Royal Hotel Bethulie

My wife and I stopped off here returning from East London to JHB, and it was the best part of our holiday trip! Very old school, but clean and an amazing experience! The owner, Antony, is an incredible host who goes out of his way, along with staff, to make one’s stay memorable! I will be back just to immerse in the rich history of this quaint town.

Royal Hotel makes for a fascinating stop over when visiting Bethulie. Learned owner Anthony Hocking has decked the hallways, rooms, common rooms floor to ceiling with books and LPs, and regales his visitors with vividly recounted stories of his experiences and the history and characters of the area.Accommodation is comfortable and clean, and the meals are hearty homecooked fare. Secure offroad parking in covered bays.This is our third visit, and we will surely be back again!

Great experience staying at the Royal hotel.The host (Anthony) welcomes you with enthusiasm and his story telling and guided tours are exceptional. Expect the unusual staying here and you won’t be disappointed.Bethulie town has character and although a bit run down does have a nostalgic attraction..

Wonderful experience this place should be in your bucket list. The owner is an excellent host and made sure we had everything we need .After supper he entertained us with all the stories about the history of the Boer war and concentration camps in and around Bethulie.We had an absolutely lovely time and all the books and vinyls are to die forThank you Anthony for your awesome hospitality.

Thank you Anthony and all staff at the Royal. Accommodation, food and service was fantastic.

We enjoyed our stopover at the Royal Hotel in Bethulie. This establishment – perhaps better known as South Africa’s Book Hotel - is, in a certain sense, a doorway into the life of hotel owner, author, traveller, collector, historian, raconteur and entrepreneur Anthony Hocking. More than just a place where the traveller can stay, the hotel is a destination where one can admire Anthony's vast collection of books and vinyl records (all meticulously shelved and neatly presented), and be entertained and enlightened by Anthony himself. Make an effort to rub shoulders with this well-versed Ambassador of Bethulie with his vast knowledge of the town and, in particular, the region’s rich Anglo-Boer War history. And the bonus is that the entertainment value he adds to your stay, comes at no extra cost!

Libraries and Bookshops are wonderful, but what about a 'Book Hotel'?!...In the small town of Bethulie, South Africa, tucked away without signage or advertising and discovered purely by word of mouth, is the little gem of The Royal Hotel Bethulie.Every passageway and communal space is lined with bookshelves! I felt like I'd stepped into book heaven on my recent stay...definitely one to tick off the bucket list!The rooms are a little dated and basic, but why would you spend much time in the room anyway when you can wonder through those passages, or curl up in the lounge on a couch with a book borrowed off the shelves...

Surrounded by books, their smell and their stories. Wooden floors and forgotten times. A place where strangers meet and part as friends after a satisfying breakfast. Home cooked dinner served as if you were one of the family and can feel at home. Anthony is a gracious host keen on entertaining his guests. 5 stars well deserved

A unique experience. In a good way.Pros:- Very helpful and polite. Everyone from the owner to the breakfast staff.- Comfortable rooms. Older decor and simple but nice.- Lovely breakfast. We chose not to have the dinner the night before and that was probably a mistake because the breakfast was great. Hot farmhouse style breakfast, cereals, yoghurt, etc.- The main passage is one long bookshelf on each side. Slightly surreal to walk through. It certainly adds character to the place. There's also a massive LP collection to browse through.Cons:- Its an older hotel and sticks to it's character, so don't expect modern showers or Wifi. That's not why you stay here.I would certainly recommend staying there provided you know what you should expect. We enjoyed it very much.

Quirky story filled hotel that made our journey truly memorable. Anthony Hocking, (author) the host, owner and raconteur of more than a thousand and one tales from yore, went out of his way to make our stay more than comfortable. He was personally chock full of stories from across the country, the world and time. This hotel and town deserve many returns and more time to stay over and savour the rich history, intertwined with African battlefields all around.