Emily Moon River Lodge: Our full report

Built on a ridge overlooking the meandering Bitou River and surrounding bird-rich wetlands, Emily Moon River ...

... Lodge is a characterful boutique hotel along South Africa’s popular Garden Route, some 5km east of the holiday town of Plettenberg Bay. Previously known as Mullers Lodge, it has been owned by the Valentine family since 2006.

Owners Mark and Christine Valentine are collectors of artefacts from around the world and have their own interiors shop in Johannesburg – hence the interesting collection of pieces that have found their way to Emily Moon. From the entrance, large carved Zanzibari wooden doors lead into an enclosed courtyard dotted with artefacts from all over Africa, then on to the reception area and small curio shop.

Emily Moon River Lodge has ten suites. Of these, eight boast uninterrupted river views from high wooden decks, whereas two are set a little further back, and have both private courtyards and their own raised decks affording views of the surrounding bush and the river in the distance.

All the suites are light and spacious, with wooden floors and high raftered ceilings. Neutral creams and browns are the norm, accented by touches of blue or red, with tasteful African artefacts and artwork adding further individuality. Each suite has a carpeted entrance lobby with an area to store luggage and a wardrobe containing an electronic safe, a hairdryer and even an iron. The bedroom has a king-size or twin beds with white cotton bedding, feather pillows and a coloured throw at the foot of the bed.

A sofa and a low coffee table face large glass sliding doors, which open onto a wooden deck, most with river views. There's a large fireplace as well as a satellite TV and a stocked minibar, hidden within a cabinet. Tea- and coffee-making facilities are provided, but drinks from the minibar and snacks (biscuits, biltong and crisps) are at additional cost. Outside on the deck are a few comfy chairs and a small table offering a quiet spot to relax and enjoy the views.

A spacious bathroom with underfloor heating incorporates a bath with river views through a large window, a separate glass-enclosed shower, double basins and a toilet.

Two of the suites at Emily Moon are suitable for families. Room 7, with views of the river, has stairs leading from the double room to another room on a lower level with twin beds, a small shower room and its own private deck. Room 10, which is one of the 'courtyard' rooms, has a separate en-suite twin room leading off the main bedroom. And the two ‘courtyard’ rooms can also be joined to make a three-bedroom suite.

Emily Moon has two restaurants – Emily’s and Simon’s Bar – that are both very popular and open to outside guests. Bookings are essential during the busy holiday seasons over the Christmas and Easter periods, and the South African June/July and September school breaks - although they do try to keep tables for lodge guests.

Emily's Restaurant is light and airy, with large glass sliding doors that open up onto a wide deck where tables and chairs are set out under sun umbrellas and trees overlooking the Bitou River. Inside, where you'll find more tables, there are cowskins on the wooden floor, and on the walls hang a selection of animal horns and framed old African prints. Cheerful sofas are set in front of a large fireplace, which is decorated with colourful carved wooden fish – this corner adding a splash of colour to the room. The style is wonderfully eclectic, combining both antique and a more contemporary design, the rustic almost shabby look balanced by smart velvet chairs, crisp tablecloths and silver cutlery. On our most recent visit, during the winter of July 2018, we had lunch outside on the deck, in the blazing sun, but when we stayed in May 2014 the evening was quite cool so we ate inside. A log fire was burning in the corner, candles on the tables and fairy lights wound around the rafters; it was all very atmospheric.

Rather unusually, Emily’s is also home to one of the lodge’s two swimming pools, albeit small and not very private.

Once a sushi restaurant, Simon’s Bar was converted to a pizzeria around 2016 – and claims to produce the best artisan pizzas along the Garden Route. It’s also beautifully, and very cleverly decorated, with vintage boat engines, old wooden water-skis hanging on the walls, and other eclectic artefacts dotted around. Simon’s Bar is usually only open for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday, but also opens for lunch during the December and January.

Emily Moon's second swimming pool is larger, far more private and for guests only. It’s located down steep steps beside the river, where you'll find sunloungers and umbrellas set out on a small lawned area.

Emily Moon River Lodge offers a selection of activities and is a great place for birdwatching. Canoes are available for a gentle paddle upriver, with lifejackets provided. There are also a few walking trails in the vicinity of the lodge and along local farm roads. A 2km walk takes you to the Keurbooms marshland where the Keurbooms River meets the sea.

Nearby you can explore the towns of Plettenberg Bay and Knysna, with shops, markets, restaurants and delis galore, and beaches, lagoons and rivers offering a relaxing place to swim, or a busier spot for adventure.

Our view

Emily Moon River Lodge has a quirky and relaxed feel in the main area, yet the accommodation is of a high standard and with a lot of attention to detail. We really liked it!

We particularly love its quiet and tranquil setting, yet only a short drive from Plettenberg Bay and many of the Garden Route’s main attractions. Keen birdwatchers in particular will appreciate the birdlife found in the wetlands here.

Lucy Copson

South Africa expert

Geographics

Location: Plettenberg Bay | Garden Route, South Africa
Ideal length of stay: Three to four nights is ideal to explore most of what this part of the Garden Route has to offer.
Directions: On reaching Plettenberg Bay, follow the N2 highway East, passing the Shell Ultra and Engen fuel stations. After passing the Goose Valley golf course on the right, you will see a signboard for Emily Moon River Lodge. Turn left at the Rietvlei road sign (with a BUCO hardware store on the corner). Follow this road to the end (approx 1.4km) to Emily Moon River Lodge
Accessible by: Self-drive

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Bed & Breakfast
Food quality: On our visit in July 2018 we had an enjoyable lunch outdoors at Emily’s, the setting and the views enhancing our experience. On an earlier stay, in May 2014, the food was imaginative and equally enjoyable.

A buffet breakfast is laid out on a large wooden table and usually consists of fresh fruit, a selection of yoghurts, freshly baked bread and pastries and fruit juice. A hot breakfast is also available, cooked to order, with fresh coffee and tea.

For lunch there is an à la carte menu; we enjoyed delicious homemade beef burgers, while the kids had hake and chips.

Dinner at Emily’s is also à la carte, although slightly more formal. Our selection of starters comprised goat's cheese salad, cauliflower soup, kingklip samosa (a local South African fish), local mussels and ostrich tortelloni. The main course was a choice of grilled beef fillet, mussel and prawn cartuccio (a seafood pasta served in foil), chicken curry, roast pork belly, grilled ostrich fillet, roast rack of lamb, braised oxtail, grilled salmon and a porcini mushroom risotto, all served with a selection of autumn vegetables. Dessert options were chocolate fondant, lemon tart, crème brulée and toasted almond panacotta.
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Room service is available on request.
Drinks included: Drinks are not included. Minibar prices are approximately ZAR13 (less than £1) for soft drinks and local beer, ZAR23 (less than £2) for a small (single serving) bottle of spirits and ZAR38 (£2) for a 375ml bottle of wine. At the time of writing (July 2018) the rate of exchange was approximately ZAR18 to the pound, which makes dining out in South Africa extremely affordable.

Children

Attitude towards children: Emily Moon accepts children of all ages.
Property’s age restrictions: There are no age restrictions.
Special activities & services: There are no special activities or services for children.
Equipment: There are two family rooms, but no equipment is provided for children.
Generally recommended for children: We feel that Emily Moon is suitable for children aged eight years and over due to high balconies and since there are no special activities and no child-friendly equipment provided.
Notes: Steep stairs lead down to the swimming pool, and there are steep drops from the restaurant balcony and the balconies of most of the rooms, so children must be supervised at all times.

Communications

Power supply notes: 24-hour mains electricity is provided.
Communications: Each room has a telephone, but outside calls have to be made via reception at an additional cost. Full cellphone reception is available. Complimentary Wifi is available only in the reception area.
TV & radio: Satellite TVs are located in each room.
Water supply: Mains

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: No
Medical care: Emily Moon is located only 5kms from doctors and a hospital in Plettenberg Bay.

Quadbike warning: quad-biking is sometimes available as an activity in this area. As with any potentially dangerous activity, it’s vital that you take responsibility for ensuring that you have adequate travel insurance prior to getting involved. Be aware that some insurances cover quad-bike activities only for bikes with lower engine ratings: check such clauses particularly carefully before you get on a bike.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: Two security guards patrol the grounds at night.
Fire safety: There is a fire extinguisher and a smoke alarm in each room.

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Laundry is available at ZAR7–25 (approx 50p to less than £2) per item.
Money: Each room has a digital safe in the wardrobe.
Accepted payment on location: Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards are accepted, with cash payments in South African rand only.