There is a buzz in Barrydale that was probably last felt when the first barrel of the Joseph Barry brandy rolled out of the local cellar.
This air of excitement is because the official reopening of the Karoo Art Hotel is scheduled to take place in the first week of March, much to the delight of tour guides and entrepreneurs alike.
It has been a bumpy ride, to say the least, as the old building needed far more TLC than what was ever envisioned, but when taking a closer look at the (almost) finished product the phrase “where there is a will, there is a way,” comes to mind.
The grand plans that new owners Rick and Sue Melvill have for one of the top tourist attractions in the area are being revealed with every passing day and – much to their delight – the response from future clients has been tremendous.
“Bookings are starting to stream in and this is very encouraging considering that we have not marketed our new rooms at all!,” general manager Zak Jansen said.
While Zak insisted that the bar and restaurant remain open during the holiday season to accommodate residents of this drinking town that has a farming problem, the fit-out of the rest of the hotel had only commenced early this year.
Progress has been steady and thanks to local builder Morgan Adonis, no stone is being left unturned in the quest to ensure that every section of work is done at a remarkably high standard.
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Magnolias in Bloom
Last week turned out to be very special for Sue as the artwork she had ordered for The Magnolia Room left all in sundry breathless.
The vinyl print of the Vladimir Tretchikoff painting, Zulu Girl, covers an entire wall in the room that looks out on a magnolia tree that stands in the courtyard below.
It is one of only a few magnolias in Barrydale and it just so happens to be Sue’s favourite tree and flower.
“I saw the Zulu girl painting that had the magnolias incorporated in the artwork and one of the first things I noticed when we arrived here was the big magnolia tree in the garden,” Sue said.
“It’s fascinating that Tretchikoff’s granddaughter lives in Suurbraak around the corner from Barrydale and is part of the Tretchikoff business.”
Sue added that the more she started to become immersed in the community of Barrydale, the more her love for this town itself has increased.
“Many people say that they are here by accident. Initially we thought so too, but that is not quite the case. There are so many creatives that live in this village and with every passing day, we get a better understanding of why that is so.”
Stress or Eustress?
In the meantime the Karoo Art Hotel has to deal with a good stress psychologists refer to as “eustress”. This is a type of stress that is felt when people are excited.
Usually the pulse quickens and hormones surge. It is a kind of stress that feels like a roller coaster ride or that feeling you get when you go on your first date.
They will, however, endure this “good stress” with the knowledge that in just seven weeks the town will have its hotel back.
