Lord Milner Hotel

The Lord Milner Hotel is a graded Three-star heritage site hotel and offers 15 classically furnished Luxury, Standard and Single Rooms in the Main hotel building

Take a step back in time, to hear history’s palpable heartbeat—while the rooms have been tastefully updated in terms of linen and bathroom facilities—the experience will take you back to the Karoo of old.
The hotel was named for Lord Alfred Milner, who was the governor of the Cape during The South African War (Anglo-Boer War). The gracious grand dame was completed in 1899, and shortly thereafter served as the Headquarters of the Cape Western Command.
At The Lord Milner Hotel, historic ambience, old world service and classic comfort combine.

The Reston Villa has a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere with its large shuttered doors opening onto a private terrace, shaded by palm trees and bougainvillea.

Four large suites provide superior accommodation, set within their own garden away from, but close to, the main hotel. The ground floor bedrooms have shuttered French doors opening onto their own verandas.

Reston Villa was once occupied by James Logan's son (also James), his wife and two stepchildren.

The Olive Schreiner Cottage, named after the famed South African author who wrote The Story of an African Farm, is a luxury two-person cottage on Logan Street, the historic main street of Matjiesfontein.

The cottage is situated next to the Post Office and offers a bedroom with en-suite bathroom including both a bath and shower, and the classically furnished Schreiner lounge

Olive Schreiner—one of the first voices of literature and feminism in South Africa—lived here for a number of years. Today, her cottage is a landmark in the village. It has also been reported that venerated author, Rudyard Kipling, on his first journey to the Cape, made a special journey specifically to visit her here.

The Old Museum Suite is a classic historic cottage on Logan Street, close to the hotel and next to the Laird’s Arms, this suite offers three bedrooms sleeping up to six people, with two bathrooms, each with bath and shower.

The swimming pool—dug out of a stone basin—is set amid a lush garden; a fertile desert oasis that attracts diverse birdlife.

The Swimming Pool Suite offers two luxury bedrooms, opening onto a private courtyard patio with access to a swimming pool and a wooden terrace overlooking the Monument River.

The suite is located in the hotel gardens on the riverbank terrace next to the Traveller's Chapel, and caters for up to four people, minimum two persons sharing.

The historic Douglas Cottages are located at the back of the main hotel building. These rooms have their own veranda overlooking the hotel’s back garden. The verandas are shared by two rooms each and are perfect for friends and family travelling together, and share a passage between the rooms' entrance doors.

Both double and twin bedrooms are available and all rooms have en-suite bathrooms with a shower over bath, hand-shower and bath or shower only. Tea and coffee making facilities are provided in each room.

The Riverbank Rooms all have en-suite bathrooms and balconies that overlook the Monument River, which is dry in the summer months. These rooms each have a nearby parking bay.

The Garden Mews Rooms each have an en-suite bathroom with shower, while one room has a bath and shower. Each room has a nearby parking bay.

The Dining Room at The Lord Milner Hotel has been serving its guests for the last 120 years; and boasts the same historic ambience found throughout Matjiesfontein. Dine in a Victorian setting filled with period antiques and let the red-jacketed porters welcome you and offer a selection of fine wines from across the Western Cape region.

It’s here head chef, Tronette, prepares her unique and contemporary take on many of South Africa’s traditional dishes, including Karoo springbok and lamb sourced from the local district.

Right next door to the Lord Milner Hotel is The Laird's Arms. Enjoy a quiet pint or pub lunch in the historic, saloon-like atmosphere.

Here you’ll meet head bartender, Abraham, who has poured travellers drinks for 20 years while spinning tales of the village’s history and its inhabitants (ghostly and otherwise).

Abraham recommends you try the Karoo Lamb Curry. The lamb comes from a nearby Little Karoo farm, where the fragrant dwarf succulents and shrubs impart a distinctive aromatic herb flavour to the meat.

Pub lunches are served daily between 12:00 and 14:30.

Take a stroll down Matjiesfontein’s main street, and pop in here for home-cooked hearty breakfasts, light lunches and a fine selection of baked goods.

This relaxed eatery is the ideal spot for a quick bite or mid-morning coffee, with its variety of scones, cakes and koeksisters.

The historic main building opens onto a lovely courtyard overlooking fountains and a pond.