The Nest, a charming family-run resort in the Central Drakensberg’s Champagne Valley area of KwaZulu-Natal, will be auctioned next week as a going concern.
Broll Auctions and Sales announced that the hotel will be sold at noon on November 22 at The Wanderers Club in Joburg.
The auctioneers’s sales manager Jayson-Lee Collins explained that the owners of the ‘old-world’ hotel will be sold as its owners, Stuart and Shelley Longmore, are retiring.
Collins added that despite the establishment’s impending auction, employees will be unaffected by the sale and that hotel operations are expected to continue as normal.
The property will be sold as a going concern, a process which refers to the sale of an existing business, including its assets, liabilities, goodwill and ongoing operations, as a single package.
The Nest was originally opened as a guest house in 1933 and was built 10 years later with the help of Italian prisoners of war.
Over the decades, the family-run resort built up a loyal following of guests who frequently returned every year to enjoy the hotel’s country-style food, spectacular natural beauty with views of the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Mountains and fun-filled activities for the whole family.
CEO of Broll Auctions and Sales Norman Raad, who will auction the property, explained that the sale of the 45-hectare property includes six 500m² under roof.
This consists of 56 bedrooms in differing formats as well as garden rondavels and double-storey garden units. There is also a swimming pool, tennis court and bowls on championship greens.
“The unpretentious ‘old-world charm’ of the hotel persists today, as various owners over the years have improved and upgraded without disturbing the true heritage of the Drakensberg,” said Raad.
The Nest can house a maximum of 137 guests and is also a popular wedding and conferencing destination.
It can be enjoyed year-round with adventure activities ranging from quad biking to archery, hiking to trail running, mountain biking to canopy tours, hot air ballooning and more.
“For those who are less active, The Nest also has a spa offering massages and beauty treatments,” said Raad.
It is also situated near the historical cultural site of The Battle of Spionkop, where the conflict between the Boers and the British took place and the well-preserved site can be visited to this day.
“The Nest Hotel is a special place in the valley, steeped in history, and a hub of adventure for nature lovers.”