From the minute you drive down the tree-lined avenue to Fordoun Spa, Hotel and Restaurant, you realise you're in for a refreshingly unique pampering experience.

Once a successful dairy farm belonging to a wealthy philanthropist, it has been meticulously converted into a world-class luxury spa, but with the added attraction of incorporating traditional African treatments and remedies; even offering consultations with a Zulu traditional healer.

Embracing and celebrating this exclusivity has been one of the benchmarks for this newly-opened KwaZulu-Natal Midlands retreat, where the highest standards and attention to the smallest details are evidence of years of thorough planning and a flawless execution.

Midlands Meander
Situated near the N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban, close to the increasingly popular village of Nottingham Road, and the highly successful Midlands Meander arts and crafts route, Fordoun has cleverly moved beyond its convenient country getaway location and the increasing popularity of spa resorts by capitalising on the growing interest in traditional forms of medicine and healing, which gives it its distinct competitive edge.

Dairy farm history
The farm also has a fascinating history. Settled in the 1860s by British immigrants and named after a parish in Scotland, it was bought in the 1940s by wealthy industrialist Sir George Usher. His widow Lady Nora later ran a prize-winning cattle herd and left the farm to her nephew, Jon Bates, who a few years ago decided to relocate the dairy and created the spa, hotel and restaurant from the old farm buildings.

Luxury suites

The links to the farm's history are maintained, with the Usher's former butler Lazarus, who has been on the farm for over 50 years, now greeting guests as they arrive with a friendly smile and showing them around the converted farm buildings. One of the suites is named after Sir George's legendary chauffeur William Nkabinde, who would accompany him on trips abroad and picked up a number of European languages. Framed photographs, newspaper clippings and a letter detailing Nkabinde's passport application feature; while other rooms display the history of both the farm and the area, adding fascinating personal touches to the suites. The original rafters and stone walls have also been cleverly maintained during the renovation from tractor sheds and farm buildings to luxury accommodation.

A family affair
The conversion from successful dairy farm to successful boutique hotel, spa and restaurant was not only a long and painstaking process, but a "leap of faith", explains Jon, and was also a family affair, with his wife Micheline tastefully decorating the rooms in a rich and elegant mix of colonial and African styles, and his eldest son Richard giving up a career as a professional rugby player in the UK to take up the position of managing the complex. The restaurant is named after Richard's daughter, Skye.

Spa features
Relaxing in the flotation tank
While the spa (housed in the former dairy) features all the elements one would expect, such as a heated swimming pool, saline flotation tank (in the old grain silo!), sauna, steam room, rasul, vichy shower, hydrotherapy room, gym, juice bar, and a luxurious couples' treatment room, as well as a friendly team of therapists and delights such as chocolate, peppermint or red grape body wraps, it's the focus on incorporating traditional, holistic treatments that is gaining attention.

Traditional healer brought in
Although international beauty treatment ranges are still used, the spa has also embraced a more holistic approach through a number of its treatments, most particularly by bringing in local sangoma and ethno-botanist Tr. Dr. Elliot Ndlovu as a director of the spa. Using hundreds of years of traditional healing wisdom, Elliot has created a range of creams, oils, bath salts, clays and perfumes from indigenous healing plants, based on the seven chakras and seven colours of the rainbow. Jon himself talks enthusiastically about the untapped healing qualities of many indigenous plants, and the power and energy contained in them.

Sitting in the Turkish-inspired rasul

The most unique of the spa treatments on offer are the mud bath and rasul, followed by massage, which are guaranteed to leave you feeling entirely relaxed, refreshed and revitalised. The mud, which is collected by either virgins or post-menopausal women (the latter are apparently easier to find) at full moon, is boiled twice and cooled, before being left in a bowl in the rasul for you to smear all over your body while sitting in the mosaic-tiled steam room. Once the mud starts to dry, the steam is turned on, melting it all away, before showers wash it all off. The clay is not only good for the skin, explains Elliot, but more importantly helps cleanse the spirit.

With skin feeling satin-smooth, it's on to the next bit of bliss — the hot stone massage. Here, heated volcanic stones are placed on your body's pressure points, melting your tension away like butter in a pan, before being used in the massage, done with healing and traditional artemesia oil.

Consultations with a sangoma
Elliot, who created an indigenous garden at the famed Chelsea Flower Show as well as having stands at numerous other garden shows and wildlife expos, has created a traditional herb garden where guests can see the various plants growing, with helpful signs explaining their many uses.

Elliot also offers consultations in his rondavel, in which guests can experience a genuine sangoma throwing the bones. Most guests ask questions about their lives, how long they will live, their health, and their family, says Elliot.

He also enthusiastically shares the fascinating story of how the ancestors called him to be a sangoma, and how he used his training and gifts to start growing indigenous plants against the backdrop of the political violence of the 80s in the area.

Knobkerrie massage
Hot stone massage
The new, African-style treatments, such as a massage with a knobkerrie, are carried out in the traditional rondavels, complete with thatch and cowhide, while the spa building houses all the more traditional treatments.

Interestingly, Richard reveals that most of the patrons so far are not the well-heeled middle-aged matrons one would expect, but younger executives, who work hard but are able to spoil themselves with a bit of pampering, seeing it as vital investment in their health. The rise of the metrosexual man has also helped, with many of the younger men more willing to try all the treatments on offer, while older men still shy away from facials and the like.

Pure indulgence
Strolling along the lavender-bordered pathways between indulging either in the spa or the restaurant or simply the crisp country air, you feel you're somewhere unique, somewhere far removed from just any old establishment, while the friendly faces and genuine old-fashioned hospitality from the hosts make you feel especially welcome. With so much to experience and enjoy, it's hard not to be impressed by all Fordoun has to offer.


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