Small But Perfectly Formed

In the Picturesque Wine Valley of Robertson Stands a Historic Landmark, as Steeped in Tradition as Its Owners. Like Father, Like Daughter, Abigail Rands Welcomes Us at the Door of the Victorian Robertson Small Hotel and Invites Us in.

- Malu Lambert

The story of The Robertson Small Hotel starts with the story of a family. The closeknit Rands clan can often be found around a dinner table, braai or, indeed, having drinks on the porch of their country hotel. In a Victorian manor house, dating back to 1901 (a national monument), it’s the only five-star hotel in the Robertson Wine Valley.

The Small recently passed from the hands of a father to his daughter. Abigail has reimagined the hotel in every way possible.

“I’ve always loved sitting on the stoep with my family, admiring the palmstrewn garden,” she smiles, settling into an outdoor sofa, which has been upholstered in hand-drawn textiles by London-based fashion designer, Alexis Barrell. These rich tableaux of the Karoo’s fauna and flora can be found throughout the hotel, including in the 10 beautifully appointed rooms. The poolside rooms are a personal favourite, which open up to a private wooden deck, straight onto the swimming pool.

“Dad spent a lot of time in Robertson for business and he always needed a place to stay overnight,” Abigail explains, getting to the genesis of the story. “So, seven years ago, he bought this old Victorian house with a friend and turned it into a hotel.”

Her late father, Tim Rands (who passed away in 2016) was the owner of Vinimark, one of the largest independent wine specialist businesses of distribution and marketing in South Africa. He was also an instrumental force in many high-profile wineries, including Robertson Winery. Tim left the redesign of the hotel in his daughter’s more-than-capable hands, who studied – and even lectured – at the world-renowned Italian design school, Polimoda.