How We Roll

Brenda No Comment Jun 27,2019 Guesthouses, Our Team, Station

In our efforts at Rovos Rail to be as earth-friendly as possible we introduced new toilet paper on board the trains, in both of our departures lounges and at our guesthouses in St James, Cape Town. It’s not the most elegant of subjects but we’d like to share with anyone who might be interested because commitment to the planet should be first on all agendas and hey, it’s how we roll.

The Güdsheet loo roll is hand-wrapped in eco-friendly paper to promote hygiene, it’s packed in recycled paper boxes to replace plastic and sold in bulk to minimise carbon footprint. The 2-ply paper we use is BPA free and contains no chlorine, acids, inks, dyes or fragrances. What we like most is that it’s sewer and septic tank safe as it’s 100% biodegradable.

One of the best aspects of working with is that every Güdsheet purchase helps provide toilets and toilet paper to those in need. There are millions of South Africans who don’t have access to a toilet or even loo roll so through every purchase of Güdsheet we are helping provide toilets and toilet rolls to underprivileged schools and crèches in need.

To get in touch with the good folks at Güdco. you can e-mail on hello@gudco.co.za or find them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

You don’t only need to be in business to purchase Güdsheet as they also do residential deliveries! Both work and home can now be earth-friendlier and kinder to our planet.

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Sensational St James!

Brenda No Comment Jun 5,2019 Guesthouses, Homestead, Manor, St James

Our three sensational guesthouses in St James are under new management and we have breathed new life into all aspects of our beautiful seaside homes. For those who don’t know, St James is situated on the beautiful False Bay coastline on the Cape’s south peninsula. Our sensational houses are all on the Main Road so have direct access to St James beach with its beautiful rock pools and well-known colourful Victorian bathing boxes.

St James Manor, Homestead and Seaforth all have their own style and personalities which gives our guests the opportunity to select a home that is best suited to their needs. All have their own swimming pools, breakfast rooms, comfortable lounges and fully operational kitchens. Seaforth even sports a small gym which can be used by guests staying at any of the three houses.

We recently recruited the services of our much trusted videographer, Ross Hillier, to shoot new video content and take new photographs for us. We had a lot of fun creating material that shows off each sensational house and would like to thank Ross, his team and all who participated in what was a fun few days!

Please enjoy our new video by clicking here.

Should you be interested in receiving information about St James and the guesthouses please visit our website, e-mail guesthouses@rovos.co.za or call +27 (0) 21 788 4543.

We hope to welcome you into our one of our sensational St James guesthouses soon!

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Celebrate with Rovos Rail

Brenda No Comment Mar 27,2019 Cape Town, Guesthouses, Victoria Falls

We can hardly believe that Rovos Rail is about to turn 30! Sometimes it does feel like just yesterday that we launched our first seven-coach train for its overnight maiden voyage yet, here we are, 30 years on, with nearly six train sets, 11 journeys on offer and 440 staff members who work tirelessly to create memorable experiences for our guests.

We invite you to celebrate with us through our special promotion 30 YEARS – 30% OFF on selected departures from May to December 2019.

ON OFFER:
1. 30% off a 3-night Victoria Falls journey in a Royal or Deluxe suite
2. 30% off a 2-night Cape Town journey in a Royal or Deluxe suite
3. 30% off a 2-night Cape Town journey in a Royal or Deluxe suite PLUS 30% off a 2-night stay at one of our seaside guesthouses in St James

See rates below for direct bookings only. Special terms and rates are available for tour operators and travel agents.

vfa cpt

RATE INCLUDES Accommodation on a one-way journey between Pretoria and Victoria Falls or Pretoria and Cape Town; all meals and all alcoholic and other beverages on board; room service and bar facilities; limited laundry service; guided excursions; entrance fees as per itinerary and government tax. RATE EXCLUDES Pre- and post-tour accommodation, flights and transfers; visas; gratuities; international/French Champagne and souvenirs.

cpt+stj

RATE INCLUDES Accommodation on a one-way journey between Pretoria and Cape Town; all meals and all alcoholic and other beverages on board; room service and bar facilities; limited laundry service; guided excursions; entrance fees as per itinerary and government tax + GUESTHOUSE accommodation in a Deluxe room; full breakfast; all alcoholic and other beverages; in-room tea tray and snacks; laundry; Internet; parking and concierge services + a one-way transfer between St James and Rovos Rail Lounge at Cape Town Station. RATE EXCLUDES All other meals not stated; flights; visas; additional transfers; tour services; telephones; gratuities; international/French Champagne and souvenirs. Note: St James Guesthouse 15% vat is included and special rates apply to children under 16 years old. T&Cs apply.

For available departures and more information contact:
reservations@rovos.co.za | +27 (0) 12 315 8242 | +27 (0) 21 421 4020

RVR-30Logo GOLD

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Summer in St James

Brenda No Comment Sep 12,2018 Guesthouses, Manor, St James

There is something so energizing about summer being just around the corner. Heads are up, people are smiling and long hot summer nights are just a starry night sky away. Summer in the southern hemisphere is a holiday-maker’s dream, especially in Cape Town, and there are few places better to beach and bathe than St James. A quaint area steeped in history that lies between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay, enchanting St James is sure to make the most memorable summer.

And it just so happens that we have three lovely seaside retreats that we hope will suit your holiday needs. St James Manor, Homestead and Seaforth are gorgeous homes redesigned to accommodate even the most discerning traveller.

We’ll start with St James Manor as it was the first house we opened and its vintage feel aligns itself with our lovely and luxurious Rovos Rail trains.

Built over 100 years ago, the Manor has an aura of grandeur and old-world charm with a splendid wood-panelled staircase leading up to the five large suites and a standard twin, each of which bears the name of historic, local characters of St James. The individually decorated rooms reflect the opulent times of an era gone by with lovely floral fabrics and calm colours, Persian carpets and early English and South African antiques. Carved into the mountain is a private and wind-protected swimming pool where those reluctant to leave the exclusive environment of the house will no doubt happily while away the warm summer days.

The latest reviews St James Manor has received have been a treat to read as guests have commented that the only regret they have was only spending one night and that our team made them feel so important. Another guest remarked that it’s one of the best guest houses she has ever stayed in and highly recommends spending time in this area of Cape Town! The Manor has been called idyllic, peaceful, amazing and fabulous by past guests so we hope that you will join us one day soon!

Call us on +27 (0) 21 788 4543 or e-mail guesthouses@rovos.co.za for further information or to make a reservation. You’re welcome to visit our website by clicking here.

We look forward to opening our doors and being part of what we trust will be a wonderful summer in St James!

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Happy Holidays!

Brenda No Comment Dec 24,2015 Guesthouses, Guests, Our Team, Station

It’s been a tough year and it seems sometimes that just as we climb one mountain we are immediately faced with another. Living in South Africa certainly has its challenges and 2015 has been particularly brutal in terms of politics. But, we’ll put that aside for now as we want to wish all of you HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We realise that some are working straight through, that others don’t celebrate this time of year and that others simply just can’t but if you are taking some time off we hope it will be a happy holiday for you. Let there be a lovely meal, quality family time and, even though it’s generally chaotic, let there be rest.

Because there are so many of us here at Rovos Rail we had a couple of different Christmas parties as we can’t all take time off at the same time. Our train management team were treated to limos and a good lunch, our site staff enjoyed a big braai (barbecue) where they played soccer, danced and sang at the top of their lungs! The head office team had a fairly polite cocktail party in our boardroom which next year we will turn into a Winter Wonderland…even in this 40°C heat!

We have a great deal to feel grateful for as business for both the trains and our St James Guesthouses is doing well despite our government doing its best to make it as difficult as possible. Forward business is looking reasonably strong and it is certainly encouraging to note numerous enquiries coming through for 2017, mostly of course for the longer journeys with our golf tours attracting considerable attention. All in all, we are very positive about the trend and are planning accordingly for growth.

We could not do this without our loyal travel agents and tour operators who entrust us with their clients each year and to all of you we say thank you, your much valued support is greatly appreciated. To our guests, especially our Rovos Club members who travel with us on a regular basis, your loyalty does not go unnoticed and we are thankful.

Have a happy holiday, friends! We look forward to sharing a safe and prosperous 2016 with you.

Sincerely,

The Rovos Team