St. James of Knysna: Mansion Living

It was the first hotel that we saw when we entered the road leading to the Waterfront Lodge, and it looked exclusive and expensive. But since we had no other choice, we decided to jump in and book a room at almost $400 for a night. We hoped it would be worth it. Good thing it was. Welcome to St. James of Knysna.

As I've said, it Waterfront was a lodge, this was a mansion. St. James of Knysna is one of the best accommodations in Knysna, winning several awards over the past years. It restaurant also had received several citations. This was a top notch hotel.

As soon as we entered, we were met by extremely polite attendants, who all spoke softly. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived, so we just left our luggage with them. We took the tour of Knysna and explored town (previous article). We got back at around 4PM and were quickly led to our room.

Our jaws dropped at the sight of the bedroom. The room was a suite, with a foyer, a living area and a bathroom. They were all different rooms, so the suite looked big. 

  

We felt as if we were transported back in time. Our bed was also very comfortable, one of the best beds we've slept in for the entire trip.

The restaurant looked intimidating. The guests here were noticeably wealthy as they were dressed to impress.

There was a sitting room and bar where I imagined conversations over whiskey. The main hall was opulent, and reminiscent of the Victorian era.

But what I like most about St. James is not the interior, but the outdoors. St. James had a magnificent view of the lagoon.

There were also verdant gardens everywhere. I could really imagine Victorian inspired movies having a shoot here. The gardens were beautifully manicured and the pool was inviting.

There was even a greenhouse, where they took care of the plants. We were told that the flowers were placed into pots here, before adorning the gardens. At that moment, I remembered Sonya's Garden, but a more English version.

I wanted to get married in St. James, since it had the perfect romantic setting, especially at sunset. I leave you with stunning scenes of our last night in Knysna - truly a magical and inspiring place to be in.