Blaauwheim 5* Guest House is a survivor

Covid 19 does strange things to people. I have had the words of a song in my head all day long. “I will survive” keeps on ringing in my ears. Thanks, Tina, because I then realized that you might be sending me a subliminal message about our recovery after this pandemic.

Blaauwheim 5* Guest House was established in 2008, the year of the great international economic crash. We survived and flourished.

Then there was an outbreak of ebolavirus in Africa. Ignorant travellers cancelled their bookings, not realising that the outbreak happened much nearer to their countries of residence in Europe than to the Western Cape. We survived!

The following folly was the unabridged birth certificate fiasco. The stories we can tell because of some bureaucrats’ ill-advised blunders, will make you cry. Blaauwheim once again survived.

The next obstacle was a curve ball Mother Nature herself launched at everyone in the Western Cape but especially the hospitality industry. We all suffered because of a terrible drought. Once more our politicians had to play the role of bogeymen. They coined the dreaded phrase “Day Zero”. We overcame the shortage of water by drilling a borehole. Blaauwheim was blessed with enough water of exceptional quality. Disaster avoided. (Thankfully, after a good rainy season, our dams are now full.)

But towards the end of the 2019/2020 tourism season the dreaded Covid 19 reached our shores and our guests had to rush out of the country to avoid lockdown here. All bookings beyond March disappeared… Now we are seven months further down the year and things are looking bleak. However, we are confident that Blaauwheim will survive yet another time.

Guest house owners are resilient. They bounce back. But then they must be real guest house owners who are present, optimistic, dedicated and committed to excellence. TripAdvisor recognised Blaauwheim as an exceptional guest house and awarded us the 2020 “Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award", only awarded to 25 Guest Houses on the African continent!

 Suddenly the tune in my head changed! Still Tina Turner, but now it is “You’re simply the best…!”

“I can see clearly now the rain has gone. I can see all obstacles in my way…” Thanks Johnny Nash and RIP.