We, the new owners of River Bend, welcome you to River Bend Cottages, a national monument in our charming traditional town of Graaff-Reinet. Our family are descendants of Dr Andrew Murray who was sent from Scotland to South Africa in 1822 as a minister. He built the iconic Graaff-Reinet Church in 1823 & the Murray family lived in the parsonage, Reinet House, for over 80 years. In 1870 Charles Murray planted the famous grape vine which still bears fruit today. The Karoo, a vast, semi-desert, is one of the world's few remaining sanctuaries of clean air & water. It is there, under the patient guard of the Valley of Desolation that the town of Graaff-Reinet was established in 1786. Before this time the Khoi & San people, nomadic hunter gatherers inhabited these vast plains. Come and enjoy the peace & silence of our charming town in our beautiful self-catering cottages.

River Bend comprises four modern, newly-renovated cottages in a historic, traditional building. Situated in a quiet and leafy residential area it is a short 2 to 5 minute drive to restaurants and shops. Each cottage has secure, off-street parking with access directly into the cottages. All have en-suite bedrooms, an elegant and comfortable lounge with one or two sleeper couches which fold down into two floor mattresses, a fully-equipped kitchen and a private barbeque area on the patio. Designated parking bays are next to kitchens and braai patios. There is one en-suite bathroom in each cottage, wall heaters, extra blackets, electric blankets and air-conditioning too. There are trailer bays for unhitched "Venter" sized trailers. Sorry no room for caravans or campervans or double decker trailers. This is a traditional Graaff-Reinet home, built to guard against the heat. They have thick walls, corrugated-iron rooves, wooden shutters & centered front doors. Pause a little & soak up the silence & peace of our Karoo evenings & the old-world charm which River Bend has to offer. ​

Situated in a peaceful established residential area its is an easy 20-minute walk or 3-minute drive to restaurants & shops. Take a gentle stroll along tree-lined streets, admire the Cape Dutch, Victorian & traditional Graaff-Reinet homes & simply relax into the gentleness & peace of the Karoo. With over 220 heritage sites, Graaff-Reinet has more national monuments than any other town in South Africa. Your exploration list is gentle & endless... The Valley of Desolation, Camdeboo National Park, Drostdy Hotel, Groot Kerk (built by the owner's forebears), Reinet House, Hester Rupert Art Museum, Anglo-Boer War memorial, Old Library, San & Khoi Memorial, Robert Subukwe's birthplace & the Old Powder Magazine War Memorial amongst others. Our antique shops such as Reinet Antiques & Lot 44 & our restaurants compliment the old-world charm of the town. Travel up to Nieu-Bethesda (30 mins drive) to see the fossils, the Owl House, the sculptures of Helen Martins, & hitch a donkey cart ride to tour around this characterful little town.