Royal Hotel Bethulie

The Royal Hotel in Bethulie, which was founded in the 1880s, has recently undergone a renaissance. It combines traditional South African hospitality with an understanding of modern needs. The hotel is currently undergoing an extensive renovation that has reinforced its reputation as a place that is "better than home."

Bethulie is located approximately 90 minutes south of Bloemfontein in the Free State province of South Africa. It is six hours' drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, five hours from Port Elizabeth and East London, eight hours from Durban, and nine hours from Cape Town. This makes the Royal Hotel an ideal accommodation stopover between major South African cities, while also being a worthwhile destination in its own right.

The Royal Hotel offers en-suite convenience and enterprising cuisine, access to a vast private library and record collection, service standards modeled after an ocean liner, and a growing "Hall of Fame" honoring the town's best and bravest individuals. It serves as the perfect base for exploring South Africa's hinterland and its neighbor, Lesotho.

Accommodation at the Royal Hotel in Bethulie ranges from tourist to first-class, with tariffs calculated with an eye for value. Shops are located nearby, and secure parking, even for large vehicles, is available. The hotel welcomes well-behaved children and also makes special provisions for pets, the physically challenged, and tour groups of any size.

Bethulie features several points of interest, including the longest road and rail bridge in Africa, well-stocked game reserves, the scenic splendor of Lake Gariep (site of the most infamous concentration camp of the Anglo-Boer War), and the childhood haunts of actor Patrick Mynhardt, who gained fame as the "Boy from Bethulie." The town retains a frontier feeling that evokes echoes of days long gone. While its chief role has been to serve the needs of hardworking sheep farmers and their families in the surrounding district, Bethulie also prides itself on being a safe, friendly, and peaceful oasis, offering attractions and diversions that excite discerning visitors from all over the world.