Welcome to Bushman Sands, Alicedale, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Bushman Sands is a multi-faceted experience offering something for everyone. The 4-star hotel is a delightful blend of rich heritage & modern luxury. The Gary Player designed Golf Course is perfect for the keen golfer. There are thrilling adventure options & prospects of viewing Big Game. Those wanting relaxation, pampering & peace will find alternatives at the spa or at the poolside or even on a tranquil sunset boat cruise. Rewarding for families and satisfying for visitors interested in the turbulent & fascinating history of the area, Bushman Sands has won wide acclaim as a forerunner of sustainable ecological and community tourism.Welcome to the Bushman Sands website where you will discover more about the Hotel, the Game Reserve, and the Golf Course, the Spa, the Conference Centre, the Adventure Activities and the many options available to make your holiday, event or wedding one of a lifetime.

BACKGROUND

At the heart of the rebirth of the once decaying railway town of Alicedale is a unique leisure experience, Bushman Sands. We invite you to join this historic partnership to see Alicedale transformed into a thriving example of sustainable tourism development unlike any other in South Africa.

Situated in the Bushman s River Canyon in the Eastern Cape, Alicedale is approximately 50 kilometres from Grahamstown and 100 kilometers from Port Elizabeth. Surrounded by valley bushveld, the town exhibits a rich multi-cultural heritage, from ancient Bushman paintings to the Victorian Karoo flavour of a century ago, when it was developed as a major railway junction.

The town steamed along as an important link in the railway until steam trains were sidelined in the 1980s. By 1996 the management of its rail functions had been transferred to neighbouring Port Elizabeth and the junction slid into ruin. Since then the town has been virtually dormant with soaring unemployment.

At the beginning of 2003 a joint initiative between the Mantis Group, owners of Shamwari, and the Eastern Cape government was established to redevelop the town. Mantis Group Chairman Adrian Gardiner initiated the vision to see the town regain its vibrancy. In much the same way that Shamwari was transformed from barren farmland into one of the world s top conservation destinations, this initiative seeks to become a model of transformation for a previously disadvantaged community and the turnaround of a rural town.

At the centre of the transformation of Alicedale is Bushman Sands, the latest tourism product in the Mantis Group s portfolio. Named after the historic Bushman's River, Bushman Sands has provided the impetus for new investment and the sustainability for ongoing growth and development of the town.

A NEW DAWN AT ALICEDALE

Economic life was breathed back into Alicedale in June 2003 with construction of Bushman Sands. During the building phase, direct employment has been created for 374 people, all of whom were selected from the existing Alicedale community. ECDC estimates that each breadwinner in this community provides for up to seven dependents. This takes the number affected by the initial employment through this project to 2800 - more than half the local population. When completed, it is expected that Bushman Sands will provide approximately 150 jobs.

One example is that the rangers presently guiding tourists around the Bushman Sands game reserve were all previously unemployed. For Patrick Mgoqi, October's salary was the first he had received in 8 years since completing matric. Nomawethu Stuurman on the other hand, was studying at Border Technikon in 2002, but could not complete her course because of financial problems. For her, the opportunity to gain an income while improving her skills in game and environmental management, tourism and hospitality has provided hope.


BUSHMAN SANDS HOTEL

The 4-star Bushman Sands Hotel is a delightful blend of rich heritage and modern luxury. The Hotel comprises of 39 bedrooms around a pool area overlooking the Bushman Sands Golf Course. Original railway houses form the cornerstones of what are now three rows of en suite accommodation - comprising of a choice of standard rooms, luxury rooms and junior suites - each tastefully decorated with locally produced furniture and original art and linked to the main hotel building by walkways lit by Victorian lampposts.

The décor throughout references the legacy of the Khoi San and Alicedale’s railway history. The terraced rooms combine the architectural style of the original buildings with modern four-star finishes, offering a choice of junior suites with king beds and luxury and standard rooms with twin beds.

The five junior suites and eight luxury rooms, each have a private veranda with breathtaking views of the fairways, the Bushmans River and the magnificent hills beyond. The 26 standard rooms also with private veranda overlook landscaped indigenous gardens, the sparkling swimming pool, main hotel building and the final green of the golf course.

Room features
Standard Room (Total 26 – incl. 1 x room with a specially modified wheelchair friendly bathroom & 2 sets of inter-leading rooms)
- Twin bedded
- Air-conditioning
- TV with limited satellite TV (DSTV) channels
- Direct dialling telephones
- Tea/Coffee facilities
- Mini bar
- In room safe
- Hairdryer
- En-suite bathroom with: twin vanities, Victorian style bath, shower and private toilet
- Private patio overlooking landscaped indigenous gardens, the swimming pool and final green of the golf course

Luxury Room (Total 8)
- Twin bedded
- Air-conditioning
- TV with limited satellite TV (DSTV) channels
- Direct dialling telephones
- Tea/Coffee facilities
- Mini bar
- Hairdryer
- En-suite bathroom with: twin vanities, Victorian style bath, shower and private toilet
- Private patio with breathtaking views of the fairways, the Bushmans River and the magnificent hills beyond
- Upgraded guest amenities

Junior Suite (Total 5)
- King sized bed
- Air-conditioning
- TV with limited satellite TV (DSTV) channels
- Direct dialling telephones
- Tea/Coffee facilitieso
- Mini bar (Junior Suites stocked, other rooms stocked upon request) In room safe
- Hairdryer
- Walk-in dressing room
- En-suite bathroom with: twin vanities, Victorian style bath, twin showers and private toilet
- Private patio with breathtaking views of the seventh fairway, the Bushmans River and the magnificent hills beyond
- Upgraded guest amenities

Hotel Facilities
Library with Internet access, TV & full DSTV bouquet
Private Dining Room
Bunkers Restaurant
Halfway House
Spa & Wellness Centre with gymnasium
Golf Pro-shop
Golf Course – 18 hole Gary Player designed
Bar overlooking the 18th Green
Gents & Ladies changing room facilities with steam rooms
Scenic swimming pool
Conference Centre

The old railway training college was built with imported bricks by Scottish masons in 1900. Now declared a national monument, it has undergone a metamorphosis and emerged as the main Reception building of a prestigious four-star hotel. During its restoration, the bricks in a certain section were painstakingly removed one by one, cleaned and reset. While the hotel rooms, Bunkers Restaurant, Sports and Leisure Centres are light and airy, the décor and dark woods of the main hotel Reception adds the element of grandiosity and a bygone era of discovery, turmoil and unification – a celebration of the fusion between the old and the new.

Bushman Sands Country Estate

A first in South Africa, this is an exciting Victorian Karoo lifestyle development. Incorporating a Gary Player Golf Course, a stones throw from the Bushman Sands Game Reserve, Hotel and Spa. Situated on the Bushman's River alongside the quaint, historical Karoo gem called Alicedale, this brand new development is a hole-in-one investment opportunity just one hour's drive from Port Elizabeth.