The Royal Hotel: since 1862

The date 1862 in the plasterwork of the Royal Hotel is believed to mark the original building. It is described as the oldest licensed hotel in the Western Cape.

In 1929 the hotel was extensively renovated and its arched stoep was added. Locals call it the longest stoep south of the Limpopo; the heritage group describes it as the longest uninterrupted stoep in the southern hemisphere.

Both prime ministers from the valley, Jan Smuts and D.F. Malan, were frequent guests. Under the apartheid government, part of the stoep was turned into bathrooms for guests who were not white. These were later removed and the stoep was restored.

Today the hotel is fully restored and is the social centre of the village. It is a short walk from Huis Agt, and the stoep at sunset is a must.