What’s new at The Cavern in 2018?

We have explored our history and celebrate that as a family we have welcomed holiday makers to this valley for more than 75 years. We have adopted our founding grandfather’s words as our vision:

Our work is to create beauty, to make the land more fertile, to make our living, to leave the world better than when we first came into it ~ Bill Carte ~ 1941

Creating Beauty

The most significant aspect of enjoying a holiday at The Cavern is being immersed in the great outdoors. This healing space leaves families and couples, singletons and grandparents, children and friends feeling revitalised and nourished. Walking, riding, relaxing and soaking in the natural surrounds is what restores relationships and builds strength to face the next challenge.

But, it is also about keeping up with the times and refurbishing and improving. We are thrilled to be on the last 4 bathrooms which means we will have completed retiling all the bathrooms in all 55 rooms! In the near future we will be updating our small Reading Lounge and the TV lounge and creating a more vibrant and fresh look. Our Dining Room has been retiled and we have purchased new linen, shutters and curtains. We are now focusing on all the walkways around the Cavern. We will be using pavers between all the buildings and will be improving the lighting.

Making the land more fertile – Preserving & Conserving

We are surrounded by a magnificent piece of property which has been recognised as a Site of Conservation Significance. We are adjacent to the Royal Natal National Park which makes the options for hiking and exploring vast. In conserving this land we also need to think about the wider environmental challenges. Taking this into account we no longer have plastic straws at the Cavern and bottled water will only be available in 1.5l bottles. We have gorgeous new bright Cavern water bottles for purchase (at cost!). These can be filled and refilled with tap water that is closely monitored and refreshingly gorgeous to drink… So far so good! Our guests are loving the fact that we are steering away and reducing our single-use plastics.

Making our Living & Building our team

This resort provides us and our team with an everyday purpose and we employ over 100 people, most are from our rural Amazizi community. As far as staff training goes, we have worked diligently with our team over the past year. Our Action Coach facilitator, Trevor Clark, has worked hard in helping our team understand the importance of creating Raving Fans and we are all working to continually improve service levels. In addition to these excellent workshops we have had another 5 ladies complete their Camelot Training and are all qualified mani, pedi & massage therapists. Sixteen members of the Cavern team also completed Level One in First Aid Training. Lee Fuller’s input with our hiking guides has been noticed and we thank all those involved in building towards a brighter tomorrow.

Leaving the world better – Growing out community

Most important, we remain committed to growing our community through our education programmes. Royal Drakensberg Primary has over 75 little people with a team of dedicated staff. We have extended our focus in the pre-primary and are working hard to get children to learn to read so that when they graduate they can read to learn. Our Khanyisela Project is steamrolling ahead with 14 pre-schools receiving excellent support. A couple of new classrooms went up over the holidays and we are excited for the year ahead.

Here’s to more in 2018. Thanks for choosing us as a holiday destination.

Best wishes,

Team Cavernites

11 thoughts on “What’s new at The Cavern in 2018?”

  1. I enjoy reading your newsletters. You are doing fantastic work, especially also with the community work.
    The new bathrooms look very nice and everyting else is beautiful.
    I hope that soon I will be able to visit the Cavern again, it has been quite some time since I was there.

    Best wishes to you and your staff with your efforts to do better still.

    Kind regards
    Heidi Schlicht

  2. Noleen Loubser

    My late Mom, Yvonne Loubser nee Borthwick had many happy holidays with you in the 1930s and 40s. We had a lovely family holiday there in 1972. My brother Greg Loubser had his honeymoon there in 1985. I really do need to get back some time – it has been 46 years! I loved the walks and horse-riding. Well done on your excellent community work.

    1. Megan Carte Bedingham

      Dear Noleen
      How wonderful to read your comments. The Cavern has been visited by families for generations and I think that is what makes it so special. You certainly do need to visit! 46 years is far too long ago!
      Take care and our best wishes,
      Megan

  3. Nice work with tiling the bathrooms. I recommend you try out a lighting solution that is eco-friendly and energy efficient. Swanlite Lighting Solutions can give you the best of both. In addition, beauty will be enhanced, and savings in cost will be achieved. They can create a computerised model/s of your very own rooms for you to choose the best lighting design option. As for community development and staff development, you have always been the best!!!! Keep it up.

    1. Megan Carte Bedingham

      Thank you, Menzi.
      We are always looking for sustainable options and thank you for the details provided above.
      And, yes, we will certainly keep working hard to develop our team!
      Take care,
      Megan

  4. I don’t know why but reading your amazing efforts made tears come to my eyes. I think it’s because one cAn feel the heart And soul on the ‘pages’. It’s so clear that the cavern resort runs on deep roots and profound values.

    1. Megan Carte Bedingham

      Many thanks for your heartwarming comment, Adina. We are very privileged to be in this valley and to share it with so many wonderful people. Our best wishes to you.

  5. We have just thoroughly enjoyed our recent weekend at The Cavern birding with David and Sally Johnson! Your gardens are amazing with all the indigenous plants and trees attracting so much bird Life!
    We would love to return there and see the winter bird life while all the aloes in the gardens are flowering!

    1. Megan Carte Bedingham

      Dear Claire
      So wonderful to hear that you had a marvellous time with the Johnsons. They are so knowledgeable and our grogeous gardens have some special delights!
      We look forward to seeing you when the aloes are in flower and all the birds come to feast right on the doorstep!
      Best wishes,
      Megan

  6. Love the Cavern and everything that goes with it. The caring, the nurturing and the hospitality in magnificent surroundings. Thank you!!!

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