JAN HARMSGAT COUNTRY HOUSE

You are invited to relax in our exclusive country bed and breakfast guest house accommodation on an historic farm, (established in 1723) in the beautiful Klein Karoo. Jan Harmsgat Guest Farm is situated between the towns of Swellendam on the N2 and Ashton on the R62.

The guest house is a 2 hour drive from Cape Town, on a working farm in the scenic Klein Karoo winelands region of South Africa. The towns of Robertson, Montagu, and McGregor are within close proximity and Cape Agulhas (the southern tip of Africa) is an

easy hours drive away.  The Robertson wine region is well worth exploring as it is one of our best white wine regions in the country. 

The guest house, bed and breakfast accommodation is in understated elegance and comfort in the farms original slave quarters, and consists of four large en-suite rooms with an adjoining lounge. Two loft rooms and the guest lounge boast expansive mountain views. Guests may relax by the pool with a book from our extensive library or explore the farm and surrounding wine routes, as well as museums and heritage

sites in nearby Swellendam and surrounding areas.

CUISINE: Wholesome country cuisine with an emphasis on what is fresh and availabile. See below for reviews. 

RATES:

• Summer season - 01/10/2006 – 30/04/2007 - R750 pps TBA single occupancy.  Luxury Room - R850 pps

• Low season - 01/05/2007 – 30/09/2007 - RTBA per person sharing RTBA single occupancy

• Cottage - R450 per person sharing

• Four-course dinner available on request at R180 (please advise in advance of any dietary preferences)

REVIEWS ON THE CUISINE AND ESTATE

Elegant country cuisine (Review by Tom Grey from a travel website – Nov 2006)

If the accommodation at Jan Harmsgat is alluring, the food is fabulous,

and even if you're not staying at the farm a meal here is something special.

Judi's eyes light up when she tells of Lena , her chef, whose talent for cooking has seen her progress from absolute amateur to an accomplished gourmand who turns out elegant country cuisine deftly finished with farm herbs and flowers from the garden.

A sweet butternut ravioli is offset by a nutty parmagiano, roasted pumpkin seeds and crisp sage. It's followed by a heavenly fillet topped with a sauce made with local wild

mushrooms — so local that you can pick them yourself

if you're here at the right time. Dessert is an exquisite tarte citron with paper-thin crust and topped with delicate brulee. There's almost no space for the farm's organic cheeses, which range from a devilishly creamy gouda to a sharp crumbly Langeberger. They're best enjoyed with fig preserve or slices of quince jelly — both made on site.

South African Country Life 2004

Treasure of the Overberg

Text by Sean Zintl

Jan Harmsgat Guesthouse

On their farm, 'Jan Harmsgat', Brin and Judi Rebstein are quietly starting a revolution in the tourism industry, and doing it with elegance and style

Just outside Swellendam lies an historic farm which today belongs to a couple who are rewriting history in their own quiet way. What they are doing has broad implications for the way South Africa develops its growing tourism potential and alleviates poverty through community development projects.

The farm, Jan Harmsgat, is located about 24km outside the

town. Established in 1723, it was originally registered as Jan Harmanzs Schat (Jan Harman's Treasure), but over the centuries the name has been corrupted to today's form. Several years ago, successful businessman, Brin Rebstein decided to swap the fast lane for country lanes. Searching about for a likely place to settle, he and his wife, Judi, saw an ad for a dairy farm in the Swellendam area. Further investigation revealed that the farm had belonged to Judi's family several generations earlier. ''Well, that settled that,' says Judi. 'We just knew we had to have it.'

Since taking over the farm, Brin and Judi have Lavished it

with love and care, restoring the dairy operation and planting new fruit and nut orchards. But the focus of their attention was to convert the ramshackle wine cellar and delapidated labourer's quarters into a charming and inviting guesthouse.

Part of the transformation process has resulted in an extensive training programme to equip staff drawn from the local community with the skills and knowledge to run a first-class guesthouse. Earlier this year Judi and Brin were honoured with a mayoral award for their efforts to empower and uplift previously disadvantaged communities.

Jan Harmsgat's keynote is understated elegance, and Brin and Judi have worked Magic to ensure that every aspect of the farm is in keeping with this style. The old labourer's quarters now house four stylishly appointed guest rooms, with the reception, kitchen, dining room, and lounge found in the main building.

Carefully chosen pieces of furniture contribute to a sense of refined simplicity. In the lounge, high picture windows frame a pecan nut orchard and the towering peaks of the Langeberg Mountains that rise up spectacularly behind it.

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