Malherbe is an intimate guesthouse with just five rooms and personal service from owners Joop and Micky. Whilst the owners are always available to help with booking a restaurant or some other request, they keep in the background which might help guests feel less under scrutiny. One of the stand-out features of the guesthouse is the mature garden, which has many delightful nooks and crannies. The pool and sunbathing area are also unusually good for a small guesthouse, although it can get a bit busy around the pool.
The two best rooms are undoubtedly the deluxe garden rooms, one with a veranda overlooking the pool area, the other being slightly away from the pool and therefore more private. A clever feature of the garden rooms is the angled divider behind the bed which both serves as a headboard and creates a corridor to the dressing area and bathroom. The bathroom is spacious with a double sink, walk in shower and good sized bath, but it's echoey and a little institutional. There's an old tube-type TV in each room with satellite stations but no DVD or music system. The minibar in the room has realistically priced soft drinks and wines but the fridge is a little noisy.
Complimentary Montagu Muscadel is available in a small lounge area inside the main house where there's also a folder with restaurant menus. There's wifi access throughout the guesthouse, but as is usual in South Africa, this has to be purchased: 175 R buys one 1 Gb of data which is enough for a few days.
Excellent breakfasts are served by Micky between 8 and 9 on a delightful terrace under the canopy of some very old vines. Breakfast includes freshly-squeezed orange juice, a plate of fruit, yoghurt with granola or muesli, a plate of cheeses and meats plus toast and preserves. A cooked option is also offered.
All in all, a very nice guesthouse with a pleasantly relaxing ambience and ideal for a stay in Montagu.