Travelling as a family presents its own challenges, as one navigates through not only the costs involved, but what activities are offered either on-site or nearby, and whether any of these options are to the taste of your family. This is where Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is ideally positioned, not only in light of physical location, but their provision of on-site activities that create genuine family time.

Nestled in the heart of the Natal Midlands, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa thrives in creating a “home away from home,” and loves nothing more than hosting entire families and building memories with them.

By its very design, the Hotel caters for families travelling together, with double storey family rooms, allowing families a spacious environment in which to enjoy their holiday as well as providing each generation with their own designated area.

A range of both indoor and outdoor activities are also on offer including soccer, cricket and rugby equipment, and a host of board games, including Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and Jenga to name a few. However, if getting into the outdoors is more your family’s style, then the Lions River walk is just for you, as you are able to explore this meandering river that runs along the bottom of the Granny Mouse property.

When it comes to thinking about the entire family, at many properties, the little ones are sometimes an afterthought, but at Granny Mouse the little ones are top of mind with miniature gowns for bath time and a marshmallow mouse on arrival to keep them warm and smiling.

Of recent, with the introduction of the Farmhouse into the Granny Mouse offering, one has the opportunity to hire a separate house a mere 900m from the main Granny Mouse Hotel instead of a standard hotel room that only sleeps 4 people. Boasting 5 elegantly decorated bedrooms, sleeping up to 12 guests, the Farmhouse at Granny Mouse is fully equipped with a large kitchen, dining room with a 10 seater table, lounge, playroom, private pool, veranda, braai facilities and lovely Farmhouse garden that creates the ideal family getaway if you have a larger number of people.

With all of this based on one property, and a plethora of activities located nearby, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa truly provides the perfect family getaway. Make your booking today via reservations@grannymouse.co.za or call 033 234 4071.

Arranging a company conference can be a somewhat daunting task as you seek the perfect venues, worry about what activities will suits all tastes, and then of course the ever present budgetary pressures.  All of these worries disappear when you arrange conferences at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, so we sat down with Banqueting Manager, Ane du Preez and asked her what her top 5 tips would be when arranging a conference.

Tip 1: Plan early                    

As obvious as this sounds, conferences take time to arrange as there are a number of elements that need to be arranged and sources, so the sooner you plan, the less stressful the process becomes. Du Preez suggests that you start the process at least 8 – 9 months in advance if you’re still looking at venue options as this gives you time to assess all the relevant areas.

Tip 2: Determine the type of conference you want

When speaking to venues, have an idea of what it is you want to do, and how you see the conference being run. Most venues will assist you with some ideas and implementation, but you need to have a clear idea of the number of delegates and a basic programme. Some venues may be removed from your potential list based purely on capacity.

Tip 3: Know your budget

Conferences expenses can escalate quickly, so you need to determine your budget before you start the process and express this to your chosen venue, or miscommunication creeps into your event. Granny Mouse Country House & Spa prides themselves in tailor marking packages dependent on the needs and budgets of clients.

Tip 4: Do your homework

Ask the venue what types of conferences they have hosted before, and even go so far as asking who some of their past conference clients have been. This will give you a good indication of what you can expect from the venue and the calibre of venue you are selecting. It is also common that potential clients ask for the contact details for reference purposes. Don’t be afraid to ask for this information; any decent venue will brag about their previous amazing conferences.

Tip 5: Ask for advice

Many venues have dedicated teams who are more than happy to assist you with ideas and concepts, as they do this job for a living. They can often provide you with ideas that they have executed for other conferences that may fit well with your conference ideas. Your chosen venue may also be in close proximity to other activities which could form part of your conference.

Du Preez’s finals words of wisdom in conference planning, is to enjoy the process and keep the lines of communications open with your on-site banqueting team, as they are there to help you every step of the way.