Glamour on the Garden Route

QUESTION: American friends have asked us to recommend a boutique hotel in the Plett/Knysna area on the Garden Route where they can spend a week relaxing during a visit to SA. They enjoy swimming, walking and playing golf. Any suggestions? - Else Rossouw

ANSWERS: There is a wide choice of hotels that fit the bill. Wherever they stay, they will never be too far from a beach or a golf course. My top choices would be: Hunters Country House outside Plettenberg Bay (exquisite boutique hotel in a forest), The Plettenberg Hotel in Plettenberg Bay (spectacular sea and mountain views), the Fancourt Hotel and Golf Estate at George (exclusivity and privacy in a world-class estate) and the Pezula Resort Hotel and Spa at Knysna (golf and health spa haven overlooking the lake). If they are adventurous, you could recommend the fabulous Tsala Treetop Lodge, an eco-friendly forest lodge.