Karoo Art Hotel, Barrydale: The Quirky Boutique Hotel Worth the Three-Hour Drive from Cape Town
Since I first moved to Cape Town in 2020, I have been hearing all about this quirky small town in the Karoo, with its arty vibe, its interesting people, and a distinctively random Karoo small town ‘WTF’ je ne sais quoi. Barrydale has been on my bucket list ever since.
Practically synonymous with this town is the Karoo Art Hotel. As a fan of maximalism and dopamine decor, spaces that are unapologetically bold and full of character, I have wanted to stay here for as long as I have known about its existence.
Recently, I got to take a road trip along the R62 (South Africa’s answer to Route 66 but with our own flair) to Barrydale and stay in the Karoo Art Hotel, and the experience exceeded my expectations!
Here’s what I loved about it and why you should stay there too:
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It's an Art Gallery Where You Can Stay the Night
The white exterior of the Karoo Art Hotel is deceptively plain (except for the distinctive vintage Rolls-Royce often parked outside the building). But after crossing the checkerboard floors of the hotel’s veranda, one tumbles down a (hypothetical) rabbit hole and enters a (literal) world where colour is everywhere you look. Lines and emotions compete for your attention, and hundreds of stories captured in works of art captivate your imagination. This is not just a 4-star boutique hotel, it’s a three-dimensional work of art that you can sleep in!
Apart from being a unique stay/ hospitality experience, this hotel is also known as a hub for art, events and live entertainment. It’s part of Barrydale’s whole personality. Many of the pieces that adorn the walls are for sale. Anything that doesn’t have a price tag is part of the hotel’s private collection.
I feel that the public areas of a lot of hotels are a bit awkward in that they’re designed to be welcoming, but you definitely don’t feel at home. No one really lingers in a hotel lobby unless they have something to do or a reason for hanging out there. The Karoo Art Hotel was not like that. This hotel has a unique warmth, and I genuinely wanted to linger in all the different areas, recline on all their couches and settees, and soak in the art before my eyes!
The Rooms Have Character
I knew that each of the 17 rooms was decorated differently, and I couldn’t wait to find out which one would be mine.
As someone who is a fan of kitsch so much so that I took a plastic lawn flamingo to 54 countries, it probably comes as no surprise that I secretly hoped to stay in the Magnolia Room. In this room, Tretchikoff's “Zulu Girl” is combined with his “Pink Magnolias” to form a wallpaper backdrop and the focal point of the room. Though I didn’t get to stay in it, I did get to admire it for a few minutes and make some mental notes for the day when I finally own property and can wallpaper my own walls with Kitsch masterpieces.
I also really liked the Baines Room, which showcases prints of Thomas Baines painitings, as well as all the rooms that featured hand-painted murals.
I was assigned the Melvill & Moon Room. Here, striking photos with a distinctive colonial safari theme line the walls. This room was modelled after a high-end retro safari brand of the same name, known for canvas and leather luggage, safari accessories, and camping furniture, founded by Rick and Sue Melvill.
It was definitely more serious than my usual aesthetic (as I write this, I’m staring at an oversized AI-generated wall hanging in my living room that depicts me riding a unicorn in front of a castle…as one does). Having said that, I am quite fascinated by history and culture, and I found the photographs quite mesmerising. There was no need to turn the television on; I spent the evening staring at the walls.
Dining at the Karoo Art Hotel
The hotel is home to three eateries:
The Dining Room/Restaurant
The Dining Room or restaurant is the main dining venue. Here, the art is less on the walls and more about what’s on the plate, with a focus on “The art of the Karoo Country Kitchen.” Historically, Barrydale was established because European settlers were drawn to the area's fertile land and fresh water, so when it comes to locally sourced ingredients, they have lots to work with.
Although it has been a few months since my visit, my mouth still waters when I think of the food. I visited in August of 2025, and a winter menu was available where you could have a two or three-course meal for set prices.
For starters, I had the Zucchini and Chickpea fritters with parmesan cheese and tangy tzatziki. They were crispy little balls of flavour! For mains, I had the Karoo Green Curry — the Thai classic with a local twist — and it was beyond delicious. For dessert, we went off menu and sampled the chef’s Christmas fruit cake that he was experimenting with. It was great, but I’m still dreaming about the nougat ice cream that came with it.
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The Coffee Shop
There is a coffee shop in the foyer where you can get a quality cup of coffee and try to check your emails. Pro tip: I recommend scones with tea and talking to strangers instead. There are some very interesting residents in this small town.
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The Anna Jordaan Bar
The bar doesn’t just have a great selection of drinks, but you can also have a pub meal here. And on certain nights, there’s also live music.
Ruben, the bar musician, is very talented and has an interesting story to share. But don’t check out before chatting to Mo, the bar tender. This man has perfected the art of storytelling. He’ll have you enthralled by the story of the bar’s namesake, Anna Jordaan, but his own story as one of the first people of colour to join the South African Air Force and his role in building the first Cheetah aircraft sounds even more fascinating. …His cocktails are good too.
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The Event Venue & Cinema
The hotel is home to a large heritage hall/event venue. The space is filled with chandeliers, fairy lights, couches and settees with fun prints (I want the Frida Kahlo one), all facing the stage. Its own quirky arty vibe sets the tone before a performer has even taken to the stage.
The hotel presents regular ‘Arts of’ workshops here, covering things like writing, cooking, yoga, meditation, music, and film.
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The gallery of the venue upstairs has been turned into a cinema, where we got to watch some shorts, with small boxes of popcorn to complete the experience.
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The Karoo Art Hotel’s Other Facilities
The hotel is also home to:
- A swimming pool.
- A pool room - With a pool table. It’s also overlooking the pool, so I guess it’s a pool room x2.
- Map Room - A room full of maps of the region with a library of digital downloads for route planning. (Helpful for bikers, cyclists, and road trippers who use this hotel as a base for other adventures.)
- Off-street parking - The perfect place for a road trip stopover.
- A to-do list wall - Near reception is a gallery of photographs of some of the many things one should do to fully experience this awesome little town, with info about local highlights and guides. I didn’t check enough things off this list, so I will have to return.
The Karoo Art Hotel is also located right in the heart of Barrydale, just off the R62, and within walking distance from many of the town’s quirky shops and restaurants.
The Special Touches: "The Art of the Welcome"
The Karoo Art Hotel is part of the Cape Country Routes, a selection of owner-operated and managed accommodation and activity establishments known for their character, charm, and romance in the Western and Eastern Cape. There is a certain warmth and personal touch that you can only experience in an owner-run hotel, and you can definitely feel that here.
A hand-written note with a sprig of lavender awaited me in my room, and I had many lovely interactions with different staff members, the owners, and their black lab Charlie (the unofficial mascot of the hotel and practically a part of the brand). It’s a special place.
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The Blackboard Tradition
Another tradition unique to the hotel is the thought for the day. Before you check out, you may be asked to leave a quote on the blackboard by the entrance as part of a Karoo Art Hotel tradition, as I was.
Possibly inspired by the extensive private fairy ornament collection displayed (but definitely not for sale) at Papa Joe’s Collectables around the corner (another quirky stop for your itinerary), I quoted Tinker Bell when I said, “All you need is just one happy thought and you can fly.” But after spending a few days in this charmingly quirky town, the truth is I don’t believe I have any wisdom to offer it. Barrydale, with its slower pace, its eccentric residents, and the evidence of what happens when people unapologetically pursue their creative whims, seems to have life more figured out than I do.
Either way, the fact that Barrydale and the Karoo Art Hotel are only three hours away from my home in Cape Town is definitely one of my happy thoughts, and it may have me flying (or driving at a responsible pace) back there at any moment.
Find out more or book here.
Extend your road trip and find more Cape Country Routes activities and accommodation options here.
Other Things to Do in Barrydale
While you may be tempted to stay indoors and stare at the walls, the Karoo Art Hotel is the perfect base from which to explore the rest of Barrydale, which is equally quirky, colourful and mesmerising.
From brandy tastings to fairy collections, weaving lessons, tincture tastings, arty tearooms, lemon meringue milkshakes, and "ampule couture" (lightbulb decorations), it's impossible to get bored in Barrydale. Discover things to explore beyond the Karoo Art Hotel here:
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