News and Events

Klein Karoo Winter Special - Enjoy a winter getaway of peace, tranquility and the home away from home hospitality of the Karoo Art Hotel.

This will be the 3rd year in a row for a not to be missed sporting, food, music, lightness and laughter weekend conceived and conducted by the legendary Stormers coach.

After an iconic visit by Bobby Kennedy to Stellenbosch University's Simonsberg residence in 1966 they started calling themselves 'Die Withuis'. The name has stuck. When Die Withuis alumni (76-80) visited us we followed suite with our own name change.

Barrydale to Heidelburg and back via the Tradouw Pass (98km) is the perfect training ride to put miles in the legs while earning points with your non riding partner

702 Talkshow host Reuben the Screwman returns with LBB2 (Life Before Barrydale 2).

One of the joys of owning SA's leading Art Hotel is the grand parade of fascinating people who pass this way. And here comes the blues legend Doc Maclean to etch another memory into the hand hewn beams that seperate the bar from the Barrydale room above. This is one night when the sound of the bar below wont be an issue - it's Doc's room

The Barrydale Poetry Club staged a homage to the Scottish poet Robbie Burns. There were some brilliant readings of Robbie Burn's work by members of the club and Derek and the kitchen did a magnificent job of the prep of the Haggis which was the feature of traditional Burns night menu.

'All Together Now'. The NYE Mardi Gras Street Party. 2025

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and festive cheer!

Live in the Anna-Jordaan Bar On November 7 @ 7pm: MURDER BALLADS And other less cheerful cadences from the Afrikaans poetic archives

Escape to the Karoo Art Hotel this December for a unique festive getaway, where art, comfort, and countryside charm create an unforgettable experience.

Critically acclaimed virtuoso guitarist and singer Moodship (aka Gary Thomas) is touring South Africa next month and will be performing at the Karoo Art Hotel for the first time.

Our New Year's Eve Street Party is back

"Drawing is not what one sees, but what one can make others see." ~ Degas

Art of the Memoir weekend workshop followed by a week long retreat returns to the hotel from 26-28 July for the workshop and the 28th July - 2nd August for the retreat. Both workshops are sold out for good reason

A chilled ride through 6 glorious farms with many an out

It's an Art hotel. But is it an Art bar ? The thoughts of Anais Ninn the famous mid 19th century writer and author of an outrageously erotic personal diary that shocked society gave us some direction.

Karoo Art Hotel Recognised as a Traveller-Favourite Hotel

It took many nights out and at least two World Cup finals, but Greg Bax has invented the cure for any hangover.

Prior to kick-off our distinguished rugby panel will discuss this important fixture.

The highly anticipated reopening of the cycle loop.

The myth, the legend, the one and only Jack Parow will be performing at the Karoo Art Hotel on July 5 at 9pm.

From the 5 to 7 July the Stormers coach takes the baton once more to conduct a weekend of his own spectacular design.

It was our first proper wedding since taking over this fine establishment, but the wait was definitely worthwhile. Jacques Du Plessis from Mr Cat & the Jackal and Tara Bakkes, creative at Jumpin' the Gun, hosted the most incredible wedding with the liveliest crowd ever. They definitely owned the space.

We have the luck of hosting a celebrated avant garde artist out of the blue - correction, out of the dead of night. And Angel the hotel cat gets herself immortalised on the hotel 'quote of the day' sandwich board.

The Conductors of the Karoo Art was a new idea for 2024. The concept ? To hand the hotel over to a leading creative or else event for a weekend of very specific focus. It started with a bang with a Cathy Milner art weekend and that was followed by an extraordinary program put together by writer Rian Malan, photographer Guy Tillim, Dance instructor Hannah Loewenthal and film maker Lloyd Ross. More...

March 2024. It's only our 2nd birthday. Thinking back on the journey we went through with the building and the impact of Sue as a decorator

If the idea is to celebrate the art of Karoo cooking what better way to anchor it than with the cookbooks of iconic Karoo farming families ? In a forthcoming workshop weekend the author of Prickly Pears & Pomegranates will lead guests of the hotel through the 'how to's' of her brilliant recipes

Geoff Bayman will be leading a weekend workshop for adventure bikers looking to conquer any unease they might have about sand riding.

Up close and personal with our executive who just loves presenting the best the Karoo has to offer

The natural beauty of Barrydale creates the perfect setting for photography enthusiasts to explore new possibilities and we are again anticipating that some of the country's best lensmen to showcase their work over the next few weeks when the Barrydale Analog Photo Festival gets underway on 8 December.

The Karoo Art Hotel is delighted to host another musical legend on September 28 when Louise Carver performs in the Belanti as part of the Seven7 Drive, powered by Kia South Africa, in aid of children suffering from cancer.

Since the restoration and reopening of the Karoo Art Hotel, Barrydale, in March 2020 we’ve been blessed with a magnificent procession of car and bike club visits.

The Karoo Art Hotel has joined forces with Harper Sports Cars in creating a weekend getaway in August that will attract car manufacturers and fanatics from all corners of the country.

Die skrywer Maryke Roberts het onlangs in Barrydale besoek afgelê en sy meen dat diè dorp en sy mense altyd vir 'n onvergeetlike wegbreek uit die groot stad sal sorg

It is our pleasure to announce that we have been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award winner.

Amazing things happen when kindness is mixed with Jack Daniel's and Coke and the first ride out to Barrydale was no exception.

2022 opened to the beat of Kansas' haunting song 'Dust in the Wind' as we entered the new year as construction site. We'd eventually only opened our doors for accomodation in March. 2022 9 Months later we look back at an incredible journey with thoughts on how to raise the bar in 2023.

The scadonks and farm bakkies of Van Riebeek Str, Barrydale held their collective breath for the arrival of the Cape 1000 Rally. Fortunately the Barrydale Honey Sucker never came. And sadly neither did the Blue Train.

We bid farewell to Charl Barry later today. In the hall below the old Bioscope where he ran his Friday night movie club from.

Ultra distance Barrydale cyclist Alan Hardaker has been thinking about something while peddling down the endless roads of his multi day (and nights) ultra distance endurance events ; He's been thinking about how to make last years Dorp2 Dorp cycling event even better this year !

We're excited to announce that Cathy returns to us for another workshop from 15-17 Feb 2023. It'll be the first of 3 workshops in the year each with a different focus. This is on oils.

From 24th - 26th March the village of Barrydale gets another name change; Royal Barrydale. Stand by for the Royal Enfield Ride In hosted by the Karoo Art Hotel and RETZA . Details to follow.

Some of the best jazz artists from South Africa and Switzerland will be performing at the Karoo Art Hotel on December 15.

"Beyond the charms of the hotel,what's there to do in Barrydale ?" . A lot !

As it is a mystery it makes communication about it well nigh impossible , but we'll give it a go.

Bienne Huisman of the Daily Maverick writes like a dream and she's done a great job of capturing the spirit of the Karoo Art bar and the small town politics and personality that swirls around it

Harlley-Dale 2022 is done and dusted. Barrydale has it's name back again. And richer for the experience.

The Art of the Memoir was the first of our 'Arts of' program. Eighteen aspirant memoir writers checked into the hotel for a workshop loaded with craft, technique, inspiration and participation conducted by award winning writers Jo-Anne Richards (Innocence of Roast Chicken) and Jo-Anne Hitchens (Death & the After Parties) of the top writing school All About Writing. The whole exercise received critical acclaim from all involved.

When we working on the vision for the creation of Melvill & Moon over 20 years ago there was description of the rooms of the Muthaiga Club in the Happy Valley/Kenya /1922 era in West with the Night that resonated with us

New years eve happened on the street in the lee of the still closed hotel and Bistro Blues on the other side

2021 wasn’t all bad , we’re still alive for goodness sake , and without the journey through 21 we could never have got to 22

Much to reflect on as we take a breather and open the bar as a pop up and the downstairs rooms as a temporary exhibition space for the artists of Barrydale . Some images to sum it all up.

How a chance visit during an offroad motorbike trip lead to a life changing purchase made on a whim