The Royal Hotel: a piece of living history
Built in 1862, visited by prime ministers and still the heart of the village square.
The Royal Hotel on the village square is the oldest building that most visitors notice in Riebeek Kasteel, and with good reason. It was built in 1862 and is known as the oldest licensed hotel in the Western Cape.
Its long veranda, said to be the longest south of the Limpopo, has become a symbol of the village. For more than a century and a half, travellers, farmers and locals have sat here with a drink, looking out over the square.
The hotel has had famous guests, among them the two prime ministers born in the Riebeek Valley: Jan Smuts and Daniel Malan. In 2006 it was the only hotel included in a list of the 50 most fabulous places to visit in South Africa.
Today the building is fully restored and remains one of the few colonial-era country hotels still in use. Its restaurant and bar are among the most popular places in the village.
Even if you stay elsewhere, make time for a visit. Order a drink, take a seat on the veranda and watch the village go by. It is the best introduction to Riebeek Kasteel there is.
