THE MARINE HOTEL - HERMANUS:
Walter McFarlane, who had moved to Hermanus from nearby Elgin in the 1880's, built the Marine Hotel in 1902.
The hotel started off quite modestly with a mere 21 rooms and over the years the hotel has seen numerous extensions and changes of ownership.

Following the purchase of the Marine by David Rawdon in the early 1980's and four years of painstaking renovation, thirteen years of successful management ensued. However a new custodian was required to take this grand old lady into the new millennium. Liz McGrath became the new owner of the Marine Hotel in March 1998 and so began the complete makeover of this historic hotel.
As with the sister properties of The Collection, namely the Cellars-Hohenort and the Plettenberg, the world class quality that has become the hallmark of Liz McGrath was injected into the Marine. This was achieved by using exceptionally talented designers to ensure the highest standards of style, elegance and comfort in both the bedrooms and the public areas of the hotel.

After a concerted nine-month restoration period, the Marine reopened in October 1998 as a five star hotel. In January 2000 the hotel was accepted as a member of the Relais & Chateaux Association and secured its position among the finest hotels in the world. This grand old lady has never looked so glamorous - a fitting tribute to those who built the Marine a century ago - but now possesses all the amenities a modern sojourner could wish for.

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Perched on top of the cliffs at Hermanus, The Marine has one of the southern hemisphere's most spectacular seascapes. The Marine has 43 individually decorated bedrooms and suites, each with its own private facilities. Commanding views extend across Walker Bay or over the beautiful internal courtyard, finely manicured gardens and the Overberg Mountains.

Stroll along the cliff hugging path and take in our breath taking views of the Hermanus Bay. The sparkling, heated courtyard pool might beckon, perfect for catching some African sun or sip a glass of local wine in The Sun Lounge with nothing between you and the South Pole, other than 3,000 miles of ocean. Hermanus offers some of the best land-based whale watching in the world and at The Marine you don't even have to get out of bed to experience these amazing creatures!

THE ROOMS:
The Marine has 43 individually decorated bedrooms and suites, each with its own private facilities. Commanding views extend across Walker Bay or over the beautiful internal courtyard, finely manicured gardens and the Overberg Mountains.

Peel back the silk drapes in one of our sea facing rooms to reveal the type of view dreams are made of, each a riot of the freshest, newest colours and fabrics with a real sense of escape. The bathrooms, a study in marble, chrome and luxurious deep pile towelling, the perfect recipe for relaxation amongst the bubbles.

Three exceptionally talented interior designers have worked tirelessly to ensure the highest standard of style and comfort in the bedrooms.

FACILITIES:
Stroll along the cliff hugging path to the golf club and view the miles of white sandy beach beyond. The sparkling, heated courtyard pool might beckon, perfect for catching some African sun. Wile away the remainder of your day in the Reading Room, perfect for quiet contemplation after a busy day's whale watching ... a glass of champagne ... or planning your onward journey.

The Orangery is the place to enjoy a cocktail or even afternoon tea with nothing between you and the South Pole - other than 3,000 miles of ocean... or retire to the Reading Room for warm, cozy fireside evenings during Winter.

THE PAVILION RESTAURANT
The Pavilion at The Marine is relaxed and informal, but with an understated elegance. The décor is fresh and sophisticated, using rich cream and other natural shades to enhance the restaurant's ambience.

The view of the sea is exceptional and adds another dimension to the dining experience. During the months of June to December diners can view the whales from their table. It serves an array of the highest quality dishes with hints of the Mediterranean and the East that highlight the creative talents of a superb culinary team. The Pavilion is open for dinner five nights a week Tuesday through to Saturday and open every morning for breakfast. The magnificent wall and ceiling lamps in this elegant restaurant are the originals which once graced the Bathing Pavilion at Muizenberg.

SEAFOOD AT THE MARINE:
Liz McGrath's inspiration for Seafood at The Marine came about after a chance visit to the seafood counter at Harrods in London. Seafood is a bright restaurant in the modern idiom. The style is informal and busy, with the emphasis on the freshness of the fish from Walker Bay, great style and friendly service. The open kitchen, with its young talented chefs, provides diners with a close-up view of the frenetic activity.

The Seafood is modern yet has a relaxed feel to it. The new floating glass wall panel with a wave design and beautiful lighting is a feature of The Seafood. The restaurant is warm, sophisticated, personalized and inviting. Subtle warm lighting, bold graphic pots, black and white photography, floating bulkhead, wave designed glass screen, glass sculpture all add up to a visual feast to pre-empt the culinary feast. The Seafood at the Marine, is open daily for lunch and dinner.

SEAFOOD EXPRESS:
Adjoining The Sun Lounge is The Sea Food Express One Plate Cafe offering you a convenient upbeat light seafood menu. The dishes are prepared by the same chefs that have come to make The Sea Food Restaurant so popular with our guests.

Enjoy the sights and flavours of Walker bay from the Cafe whilst sipping on a glass of wine. The menu features a selection of regional wines which are offered by the glass to complement your seafood experience.

The Sea Food Express is open daily from 12:00 until 16:00 Open 1st September till 31st March seasonally.

CARCHELE BEAUTY SPA:
This is an experience not to be missed. A comprehensive list of treatments promises an experience that soothes the body; mind and spirit to leave one feeling refreshed and revitalised.
Facilities include a Steam Room and a Dynamic Hydro Bath Table for Mud and Gel Body Wrap treatments including Vicci shower.

Feel like being daring? Carchele offers an exfoliation Sea Salt Scrub or a Body Massage next to the Tidal Pool whilst listening to the soothing sounds of the ocean. Please remember to book 1 day in advance and it is weather permitting.
Revive your skin, purify your body, relax your mind, uplift your spirit . . . treat yourself to the health and luxury you deserve in the hands of Carchele's experts.
Treatments include Decleor Facials - Waxing - Tinting - Manicure - Pedicure - Paraffin Wax Treatments - Reflexology - Massage - Aromatherapy - Scalp Therapy - Algologie Spa Body Wraps - Make-Up.

CONFERENCES:
The hotel conference room for small private functions.

The Terrace Room, is adjacent to the swimming pool in the courtyard.

From May to early September we welcome private lunch and dinner bookings in The Pavilion Restaurant, which can accommodate 80 guests.

HERMANUS:
Hermanus is built along the shores of Walker Bay near the Southern most tip of Africa. Magnificent mountains watch over the town which is home of the Southern Right Whale. Nature lovers from all over the world visit Hermanus to view these magnificent creatures from the best land based whale watching destination in the world.

Each year between June and December, Hermanus becomes home to a large number of Southern Right Whales. They flock to the shores of the Western Cape to mate and calve, but more importantly, to awe spectators.

Hermanus has become known for being the best place in the world to do land based whale watching. With a 12 kilometer stretch of cliff paths, visitors can enjoy the scenic beauty of the village, while being entertained by the antics of these giants of the sea. Whales can sometimes be seen from as close as five meters from the rocky cliffs.

Interpretative signboards, providing visitors with essential information on the Southern Right whales can be found at various points between Grotto (Blue Flag) Beach and the New Harbour.

Although the season starts in June, the peak whale season, with sightings virtually guaranteed on a daily basis, is from August until the end of October. Most calves are born during August and September, with the whale population peaking during October.

For the past few years a couple of Tour Operators were granted licenses to take whale watchers out on the sea. Strict regulations prevent boat based operators from venturing closer than 50m to the whales. This doesn't seem to be deterring the whales though; there are regular reports of them making unannounced appearances very close to the boats.

The Worlds only Whale Crier:
Hermanus also houses the worlds only Whale Crier, Wilson Salukazana, who patrols the streets and cliff paths, alerting everyone to the whereabouts of the whales by blowing on his kelp horn. Different horn "codes" refer to different points along the coastline where whales have been spotted. The key to these codes is found on the sandwich board he wears as part of his outfit.

From June to November, the Whale Crier can be found doing his rounds along the coastline between 10:00-16:00 daily. During this time, he can also be contacted for up to date information on sightings, cell: 073 214 6949. For the rest of the year Wilson works at the Hermanus Tourism office, where he can be contacted for interviews or public appearances.