Meet Some of Our Entrepreneurs in The Gamtoos Valley
The Ferry Hotel:
Annette and Roy Herzelman
The Ferry Hotel on the banks of the Gamtoos River between Port Elizabeth and Jeffreys Bay is an old famous landmark for locals and tourists alike.
And with creative and adventurous owners like Roy and Annette Herselman at the helm, it is now evolving to its full glory again.
“We have a large family and had to expand to make room for everyone. When the children grew up, we decided to convert the large 12-room house into a venue with accommodation. It soon happened that guests of the Ferry Hotel, who had limited rooms at the time, also stayed there,” says Annette.
She is the creative half of the team and has years of experience in all aspects of hospitality and tourism. She is the designer, organizer and meticulous planner, with an eye for detail.
“My dad was an architect and I’ve always had a passion for buildings and how to transform spaces. I like to mix old and new and handpick furniture to create a comfortable homely atmosphere,” says Annette. “Our idea is also to preserve the character of the old buildings.”
Roy who has a career in computer systems for medical practices behind him, in turn, brings a technical and practical flair. His pride is the pizza oven that he designed and built himself. Up to six pizzas can be baked in this unique oven at a time and visitors can come and feast on them on weekends while looking out over the river.
Except for the Old Bar restaurant which is open throughout the week and offers special breakfasts and Sunday lunches, there is the current reception venue which can accommodate 120 people, and now also a new garden venue on the riverbank with good shelter from the elements.
“It is now possible for weddings and functions to take place simultaneously, each separate from one another,” Roy says. He is an avid angler and bird expert and is also the guide who accompanies up to 12 people on a 2-hour boat trip. “The number of species such as herons and kingfishers is amazing. It is special to experience the birds and wildlife in such a way.”
Roy who has a career in computer systems for medical practices behind him, in turn, brings a technical and practical flair. His pride is the pizza oven that he designed and built himself. Up to six pizzas can be baked in this unique oven at a time and visitors can come and feast on them on weekends while looking out over the river.
Except for the Old Bar restaurant which is open throughout the week and offers special breakfasts and Sunday lunches, there is the current reception venue which can accommodate 120 people, and now also a new garden venue on the riverbank with good shelter from the elements.
“It is now possible for weddings and functions to take place simultaneously, each separate from one another,” Roy says. He is an avid angler and bird expert and is also the guide who accompanies up to 12 people on a 2-hour boat trip. “The number of species such as herons and kingfishers is amazing. It is special to experience the birds and wildlife in such a way.”
And Roy knows about boating. He and Annette did a sailing course a few years ago and then sailed around the Spanish Balearic Islands on their 43-foot yacht. He also tells about another adventure where they drove an epic 30,000-mile American route.
Such a big project as restoring and operating an old hotel is just another adventure the two of them embark on together. “We work really well together and complement each other well as a team. Annette is very well organised and plans everything carefully,” says Roy.
In addition to the renovation of the five current rooms, there are ten more rooms that are being renovated – each with its own bathroom. The “Riverview rooms” have a magnificent view of the river. If all goes according to plan, by next year there will be room for nearly 40 guests at the Ferry Hotel, which now boasts a three-star rating.
The campsite has also been upgraded. “The grounds have been levelled more and there is now a wider range of products for sale in the shop,” says Roy.
He is very impressed with the area’s exceptional tourism potential. “We are spoiled with unique scenery, the sea is just a stone’s throw away, the city is an hour’s drive from here, and the weather is moderate.”
Annette says it will be a very big injection for the Eastern Cape if the Port Elizabeth’s airport can manage international flights.
“We are very happy here. And our relationship with Rienette and the Gamtoos Water team is excellent, – especially with the maintenance during the dry season, they look after us closely,” says Roy.
They look forward to the exciting busy Summer-season and to welcome young and old to experience this unique destination.
Ontmoet Entrepreneurs van Die Gamtoos Vallei
Die Ferry Hotel:
Annette en Roy Herzelman
Die Ferry Hotel op die oewer van die Gamtoosrivier tussen Port Elizabeth en Jeffreysbaai is ‘n ou bekende landmerk vir plaaslike inwoners en toeriste.
En met kreatiewe en avontuurlustige eienaars soos Roy en Annette Herselman aan stuur van sake, is dit nou weer besig om tot sy volle glorie te ontwikkel.
Die kragpaartjie wat oorspronklik van Pretoria af kom, het twee en ‘n half jaar gelede die Ferry Hotel gekoop, maar het al reeds ‘n hegte band met die Gamtoosrivier gehad, omdat hulle vir jare reg langsaan in die Gamtoos Kasteel gewoon het.
“Ons het ‘n groot gesin en het deurentyd aan “Die Kasteel” aangebou om plek te maak vir almal. Toe die kinders groot en uit die huis is, het ons besluit om die groot huis met 12 kamers in ‘n onthaalplek met verblyf te omskep. Dit het gou gebeur dat gaste van die Ferry Hotel, wat destyds beperkte kamers gehad het, ook daar tuisgegaan het,” sê Annette.
Sy is die kreatiewe helfte van die span en het jare se ondervinding in alle aspekte van onthaal en toerisme. Sy is die ontwerper, organiseerder en fyn beplanner, met ‘n besondere oog vir detail.
“My pa was ‘n argitek en ek het nog altyd ‘n passie vir geboue en hoe om ruimtes te omskep. Ek hou daarvan om oud en nuut te meng en meubels met die hand uit te soek om ‘n gerieflike huislike atmosfeer te skep,” sê Annette. “Ons idee is ook om die karakter van die ou geboue te behou.”
Roy wat ‘n loopbaan in rekenaarstelsels vir mediese praktyke agter die rug het, bring op sy beurt ‘n tegniese en praktiese flair en sy hande staan vir niks verkeerd nie. Sy trots is die pizza-oond wat hyself ontwerp en gebou het. Tot ses pizzas kan op ‘n slag in die’ unieke oond gaar gemaak word en besoekers kan naweke daaraan kom smul terwyl hulle oor die rivier kyk.
Behalwe die Old Bar-restaurant wat deur die week oop is en spesiale ontbyt en Sondagmiddagetes aanbied, is daar die huidige onthaallokaal wat 120 mense kan akkomodeer, en nou ook ‘n nuwe tuin-lokaal op die rivierwal met goeie beskutting teen die elemente.
“Hier kan ‘n paar geleenthede gelyk plaasvind sonder dat die groepe mekaar pla,” sê Roy. Hy is ‘n kranige hengelaar en voëlkenner en is ook die gids wat tot 12 mense op ‘n 2-uur bootrit begelei. “Die hoeveelheid spesies soos reiers en visvangers verbaas almal. Dit is besonders om die voëls en natuurlewe op so ‘n manier te beleef.”
En Roy ken van bootry. Hy en Annette het paar jaar gelede ‘n seilkursus gedoen en toe met hul 43-voet seiljag langs die Spaanse Baleariese eilande rondegeseil. Hy vertel ook hoe hulle tydens ‘n ander avontuur ‘n epiese Amerikaanse roete van 30 000 myl gery het. “Dit was omtrent ‘n avontuur”.
So’ ‘n groot projek soos om ‘n ou hotel te restoreer en te bedryf is net nog ‘n avontuur wat hulle twee saam aanpak. “Ons werk baie goed saam en vul mekaar goed aan as ‘n span. Annette is baie goed georganiseerd en beplan alles noukeurig,” sê Roy.
Behalwe die opknapping aan die vyf huidige kamers, is daar nog tien kamers wat oorgedoen word – elkeen met sy eie badkamer. Die kamers met ‘n rivier aansig het ‘n manjefieke uitsig op die rivier. As alles volgens plan verloop, sal daar teen volgende jaar slaapplek vir byna 40 gaste by die Ferry Hotel wees, wat nou spog met ‘n drie ster gradering.
Die kampplek is ook opgegradeer. “Die terrein is meer gelyk gemaak en daar is nou ‘n groter verskeidenheid produkte in die winkeltjie te koop,” sê Roy.
Hy is baie beïndruk met die area se besonderse toerisme potensiaal. “Ons is bederf met unieke natuurskoon, die see is net ‘n klipgooi weg, die stad is ‘n uur se ry hiervandaan, en die weer is matig.”
Annette sê al wat kort is dat die Port Elizabeth se lughawe internasionale vlugte kan hanteer. “Dit sal ‘n baie groot inspuiting vir die Oos-Kaap wees.”
“Ons is baie gelukkig hier. En ons verhouding met Rienette die Gamtoos Water span is uitstekend, – veral met die onderhoud tydens die droogte tyd, kyk hulle mooi na ons,” sê Roy.
Hulle sien uit na die woelige Somerseisoen en om oud en jonk hier te verwelkom.