Sixty minutes from Johannesburg, this 5-Star boutique hotel is a study in elegance and romance, managing to entice couples in search of quiet time and executives needing to get away for inspiration.

The hotel and contemporary sandstone suites are set amid extensive gardens near the Magalies River, with a view of the enclosing mountains. The suites are spacious and tastefully furnished with comfort in mind. The private garden suites each have a sunny window seat and a private terrace on which to enjoy your tea or coffee (along with a generous helping of rusks and butter biscuits provided in your room). A country retreat, you’ll notice that the air is sweeter and the stars shine brighter, and in daylight hear the chatter of a troupe of vervet monkeys that lives in the nearby forest and the gentle quacking of the resident ducks.

Arrive at De Hoek with an appetite as food is a centrepiece of your stay. Fine dining fans will be delighted by Swiss-trained chef Michael Holenstein’s five-course dinners at The Conservatory paired with an excellent wine selection. This is delicately presented food that will comfort and suit most tastes. The meat cuts are particularly noteworthy, having been sourced from a butcher known for the highest quality grain-fed beef.

The hotel is a short trip away from a wide range of Magaliesburg attractions, including horse riding trails, the Pilansberg National Park, several golf courses or the Maropeng visitor centre in the Cradle of Humankind. There is a helipad for guests who wish to fly in and the professional and charming staff also specialise in creating bespoke team-building events and executive meetings.