Smithfield House

Smithfield House is a historic house and animal sanctuary with a suitably rustic vibe. I made use of the offer of dinner and breakfast at an additional cost and did not regret it. The food was wholesome and tasty traditional fare at very reasonable rates. Bed was very comfortable and despite this being in the coldest week of the year, I was quite warm in my room. It is an excellent choice for overnighting or as a base from which to explore the area, but unless it is a party booking out the house, the limited public areas means that visitors are pretty much confined to their rooms. Having said that, it would be a great long weekend venue for a group of friends. Amanda was a very warm and gracious hostess.

It did not bother me, but if you are allergic to animals, this may not be the place for you.

Half way stop. Dinner and breakfast were great. Lots of farm animals.

It was August, and very cold. Limited heating.

Comfortable beautifully decorated rooms and establishment. Stayed there when the temperature outside got to -5, so the hot water bottle was a thoughtful touch.

Pity there was not hot water in the morning, but that was not the fault of the proprietor.

The host was very accommodating making provisions for dietary requirements (although it turns out we were to sleepy to eat), the rescue animals a delight and all in all a lovely little stop over.

We were a little worried about an approaching storm as there was no undercover parking but it all worked out just fine.

Smithfield was a real "farm stay" experience. From the two-day old ducklings, the very caring mother of 1 month old ducklings, the geese with attitude, Millie the donkey who nudged you if she thought you were ignoring her, Stu the sheep (so named so he wouldn't end up in one) who chewed on my shoelaces, to the pretty goats and graceful lamas, we were enchanted. The house, with its cool corridors and large rooms, transports one back to earlier centuries; the artwork took our interest, the amenities were very comfortable and Amanda took careful note of our needs. Breakfast and dinner were delicious, depite loadshedding.