On a mid-winter’s weekend, to the backdrop of Barrydale’s quiet, charming streets and horizons of Cape Fold Mountains, the Karoo Art Hotel came alive with the excitement of the Five Arts Weekend.
Images: Oliver Keohane
Hidden down the slopes of the Tradouw Pass, in icy mountain water, I learned that I had not mastered the art of breathwork. Despite a steady ten minutes of meditation and mindful breathing, to the friendly, familiar voice of Deepak Chopra, it was with numb feet and burning hands that I crawled through four lengths of the amber rockpool, pulled myself up to dry land and fumbled a Stanley mug to my mouth, trying to warm up from the inside out. As our little group smiled through shivers, all senses alive, Rick Melvill gave us a lesson in the art of the early morning.
“Birrydale 365” – The early morning swimclub
Rick and Sue Melvill bought the old Barrydale Hotel four years ago, turning it into the Karoo Art Hotel. Beyond the cream, double-storied classic facade lies a unique network of warmth and decoration. The rooms are full of art, in the most understood sense of the word; beautiful sculptures, paintings, varied wallpapers, carpets and furniture of different style and era. But the Melvills understand art for more than tangible creative expression; at 30 Van Riebeek Street, Barrydale, art is a life force, it’s found in everything.
“Yes, it’s an art hotel. South Africa’s most celebrated. But then there are all the other arts; The art of the welcome, the art of the bar, the dining room, the bedrooms, the beautiful public spaces, the secluded getaway spots, the wood-fired ovens, the coffee, the conversation, the To Do list and more.” reads the welcoming message on the hotel’s website.
The art of the OCTA
Our family had the pleasure of taking the new Defender OCTA up Route 62 for the weekend. The vehicle is a masterpiece of engineering and design, and artwork itself and the current benchmark for off-roading luxury and capability.
Related: Driving change with Defender and the Kingsley Holgate Foundation
Outside the hotel, we were greeted by another impressive vehicle, one that 50 years ago would have set the benchmark for luxury. The rich afternoon light bounced off the bonnet of a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith, and the sleek old saloon was the only giveaway that something special waited inside the plain white walls of the hotel.
Silver Wraith
Melvill & Moon furniture decorates a checkered patio, but inside, the atmosphere grows. Wood fires warm the bar area, bakery and dining room. Past the friendly reception, a labyrinth of rooms unfolds, each set of four walls its own personality. Bigger suites are part of the Groot Karoo collection, smaller ones fall under the Klein Karoo. There’s the Garden’s Shed and the Sheep Shed, and a room I thankfully haven’t visited in a while, The Dogbox.
A unique world awaits inside
My family was booked into the Barrydale room, as my dad (Mark Keohane) hosted the pre- and post-test-match panel when South Africa played Georgia, chatting to Stormers and Springboks players Steven Kitshoff, Deon Fourie and Scarra Ntubeni. The hotel was fully booked for Dobson’s colourful weekend, and given my late addition to the party, I was expecting a mattress on the floor of the family room. Instead, I was given luxury and privacy in the stunning Villa Limonicella guest house, just behind the hotel. Enclosed in the boundary of lemon-tree-lined walls is a perfectly manicured front lawn, leading up to a pink and yellow villa fit to the taste of Wes Anderson.
Villa Limonicella
On Friday evening, Dobson and my dad addressed the Barrdyale rugby community. It’s a community characterised by a fierce rivalry between the two local clubs, the Eagles and the Stryders. In the clubhouse next to the local Smitsville field – ‘The Field of Dreams’ – both sides gathered to listen to inspiring words from coach Dobson on the power of rugby, and the importance of hope and community. Stormers kit was then handed out to the players.
Francois van Coke started the party on Friday night, his powerful voice and stage presence ushering in a weekend of fun. The party didn’t really stop, and it was somewhere along Friday night that I signed up for the 8 am cold plunge.
Pre-Springbok match panel discussion
Saturday was another day full of rugby and festivity. A wonderful lamb spit braai fed the masses in an ode to the art of food, and lined the stomachs for an evening full of Bombsquad beer and South African glory. The Springboks beat Georgia, after which the Baby Boks defeated the Baby Blacks, claiming the title of Junior World Champions for the first time since 2012, when South Africa beat the Junior All Blacks (a game which Kitshoff played in).
And so continued the party, in the hotel’s old cinema hall-cum-dancefloor and bar. Characters of all sorts, who came from Cape Town, Robertson, Hermanus and Montague, or who just rolled in from around the corner in Barrydale. A certain fullness is required of the weekend, for the art of the afterparty to ensue.
Cape Folds and the road to Barrydae
Our weekend up Route 62 was a brief, beautiful dive into curated chaos and the art of occasion. Between the adventure and fun, the itinerary still unfolded, the five arts were explored, and the commitments to the community were met. As a first-time guest, I found the Karoo Art Hotel teased the “To Do’s” of Barrydale, enforcing the magic of art and creating enough mystery to make me come back, and begin again in the icy waters.
Images: Oliver Keohane
All images were shot using the Canon EOS R Body and versatile 24–105mm f/4 lens. I sourced the equipment from ORMS’ gear rental department, which has an extensive offering and works out as a cost-effective alternative to buying gear for specific events.
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