garden cottage and open up Sunbird Guesthouse.  Using the knowledge they had gained on their travels, they have succeeded in running a charming establishment.