Fern Hill Hotel & Conference Centre

Fern Hill Hotel & Conference Centre Accommodation in Howick Kwazulu Natal

Description

Welcome to Fern Hill Hotel, the Jewel of the Midlands Meander. Fern Hill Hotel is perfectly situated just off the N3 highway from Durban to Johannesburg. It is an ideal stop over destination well within an hour from the beach, the Drakensberg Mountains, game reserves, bushman paintings and historical battlefields. It is ideally positioned for a tourist visiting South Africa, and Gion Poltera (one of the owners) speaks several languages, thus assuring that you may be greeted in your home tongue.

Established restaurateurs and hoteliers, Gion and Karen Poltera, will ensure your stay is an unforgettable one. Furthermore, Fern Hill Hotel enjoys the accolade of having hosted Nelson Mandela when he visited and was awarded the freedom of Howick.

Built in 1851 by the Swann family, it became a trading post and boarding house in 1888 for the Trekkers who stopped off before descending the treacherous Umngeni Gorge. Over many years it became a popular holiday resort until the early 1960's, after which it was left to go to rack and ruin.

Gion and Karen Poltera bought the property in October 1989 and painstakingly reconstructed the dilapidated buildings that remained, and within eight months were able to re-open in May 1990.

What started off as a small hotel, with only six bedrooms, a small bar, restaurant and conference room, has developed to great proportions. Today it boasts thirty climate controlled bedrooms, all en-suite, as well as a host of public rooms. The hotel has three conference rooms, two restaurants, two bars & a fully accredited training college for students wishing to develop their skills in the industry.

The hotel is set in twenty-five acres of park-like grounds, with water features, a gazebo, swimming pool, tennis Court, volley ball court and braai/barbeque area.

Accommodation

Fern Hill Hotel has thirty bedrooms available for guests; they are all en-suite with a bath, shower and toilet. Some of the rooms have adjoining suites, some have separate bedrooms for children, and some have both. All are climate controlled, and all have:

• heating
• television
• radio
• Californian Oak furniture
• lock up safe
• hair dryers

All of the rooms have sumptuosly soft carpeting and many have four poster beds. The reason for a variety of rooms emanates from the surrounding schools whose parents use Fern Hill for accommodation. Michaelhouse, Hilton College and St Anne’s College are just some of the many private schools in the area.

Fern Hill Hotel is the Jewel of the Midlands Meander. It is perfectly situated,
just off the N3 highway from Durban to Johannesburg, and is an ideal stop over destination.  The hotel is well within an hour from the beach, the Drakensberg Mountains, game reserves, bushman paintings and historical Zulu battlefields. For a tourist visiting South Africa, a better-positioned hotel would be difficult to find. 

Being in the heart of the Midlands, Fern Hill Hotel is convieniently located for parents who have children at the many private schools in the area (eg Michaelhouse, Hilton College, St Anne’s College, Clifton).

Fern Hill Hotel is the Jewel of the Midlands Meander. It is perfectly situated,
just off the N3 highway from Durban to Johannesburg, and is an ideal stop over destination.  The hotel is well within an hour from the beach, the Drakensberg Mountains, game reserves, bushman paintings and historical Zulu battlefields. For a tourist visiting South Africa, a better-positioned hotel would be difficult to find.

There are many sporting activities to enjoy such as golf, aquatic sports and trips on Midmar Dam during the day or at sundown. As the starting point to the Midlands Meander, Fern Hill enjoys the accolade of having hosted former President Nelson Mandela. He was captured just outside Fern Hill in 1962, before being sent to Robben Island.

Being in the heart of the Midlands, Fern Hill Hotel is convieniently located for parents who have children at the many private schools in the area (eg Michaelhouse, Hilton College, St Anne’s College, Clifton).

Attractions

Facilities

Weddings

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and we at Fern Hill Hotel are here to make your wedding reception an unforgettable experience.

Fern Hill Hotel is a majestic masterpiece; it enjoys a unique position in the Natal Midlands. A wonderful, friendly atmosphere for the ideal wedding reception awaits you.

Conference

Perfectly situated, Fern Hill Hotel is just off the N3 highway from Durban to Johannesburg. Being well within an hour from the beach and Drakensberg Mountains makes Fern Hill Hotel a perfect venue for your conference.

We have a number of individual-styled rooms to cater for any business or corporate occasion from a private dinner party to a Board-room lunch or business breakfast, a training seminar or product launch, or a full conference and stage set. Fern Hill Hotel has what you need to be sure your function will be a success.

The Snooty Fox Restaurant offers wonderful, seasonal a la carte menus. Cobwebs Pub is a popular venue to enjoy sporting events on our big screen. Alternatively it can provide a venue for various team building activities.

All conference facilities are climate controlled and are furnished with the necessary equipment for a successful seminar.

Sporting facilities include: swimming, tennis, volleyball and a variety of water sports available at Midmar Dam. A day of golf can be enjoyed at nearby Sakabula Golf Estate.

Training College

Fern Hill Hotel Training College is an internationally recognised training college and hotel, where you as a student can study in an environment, which includes:

Fully Equipped Kitchen
Exclusive Demo Kitchen
Three Lecture Rooms
100 Seater Restaurant
Ballroom / Theatre for up to 250 guests
Braai (BBQ) Area
Tea-garden and two Large Gazebos
Venue for Weddings, Receptions and Other functions
Herb Garden

As a student your practical training consists of a course, which has been carefully designed and structured to cover all aspects of hotel management and professional cooking.

During the year, you will be rotated through the various departments of the hotel, which include: the restaurant, the bar, the kitchen, housekeeping and reception. The college offers hands-on training in the working environment, as well as lectures on the many facets of the hospitality industry. Due to this style of training we manage to cover a three-year syllabus in one year.

Fern Hill Hotel Training College is accredited by THETA. It is also a member of FEDHASA, as well as the prestigious La Chaine Des Rotisseurs, Restaurant Guild, S.A.A.C.I, S.A.C.A, S.A.C.T.A, SATOUR and SAQA.

Restaurant

The menu is extensive and contains classic French dishes as well as new and exciting ideas presented with impeccable, contemporary plating. A sample of the menu is available for you to download; just click the link at the bottom of the page.

The Snooty Fox is open to the public seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition to the a la carte menu, there is a carvery held every Sunday afternoon. Booking for the Sunday carvery is absolutely essential to avoid disappointment!

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