At home on the Lions River
The moment you step out of your car at the Granny Mouse Country House & Spa in Balgowan, on KwaZulu-Natal's Midland Meander, you hear running water.
Depending on which direction you arrived from, you might have spotted the lovely waterfall down which the Lions river tumbles, right in a curve off the R103 at the top of the valley in which the hotel is nestled.
That river gurgles past the venue, but some way below the
buildings – close enough to be the focal point of many of the views from the rooms and suites, but far enough to ensure that an unexpected flood wouldn’t leave guests with their feet dangling in water while enjoying their breakfast at the Bistro Restaurant.
This natural focal point, responsible for much of the tranquility of the location, as well as being an attraction for guests looking to head out for a short walk, plays a large role in a visitor’s experience at Granny Mouse.
WET, WET, WET. Cleverly designed features ensure the flow of both water and a consistent architectural theme at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa. Pictures : Bruce Dennill
If you’re staying in one of the deluxe suites, the walk to the common areas – restaurants, lounge, swimming pool, bars and reception – involves a pleasant toddle down a manicured garden path. Along the way, you will pass a couple of dividing walls separating parking lots from gardens and one group of rooms from another, and it is here that the hotel’s architects have subtly introduced the river theme into the buildings.
At the top of the hill, the water is pumped around on a closed loop, so there’s no wastage or denuding of the natural resources, but all of that ugly technology is hidden, and what remains is a beautiful design to help guests relax without even noticing that their psyche is being affected in any way. The “bubbling brook” cliche is used in many contexts to infer calm– and it’s a cliche because it’s true. Even if you don’t notice the water features spread around the property, their soothing sound will ensure that you won’t feel stressed.
Should you notice the design, you may find yourself grabbing a notebook to make a sketch, as the impact of the fountains is impressive. A smaller version of, say, the wall of taps might be just the thing to liven up your own patio.
