De Hoop Melkkamer

We were there for two nights, and the animals were fabulous. Many came close to the chalets, including an ostrich that ran alongside us on the last stretch of dirt road. It drizzled during our stay, rather than pouring, but for some reason that meant guided activities were unavailable on our first day. That was disappointing. Maybe it's a British thing to be happy walking in the rain! I did the long walk on my own and saw plenty of birds and buck. By our last morning the sun was out and guiding seemed to be running again. My father had been ill, so we chose the boat trip instead. It was lovely, and our guide knew so much. There were power issues while we were there, so our self-catering chalet had no electricity. They supplied gas for boiling water, hurricane lamps and wood for the stove. That also meant no hot water for washing. We could use WiFi and charge devices in the restaurant. None of this bothered us, and we're happy with the stay and hope to come back. Next time I'd like to try mountain biking to get to the dunes, and hopefully join the marine guided walk to learn about the ecosystem near them. The vulture experience sounds good too. I'd definitely return and bring others.

We stayed in our own house called Watsonia, and it was comfortable, well placed in the natural surroundings, and very relaxing. The whole area feels remote and authentic, ideal if you want to experience nature at its best. De Hoop Nature Reserve is one of the most beautiful, peaceful places on the South African coast. The reserve is breathtaking, with endless white dunes, untouched beaches and plenty of wildlife. We saw bontebok and ostriches, and depending on the season there's a good chance of seeing whales along the coast. There are long walks and bikes for rent along the dunes, with spectacular ocean views. It's also one of South Africa's best whale-watching spots. A special place, highly recommended for nature lovers or anyone after a quiet getaway.

De Hoop Nature Reserve is far off the beaten track, but it's one of those places in South Africa you have to visit. We stayed in the quaint Dassie Suite at De Hoop Collection, which was comfortable and warm. The farm and region have a really interesting history, and the Tig Tree restaurant is a great place for good food and a chat with other guests. There's plenty to do, from birding, walking and cycling to river cruises and scenic drives. We saw bontebok, Cape mountain zebra, eland, baboons and ostrich, as well as whales. There are several ways to stay, including self-catering, camping or being spoilt in one of the cottages. We'll have to come back to this beautiful spot in SA, next time with the whole family.

The house was lovely, the reserve is beautiful and the beach bar was great, but the team has some work to do. We were a family of four with kids aged six and seven, staying two nights. The facilities were very nice and clean, but reception staff weren't friendly and service at the restaurant was poor. My wife had booked MTBs for all of us to pick up at 8am. The supervisor insisted the kids' bikes didn't exist, even though we'd seen them the day before. When my wife challenged him, he became unfriendly. Two hours later the bikes were 'located', but all the bikes were poorly maintained. Bring your own. The pool was dirty and had too much chloride. Even with goggles, you couldn't see the bottom. At the restaurant, the waiter dumped the plates onto the bread plates. A colleague said she'd instruct him differently, but the next two plates landed in exactly the same spot. The asparagus wasn't cleaned properly either. It was a disappointment, and nobody offered any gesture.