Brahman Hills

If you hear an odd rattling noise shuffling past your bedroom at the Brahman Hills hotel, it’s probably a rescued porcupine.
The Brahman Hills sits in the Blue Crane nature reserve in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands, and it’s adopting injured or abandoned animals rescued by the Free Me wildlife charity. About 30 porcupines now feast on scraps from the hotel’s kitchen every night, while 15 pairs of endangered oribi antelope have turned into 17 pairs, so it’s safe to assume they’re thriving.
The rest, relaxation and recuperation works for humans too. The hotel is just off the N3 motorway between Johannesburg and Durban, yet well hidden in a reserve where zebra, red hartebeest, impala and elegant Brahman cows graze freely.
Our group of gals booked adjacent self-catering cottages each with three en-suite bedrooms. Not that we had any plans to self-cater, but the fridges were handy to chill the bubbly that we drank while we splashed in the hot Jacuzzis bubbling away on the wooden decks.
A major upgrade for the hotel’s 30 double bedrooms and assorted cottages makes it a great destination for weekends away, country weddings or conferences. It’s ideal too for exploring the Midland Meander, an arts and craft route of glass makers, micro-breweries and bookstores, cheese and chocolate creators and a pub selling old vinyl records.
The overhaul saw the hotel’s cellars converted into the sophisticated but cosy Copper Bar and 89 on Copper dining room, named after a door bearing the number 89 found during the renovations.
A stylish spa was added too, where we spent a lovely afternoon being exfoliated, massaged, manicured and pedicured and admiring the rolling countryside though porthole windows.
On an 11km hike through the reserve we passed grazing wildlife and examined intricate spider webs glistening in the dew. A proper path has been carved into the hillsides to stage a monthly 5km Park Run.
The latest project has seen the hotel open the Midlands Kitchen near to the motorway off-ramp. That’s becoming a magnet for motorists, with chefs cooking various styles of food in different kitchens around communal dining tables.