Fern Hill Hotel – more than just a Midlands hotel

 

Opened in May 1990, Fern Hill Hotel is one of the few Midlands venues that is still run by its original owners. What started out as a modest venture with only six bedrooms, a bar, restaurant and small conference venue, has developed and evolved over the years to become one of the firm favourites in the Natal Midlands. Today, Fern Hill Hotel has twenty-six rooms including a Presidential Suite. There are four conference venues, two bars, a sports pub, an award winning à la carte restaurant, a newly built chapel and a fully accredited and internationally recognised Hotel School.

 

Set in large, manicured gardens, the hotel building itself hints at times gone by with its white-washed broekie lace and numerous window boxes. The hotel rooms, however, boast all the modern conveniences expected in a contemporary country hotel. Full climate control, crisp linen, four-poster beds and flat-screen TVs are the standard. The hotel’s Presidential Suite is something truly special with a unique story behind it: the suite was built to accommodate former President Nelson Mandela when he received the freedom of Howick in 1996. The suite has been consistently upgraded and imbued with African charm and a wealth of comfort.

 

Food has always played an important part in Fern Hill’s history, and its à la carte restaurant, The Snooty Fox, has become one of the most cherished Midlands venues. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Snooty Fox caters for both in-house guests and the general public. Executive Chef Alexander Poltera and Restaurant Manageress Stephanie Szecsei constantly update the menu to incorporate an eclectic array of both local Midlands and international flavours. Plating is contemporary, the atmosphere is cosy and the service is always friendly. Over the past few years, The Snooty Fox has received numerous accolades including multiple Diners Club Platinum Awards for its wine list. The firm favourite, however, has always been Fern Hill’s extravagant Sunday Carveries; any visit to the Natal Midlands would be incomplete without dining out on one of these indulgent experiences.

 

Over the last few years, Fern Hill Hotel has undertaken building projects designed to expand the business’ repertoire of hospitality offerings. This year’s project included the construction of a chapel to host wedding ceremonies for brides and grooms getting married in the Midlands. Weddings have always been a staple at Fern Hill Hotel, but ceremonies were weather dependant owing to the outdoor garden gazebo, which was the primary ceremony venue before the chapel was completed. The new Fern Hill Chapel can host up to 160 people for all sorts of ceremonies like weddings, baptisms and memorial services. The venue features an abundance of natural light that cascades through the locally produced, hand-made stained glass windows. Additionally, two large natural wood chandeliers add a dramatic focal point to the venue.

 

Sixteen years ago, Fern Hill Hotel owners Gion and Karen Poltera decided to open a Hotel School for aspiring chefs and hotel managers. The Fern Hill Hotel School was opened in 1997, and eleven students were taken through the syllabus before graduating in 1998. Today, the Hotel School takes on up to forty students and offers internationally recognised City & Guilds and CATHSSETA qualifications in Hotel Management and Professional Cookery. A complete student campus with full accommodation is one of the many perks Fern Hill students experience. There are a myriad success stories tied to the Fern Hill Hotel School as graduates have moved on to top positions in world-famous hotels around the globe.