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From R1 000 per night, for 2 ppl
108
5
1
5
Martin Street
Nieu Bethesda
6286
Eastern Cape
021 344 2440
14:00-19:00
10:00
-31.867800454665
24.553888440059
The Ibis Lounge
The Ibis Lounge
The Ibis Lounge
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Stirlings @ The Ibis Restaurant offers both an a la carte menu and their Famous Karoo Food Experience. They incorporate a lot of local medicinal plants into the dishes and put a special interpretation on each course. They are open from Fridays to Mondays, and bookings are recommended.
Has the Karoo’s siren call beckoned you to linger? Now you can rest your weary head here at The Ibis Lounge with a choice of three accommodation offerings.
Be welcome, and enjoy true Karoo Luxury.
Stirlings @ The Ibis Restaurant offers both an a la carte menu and their Famous Karoo Food Experience. They incorporate a lot of local medicinal plants into the dishes and put a special interpretation on each course. They are open from Fridays to Mondays, and bookings are recommended.
Has the Karoo’s siren call beckoned you to linger? Now you can rest your weary head here at The Ibis Lounge with a choice of three accommodation offerings.
Be welcome, and enjoy true Karoo Luxury.
Features
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Reviews (108)
108 guests' feedbackTravelling back from holiday, we needed an overnight stay on the N9. The detour to visit Nieu Bethesda and finding this gem of a guesthouse was an excellent idea and highly recommended. Ibis Lounge has everything you need for a short or longer stay. Rooms are comfortable, parking is secure, and the restaurant on site is a bonus. The team is super friendly and helpful.
We will definitely stay more than 1 night next time.
The hostess is very welcoming and informative. The room was clean, well-equipped and comfortable. The establishment is well run and the attached restaurant was a treat.
It was nice. The service was great, no problems.
Wens could be longer like those three owls in the garden (myopic with his thick lenses on the left, Katsimoto all-seeing with his jade eyes in the middle and hair without a wrinkle), who sit and listen to all the stories of the travelers.
Excellent place. We had a great stay and got even better food.
Lovely stay centrally located with friendly staff. Great breakfast and the Karoo Food Experience is just that, an experience! It was lovely! Thank you to the team.
Slept well and very good service.
Friendly welcome from the host. I wasn't hungry enough to try the excellent menu. The electric blanket was perfect for the kapok overnight, and the tasty breakfast just the right way to start the rest of my ride. Thank you, it was the perfect overnight stay!
The Ibis Lounge is centrally located and close to all the interesting places in town. Barbara is very proud of her town and provided us with all the information we needed. She is also a good hostess.
Really enjoyed the stay, here you can rest and get away from everything.
Barbara (hostess) is very hospitable. The linen etc. (have a thing for 'good' linen) is lovely and soft and very neat. I liked the decor of the house and the living areas, as well as the spacious dining room with the beautiful stone wall around the outside of the dining room. The Karoo bedroom has beautiful large doors to the outside. The pool will be a winner in the summer.
Had a great time.
Barbara is a friendly hostess who serves the most delicious meals. Her staff is also very helpful and friendly. I would like to mention a few points that can be considered. Easy chair in room will be convenient. Rack in bathroom for guests' toiletries. Needs an extra towel rail in bathroom. Remove box mattress from bed and invest in a good, firm mattress.
Enjoyed my short stay at The Ibis Lounge while in Nieu Bethesda. The swimming pool was a welcome bonus during a very hot day.
As always, I was warmly received by Barbara. The place is beautiful, very conveniently located and comfortable. Everything you could possibly need is at hand. I would recommend anyone to stay there.
The hostess sent us a pin in advance with directions to the accommodation, so that we could find the accommodation easily. We were very kindly received by Barbara and we immediately felt at home. We stayed in the luxurious Karoo room with huge 2 large double doors that open onto a verandah overlooking a beautiful garden with bunches of white roses blooming and a silvery blue swimming pool. The room had a comfortable double bed with white quality linen on the bed as well as good pillows. There was also an electric blanket on the bed, which we didn't use, an en-suite bathroom with a bath and large shower, toilet and sink. There were white "bath sheets" provided which were a nice treat to dry off with. The heated towel rail was another treat. There was hand soap, hand cream and bath products that you could use. Swimming pools were also provided. The TV had DStv and there was also free Wi-Fi which worked very well. The roof fan makes the room nice and cool. There is a beautiful wardrobe where you can hang your clothes and also a full length mirror. The fridge contained water and fresh milk. A kettle with a coffee, tea and sugar station was available in the room. There were also 2 comfortable chairs to sit on. The Ibis lounge has a restaurant on site "Stirlings" it is beautifully furnished and also has a garden area where you can sit. There is also a bar with a large selection of wine to enjoy. We had an incredible "Karoo experience" with "wine pairing" that evening, everyone should experience it, it's absolutely worth it and an experience with different wonderful taste explosions in your mouth. We enjoyed it very much. We can recommend The Ibis Lounge as very good accommodation and we would love to stay there again.
My wife and I stayed here for one night and were sad that we didn't stay longer. Ibis lodge is cosy with a beautiful garden. Our host and chef Barbara, did a Karoo food experience, paying homage to the frontiers that passed through the Karoo. Barbara is incredibly creative, delivering exceptionally tasty and unique dishes. Will definitely go back.
Unforgettable dinner menu with a story and absolutely "divine"!
Barbara is an excellent hostess. We were greeted with a big smile and immediately felt very welcome. The rooms are spacious, clean and very comfortable. We decided to enjoy dinner at their restaurant and were pleasantly surprised with the 6-course meal that Barbara and Johan prepared. It was in small portions, beautifully prepared, very tasty and can be recommended with great confidence. I will definitely go back to The Ibis Lounge again!
It was really a very pleasant stay. Barbara and Johan are friendly and nothing is too much trouble. Can absolutely recommend the Ibis Lounge with confidence. Spacious room and a spacious bathroom that made our stay and delicious breakfast even more pleasant. Definitely come visit again.
Very nice and warm stay. Will go back again.
Everything and more than we expected.
Had dinner at their restaurant the night before, off the books! Wonderful service with friendly people. Highly recommendable.
Excellent hospitality! Great accommodation. Superb cuisine.
This was my first trip to Nieu-Bethesda and the Ibis lounge was the perfect place to stay. What a find! I loved it and the food was excellent. I will definitely go back!
We arrived late, in the dark. Hostess was very friendly and helpful. It was available until dinner, if we chose! Will definitely book here again for an overnight or longer visit. Heart place!
Barbara and team. Thank you so much for making our birthday weekend unforgettable. Thank you for making your home always feel like our own. Appreciate all the treats.
Very very nice stay.
Definitely going back there. Absolutely heavenly.
Ibis Lounge is incredibly neat, with modern finishes, but rustic and full of character. Barbara goes out of her way to make you feel at home, and can tell you anything about New Bethesda and its people.
Received a call from Barbara while driving to Nieu Bethesda to find out how we were doing and if there was anything she could do for us before we arrived. We booked for dinner which was a 6 course Karoo experience. The meal was fantastic and was a true surprise.
Ek het Valentynsdag daar gebly en ek het so spesiaal gevoel. Het die wonderlike aandete so geniet. Wonderlik om daar te bly.
We loved staying at the Ibis Lounge. Our hosts were most accommodating and the Happy Room was very comfortable. Dinner and breakfast were superb.
If you are looking for peace and quiet, a wine festival is not the time to visit this quaint town, but that is my own fault. The accommodation is perfect - breakfast was lovely and the hosts are amazing. Can definitely recommend.
Barbara is really a beautiful, kind person. She made an effort to make us another extra homemade bun. So sorry we couldn't taste her dinners, which she is famous for. Her restaurant part looks good. I know the tourism industry is suffering, so I hesitate to criticize. Room needs attention, and I suggest the following: replace curtains with nice long blackout curtains or wooden or roller blinds, put a mirror where the power point is next to the bed. Nice, white roof lights move that they hang as bedside lights from roof and remove other bedside lights, to make it look neat, without all the power extensions, maybe white paint? Place is old, which gives character, but can look so nice without too much that needs to be done.
I absolutely loved the Ibus lounge. The luxurious Karoo room with it's doors opening onto the stoep, made us feel right at home. Loved the decor and amenities in the room. It was great that we could buy drinks on premises to enjoy next to the pool. Breakfast the next morning was most enjoyable with homemade muesli, fruits, eggs, bacon, the whole thing. Great place to stay over on your way to the Garden Route area.
Ibis is a perfect stop between Gauteng and the Garden Route. This Karoohuis is well equipped and the restaurant serves excellent food without too much pretension. The house is on the edge of town, but nice and central for walking around. Private and secure. We will stay here again.
Fantastic experience. Thank you very much Barbara, Johan and staff. It was truly like ending up in an oasis, a little piece of heaven in the middle of the Karoo. Your hospitality gets five stars. The food and accommodation was off the books. Next time we will stay longer for sure.
Thank you very much, Barbara, for the delicious dinners. You may ─ delicious Karoo food. Learned a lot about field herbs on the field trip you took us on. The surroundings beautiful and so peaceful. Just what we needed. The herbs, tea and scones were delicious. Only one problem: we didn't see snow. Will definitely stay with you and Johan again. Prosperity in this Covid time.
Rustic and peaceful oasis with a nice splash pool after a long day's travel! With many tasty, creative and interesting dishes served!
Thank you very much for a wonderful visit at the Ibis Lounge - we really enjoyed our time and the pool was fantastic in the heat! The accommodation was beautiful and comfortable and I must especially thank Barbara for the delicious surprise of a delicious chocolate birthday cake - it was a beautiful gesture! And we have to recommend the lamb chops and ribs. We will definitely be back!
Barbara, Johan and Minnie made me feel welcome from the moment I walked in. The whole place is beautiful, there is a swimming pool to cool off in and the restaurant offers the best food. Nothing was too much trouble.
Everyone who works at the guest house was very friendly and very hospitable. Felt like home away from home.
The Ibis Lounge fits in with Nieu-Bethesda, it is unique, small, peaceful with artistic charm while owners passionately operate their place, restaurant and hospitality.
Unfortunately trip occurred during Covid level 3 lockdown with no alcoholic drinks allowed with meals.
Proper coffee in room would be great.
I would recommend The Ibis Lounge to anyone.
Breakfast very good and service excellent.
We had a lovely stay and ate very well.
I would 100% recommend a stay at the Ibis Lounge! From the moment we walked in we were warmly welcomed and felt right at home. The rooms are beyond compare, the food has no equal and the team was so friendly and helpful. We ended up with desert at the fire pit under the stars, totally unbeatable!
A special place to stay in a wonderful little town, very central, great bar and restaurant and hosts that are very welcoming and knowledgeable on the area. I will definitely go and stay again, Nieu Bethesda is a great place for that relaxing break.
I was there in the middle of the week when there were few tourists in town, and it's hard to ignore the rest of the town in comments about the Ibis. The experience as a whole was soul-enriching. The community is the salt of the earth, and the attractions a pilgrimage. The host and wife were very pleasant and helpful, the rooms great, except that I found there is no built-in closet to pack your clothes. The breakfast was a bit simple but tasty. I would have liked to try their restaurant but unfortunately had to leave before I could.
What a gem. It is centrally situated and the hosts were very friendly. It felt like a home away from home. Be sure to book and eat in their restaurant.
Barbara met us and upon checking in. She allowed us to change our room to the Amore one with a huge bath. The bed was comfortable and the electric blanket was a real bonus on a coldish night. The WiFi signal was strong and the access to a TV for the latest news was also a plus. We enjoyed a lovely English breakfast prepared by Barbara and Johan. It was a memorable stay and we look forward to returning again.
We enjoyed our stay , however they could have a fan in the rooms.
We had the most wonderful evening at Ibis Lounge. awesome hospitality, out-of-the-book meals, truly what an experience I give you a 10-star rating!
Easy to find, staff is available and friendly, the rooms are spacious with electric blankets on the beds. Meals are enough and well-prepared.
The hosts made me feel very welcome. Both pointed out what else there is to experience in Nieu Bethesda other than the Owl House. This made the visit worthwhile for me. Dinner and breakfast in the courtyard was excellent. There is a great ambience in the area.
We were warmly welcomed by Barbara and we could immediately feel at home in the Karoo room. Dinner was a feast. We enjoyed the most delicious lamb shanks and grilled lamb chops.
Kindly received. Clean, well-equipped room. Delicious food. Value for money.
Beautiful, neat place to sleep, friendly hostess and excellent food. 10 out of 10.
Well equipped room (Karoo room) with everything you need. Very neat and clean. Barbara, the hostess, the dinner she served us was absolutely outstanding. She is very hospitable and her staff friendly.
Many thanks to Barbara who looked after us so well from the beginning, even before we got there. The food, the village, the people (Jakob's stories on the donkey cart). Everything was perfect!
We immediately felt at home. Barbara is a good hostess, everything was clean and neat. Breakfast was delicious! We will definitely go back!
Our room was deliciously luxurious and attention was paid to smaller details to make the stay even more special. I think that was the best shower I have ever been under! Breakfast was beautifully served and delicious and Barbara's service was great.
In the area, it is truly a unique place to stay, artistic and refined everywhere you look. Both the dinner and breakfast we enjoyed were carefully prepared, beautifully served and exceptionally tasty. The owners go out of their way to meet people and make them feel at home. We would definitely recommend this accommodation to any and all visitors.
Couldn't ask for a nicer stay! From luxurious rooms, homemade carol lamb curry and a delicious takeaway grilled cake at 5 o'clock in the morning on the way home. We come again!
See stars.
The Ibis is perfectly located, safe and a great place to stay. The owners Barbara and Johan really make a lot of effort to make visitors feel at home and take good care of them. We slept nice and warm in sub zero temperatures. Order lamb chops from Barbara for dinner in front of the fireplace! Very nice.
Great place to stay. Typical old building with wooden floors and high ceilings. Bed room was slightly cramped but with a large bathroom. Good breakfast provided. Dinner was optional and had delicious lamb shanks. Good coffee as well. Friendly staff. Definitely the place to stay and eat in this time lost town.
Jewel in Nieu-Bethesda!
Ibis was lovely - central, reasonably priced, clean, nice pool, nice host/wife, accommodating to give us breakfast earlier. All criticism is the locks on the outside doors, which are always locked for security, are difficult to open and close.
Enjoyed stay and enjoyed dinner and breakfast served.
Heather welcomed us in the absence of the owners and was very friendly and helpful. Dinner was memorable and bread served with breakfast was the best we had tasted in a long time. Our bedroom was comfortable and the bathroom was huge with twin washbasins and a double shower but the mould in the shower was very off-putting and there was no cupboard or even a shelf on which to put clothing.
Friendly and welcome reception. Clean and tidy, really worth staying here. Delicious dinner, well prepared and breakfast. Felt very special. Lovely to be able to stay in my grandfather's house from years ago... lots of memories. Continue like this. Thanks a lot, really enjoyed it.
Barbara and Johan are amazing. Their hospitality melts your heart and you immediately feel at home and like old friends. Barbara's attention to detail is fanciful and special, and their food is top notch.
Friendly, great hospitality, care, was a nice surprise for a place I've never been to before. You put the best foot forward and made us feel more than welcome. What a beautiful couple, delicious food - it was fantastic and highly recommended!
Very friendly reception. Unbelievable hosts that treated us with information about the town, nice breakfast and company. Wonderful that old building is converted into such an efficient guest house with all of the necessary amenities. One night was way too short to enjoy and appreciate the town and environment.
We really enjoyed our evening at Ibis Lounge!
Will definitely stay at the Ibis again. We spent the night there in December on our way on holiday and again on our way back from Stilbaai in January. Owners go out of their way to accommodate guests. We even got road food because we wanted to leave early in the morning! Most delicious Karoo lamb chops and best Creme Brulee ever. Rooms comfortable and bedding and towels of excellent quality. Highly recommended. Location perfect. It was a fantastic experience!
We had a very nice stay at Ibis Lounge. The new management is very friendly and hospitable. It was a wonderful room and we woke up in the morning to soft rain, it was idyllic. We will definitely visit Ibis Lounge again.
We enjoyed the stay and the room was beautiful. Just would've liked safer parking.
Ibis Lounge is a beautiful guest house with neat and clean rooms. We stayed in the Happy Room and that is exactly what it was. We were pretty much spoiled with the tastiest milkshakes and top-shelf food. Just nothing was trouble.
Paul and Lucie are running their guesthouse with passion. Every little detail makes accommodation at The Ibis Lounge extra special. Toop-notch meals on the stoep and the private use of the swimming pool made for an unforgettable stay.
As pretty and neat as it looks on the photos. We stopped there on a cold night on the way to the Knysna Marathon and we were so spoiled with friendly reception and an excellent dinner. I will stay there again anytime.
Delicious meals served. Definitely a spot to visit again. Terry is a warm and welcoming host and is always willing.
We were very impressed with the cleanliness and standard of the guest house. Very good service and reception and was especially impressed with the wonderful bath treats to choose from. Here there is a fine sense of detail that ensures a feeling of pampering and not just an overnight facility. Would HIGHLY recommend you guys.
Lovely bedding and all the extras. Fridge, water, shampoo, heater, fan. You name it. It is there. Very nice hostess and delicious breakfast.
They were so good to us and we can recommend the Ibis Lounge to everyone. My husband had a back operation and it was so convenient for him to go down the passage into the dining room to enjoy his meals. Many thanks, will certainly use TravelGround from now on! Kind regards.
Please see the stars.
Very nice place. Would go again. They prepare delicious food.
We were warmly welcomed and had a great stay. We highly recommend the rooms and food.
Ibis Lounge is a very comfortable place to stay in the heart of beautiful New Bethesda. Extremely hospitable and the owners made us feel very much at home with warm personal attention. The 'Happy' Room is cheerful and the double shower was a highlight! We can highly recommend Ibis Lounge.
The rooms are wonderfully equipped with everything one could need. We are only sorry we stayed there so short. The food in the restaurant was delicious, and the coffee outstanding. Would definitely recommend it.
A lovely place to stay! The rooms are exceptionally well decorated, everything you need and more! Real milk for your coffee, no sachet coffee - a container of the real thing. Bathrobes, chocolates, etc. There was a problem with our twin room that we booked so they gave us each our own room, but it was no problem. Staff went out of their way to please. Food and their speciality coffee was incredible although we waited a bit long despite pre-ordering. But it's the Karoo. You're in a wonderful location, sit back, relax and enjoy watching the passers' by. You're also just across the way from the Owl House. Only negative is that we couldn't really leave the old fashioned windows open once we went to bed at night as they were not secure. Loved it!
Very friendly, helpful host. Dinner was delicious and the atmosphere was welcoming and relaxed.
See the ratings.
We will go back again. Fantastic.
The rooms were very comfortable and the underfloor heating helped a lot. The restaurant, food and service were also delicious. Very interesting town!
From the moment we arrived until we left, we were made to feel at home and as part of the family. The food is definitely 5 star. As for the accommodation, we were pleasantly surprised by the thought that went into the smallest of details, from the water bottle next to the bed, to the towel heater in the bathroom. The fire pit outside the room made for a lekker kuier with a sundowner in your hand. The hostess, Terry, is such a gracious person and I know that we have made a friend for life.
Terry's personal attention as well as her very skilled preparation and serving of meals is a strong plus point of The Ibis Lounge.
Great stay, great location. Lovely place!
Good value for money. Terry is very helpful/accommodating.
It was very clean and tidy and exactly as advertised on LekkeSlaap. No "false advertising". It was centrally located.
Decor tasteful, immediately felt at home. Village to unpack for a weekend of peace and quiet.
The shop/restaurant is beautiful and the food is delicious! Can definitely recommend the Ibis Lounge! A small fridge in the room might be a good idea. Interesting village - especially the Owl House was very fascinating! It was our first visit, but maybe you shouldn't oversleep on a Sunday, because only 2 restaurants were open and at least the brewery where we could taste the nice local beer in the afternoon! Friends and family told me that the village comes alive at night with horse drawn carriages etc but there was no sign of that - again maybe because it was Sunday? Nevertheless, we really enjoyed visiting the village!
This was a wonderful stay experience, we were so sorry we couldn't stay another night. It was so nice to meet the people and enjoy the wonderful food, the beautiful neat and clean rooms and facilities. A lot of effort went into the decor, with lots of amenities in the room to make your stay easier. 5 star in my book... Looking forward to going back and staying at Ibis again.
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Rooms
Double Room - Happy
Double Room - Amore
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House rules
We regret no children under the age of 12.Children aged between 10 and 18 pay 100% of the sharing rate.
Dinner on request.
No smoking in the house.
Over Christmas and New Year a minimum stay of 3 days is applicable.
Double Room - Happy
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Description
Happy Room has twin three-quarter beds and is decorated in bright colours. The large bathroom has a double shower two people can shower - each with separate controls and shower head. Bath, under-floor heating, heated towel rails, fan, electric blanket.
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About This Room
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Bathroom
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Extras
Entertainment
House Rules
We regret no children under the age of 12.
Children aged between 10 and 18 pay 100% of the sharing rate.
Dinner on request.
No smoking in the house.
Over Christmas and New Year a minimum stay of 3 days is applicable.
Cancellation policy
before check-in
before check-in
before check-in
Description
Happy Room has twin three-quarter beds and is decorated in bright colours. The large bathroom has a double shower two people can shower - each with separate controls and shower head. Bath, under-floor heating, heated towel rails, fan, electric blanket.
Double Room - Amore
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Description
Our Amore Room is our room of love, decorated all in white, with its double bed featuring a love headboard. The en-suite bathroom has a shower and heater, with heated towel rails. A fan, electric blanket and more are available.
Room Arrangements
Rates
About This Room
Services
Bathroom
Room Facilities
Appliances
Extras
Entertainment
House Rules
We regret no children under the age of 12.
Children aged between 10 and 18 pay 100% of the sharing rate.
Dinner on request.
No smoking in the house.
Over Christmas and New Year a minimum stay of 3 days is applicable.
Cancellation policy
before check-in
before check-in
before check-in
Description
Our Amore Room is our room of love, decorated all in white, with its double bed featuring a love headboard. The en-suite bathroom has a shower and heater, with heated towel rails. A fan, electric blanket and more are available.
Double Room - Karoo
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Description
Room with large doors opening onto a stoep, double bed, and reed ceilings. Decorated with Charmaine Haines art and has a separate room just for the bath with bubbles and oils. Electric blankets, heater, fan, toiletries, bathroom heater and heated towel rails.
Room Arrangements
Rates
About This Room
Services
Bathroom
Room Facilities
Appliances
Extras
Entertainment
House Rules
We regret no children under the age of 12.
Children aged between 10 and 18 pay 100% of the sharing rate.
Dinner on request.
No smoking in the house.
Over Christmas and New Year a minimum stay of 3 days is applicable.
Cancellation policy
before check-in
before check-in
before check-in
Description
Room with large doors opening onto a stoep, double bed, and reed ceilings. Decorated with Charmaine Haines art and has a separate room just for the bath with bubbles and oils. Electric blankets, heater, fan, toiletries, bathroom heater and heated towel rails.
Stirlings @ The Ibis Restaurant offers both an a la carte menu and their Famous Karoo Food Experience. They incorporate a lot of local medicinal plants into the dishes and put a special interpretation on each course. They are open from Fridays to Mondays, and bookings are recommended.
Has the Karoo’s siren call beckoned you to linger? Now you can rest your weary head here at The Ibis Lounge with a choice of three accommodation offerings.
Be welcome, and enjoy true Karoo Luxury.
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