Durban - Maybe it's because I appreciate people who see the value of preserving the old, or possibly because I'm still mystified by how a world without our 21st-century technological revolution even existed in the 1800s.
Whichever it is, weeks have passed since I visited the Nottingham Road Hotel, out in the KwaZulu-Natal countryside treasure known as the Midlands, and I have yet to get the place out of my heart and into my memories.
I first visited the Nottingham Road Hotel (endearingly called Notties Hotel) during this year's August snow-fest. There were a few options in terms of accommodation, but only one had the right mix for a traveller such as myself.
When I travel, I enjoy soaking up local flavour and being the proverbial “fly on the wall”. I look forward to experiencing something so out of the ordinary that it makes me feel like I've lived through an adventure.
So Notties Hotel checks all the right boxes, with a style that brings together age-old architecture and the culture of the countryside.
We'll start with Notties Pub, the preferred watering hole for the locals to meet after a hard day's night; and that South African saying is particularly true in the town of Gowrie... local, is indeed lekker. People around here are just as welcoming as we've come to imagine them to be through too many cheesy Hollywood movies.
I won't try to draw a line between country folks and city slickers - people are people - but it's pleasantly evident that these folk have chosen to live as a community and not as individuals.
Notties Hotel started off as a railway halt in the late 1800s and thus has history on its side. The current owners have retained many of the original elements, so the hotel has a vested interest in preserving South African history, speaking to the core sentiment of being “proudly SA.”
From the wooden staircase that leads up to the climate-controlled private abodes, where one sleeps under percale covers and bathes in a freestanding Victorian tub, to the restaurant that serves freshly made, home-styled food, there's always a sense that you are in a place where many soles (and souls according to legend) have walked.
Hotelier Clive Foss hasn't gone over the top with décor; you won't, for instance, see the kind of bling you find at the Hilton, but you will be greeted with elements unique to the area.
Trout fishing, a golf course and hiking trails through achingly beautiful landscapes are just a few options available. That's not to mention the shopping, photo opportunities (perfect for a wedding) and leisurely strolls in gardens that dreams are made of.
Nature speaks for itself at Nottingham Road Hotel and you sense the balance between the architecture and outdoors, each in harmony with the other.
One of the travel standards I frequently look for is customer service. To say I'm acutely aware of the etiquette and best practice standards set in place for the industry is a bit of an understatement.
I am a self-attributed ninja of customer service, never applauding mediocrity in any way, but ensuring that good service is noted at the highest possible level of management.
What separates Nottingham Road Hotel from the “franchise” hotels is that the staff don't overplay their part. You're never greeted by a grump, but they don't put on a fake smile, and your privacy is respected - you're not hovered around like a celebrity.
It seems each staff member has a stake in making the place a success and they all carry themselves as though they want it to succeed.
That, for me shows Notties Hotel is run by a good leader. Clive is the man with the plan, so to speak. It's his vision that has carried Notties, since he bought it in 2005, through the 2008 global recession and the subsequent aftershocks in 2010/11. It was clear when I arrived that Nottingham Road Hotel wasn't busy because it was snowing - it was busy because those who'd been there loved it and told their friends about it.
In particular, Nonja Madlala the front desk concierge manager deserves special mention for her ability to satisfy even the most bizarre requests with the efficiency you expect from a magician. If I owned a hotel, Nonja would manage it for me, she's that good!
The bar and catering staff, in particular Danny Verwey and Xander Joubert whose infectious smile and chivalry separates them from other staff members, can best be summed up as men who pride themselves in looking after others.
During my overnight stay there, the area experienced a power outage (all Eskom's fault, I assure you) and Xander kindly escorted me to my door for safety, and when I meandered downstairs early the next morning, Danny was in the icy, electrically-challenged kitchen trying to get breakfast started and keeping the atmosphere in the hotel light, despite the continued blackout.
Danny, who's also the food and beverages manager at the establishment, is a dab hand with a cocktail mixer and I blame at least part of the next morning's hangover on his abilities in that area.
As for Clive, nothing impresses me more than a hands-on owner. He not only came up with a plan to deal with the power failure but also offered to drive ahead of those of us trapped in the snow without the safety of a 4x4 to navigate out with.
You may ask what you gain by getting away from the city, even if just for a night?
It's not for the percale bedding or the Victorian bath, it's not the scenery, the local community or even the quiet. It's for an almost mathematical combination of all those elements and a genuine love for the industry. Simply put, at Nottingham Road Hotel, they get what it means to go on holiday.
They understand what makes a getaway great and then, while you're in their company, they bring you that experience to its maximum.
Perhaps it was the similarity to the snowy Hollywood Christmas movies I grew up with that melted my heart; perhaps it was the often forgotten wisdom to slow down, put the cellphone on mute and listen to the sound of myself breathing that left me re-energised.
Perhaps I was moved by the immense effort it takes to thrive in such a rural area. There is no such thing as a “quick trip to the shops” or popping round to the doctor for a checkup. Power outages effectively cut you off from the world when you're in that part of the country.
Perhaps it was the conversation with a 20-something farmer named Struan, who told me he would be up at 2am in sub-zero temperatures to birth a calf that might be born in the snow if he didn't intervene.
The memory of laughter ringing out at Notties Pub often makes me want to go back. But the reason I’ll definitely go back is for the abundant warmth from the establishment's staff. Who knows, in a few years, I could very well pack up urban life to start The Daily Nottingham News. - IOL
Follow Benita on Twitter: @BENiTAsays.
For more information on The Nottingham Road Hotel, visit them on www.nottieshotel.co.za.