Family-Friendly Stays in Hartbeespoort Compared
Hartbeespoort sits around the Hartbeespoort Dam at the foot of the Magaliesberg, an easy escape from Johannesburg and Pretoria that many families use for weekends of water, mountain air and space to play. Three listed properties carry the family-friendly label. First Group Magalies Park is a full resort with self-catering apartments and a kids' club, Three Oaks and an Aloe Boutique Hotel is a smaller boutique hotel with family rooms and a pool, and The Venue Country Hotel, Lanseria is a country hotel with a playground. Note that the last one is in Lanseria, closer to the airport than to the dam. Here is how they compare.
Hartbeespoort, known locally as Harties, is a resort area built around the Hartbeespoort Dam and backed by the Magaliesberg range. Weekenders come for boating on the dam, the cableway up the mountain and the farm stalls along the roads, which gives the area a relaxed, outdoor feel close to Gauteng's cities.
Where to stay
Resort, boutique hotel or country hotel
A family stay in Hartbeespoort makes sense for weekends and short holidays away from Johannesburg and Pretoria, when children need space, pools and outdoor activities. The three listed properties range from a large resort with self-catering apartments and a kids' club to a quieter boutique hotel and a country hotel near Lanseria, so the right choice depends on how much the children need to be entertained on site.
First Group Magalies Park is the most complete family option and by far the most reviewed, 8.6 from 1,603 reviews. This resort at the foothills of the Magaliesberg offers self-catering apartments with full kitchens and patios, so families can cook their own meals. Children have three outdoor pools, a kids' club, mini-golf, tennis and volleyball, while parents have a golf course and wellness facilities. A restaurant, a takeaway and barbecue facilities cover meals when nobody wants to cook. For a family holiday of several nights, it is the property I would choose first in the area.
Three Oaks and an Aloe Boutique Hotel is the calmer alternative, with the same score of 8.6 from 267 reviews. Its family rooms look over the garden or the mountains and have air-conditioning and free WiFi, and guests can use spa facilities, a year-round outdoor swimming pool, a lush garden, a terrace with an outdoor fireplace and a restaurant serving diverse cuisines. There is no kids' club or full kitchen, so it suits families with older children, or parents who want a quieter weekend with good food and a pool rather than a full programme of activities.
The Venue Country Hotel, Lanseria needs an honest note on its location: despite appearing under Hartbeespoort, it is in Lanseria, closer to Lanseria International Airport than to the dam. It offers a family-friendly stay with an outdoor swimming pool, a garden, a terrace, rooms with garden views, a children's playground, a continental breakfast and an à la carte restaurant, with billiards and cycling in the area. Its score is the lowest of the three, 7.2 from 1,315 reviews. I would book it for a stopover close to the airport rather than for a holiday at the dam.
Whichever you choose, the main family outings of the area are within a short drive. The Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway climbs the Magaliesberg for views over the dam and the surrounding bushveld, boat trips run on the dam itself, and the farm stalls and markets along the roads around the water make easy stops with children. The Magaliesberg also offers walking trails for families who want to get out of the car. Planning a mix of pool time at the resort and one or two outings usually works best for younger children. From Johannesburg or Pretoria, all of this fits easily into a weekend.
A traveller's takeFor a family holiday in Hartbeespoort, I would book a self-catering apartment at First Group Magalies Park, where the kids' club, three pools and mini-golf keep children busy and the full kitchen makes meals easy. For a quieter weekend with older children, I would choose Three Oaks and an Aloe Boutique Hotel for its year-round pool and garden, and take the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway up the Magaliesberg for views over the dam.
8.6Family-friendlyFirst Group Magalies Park
Self-catering chalets and 18 holes on the Magalies River, near Hartbeespoort
Families come here for the chalets: full kitchens and private patios let children eat on their own schedule, and the resort's outdoor pools, indoor pool and water park fill a day without getting back in the car. The Magaliesberg is outside the malaria zone and close enough to Johannesburg and Pretoria for a weekend. The trade-offs are those of a big timeshare resort: school holidays and long weekends bring crowds, and the Hartbeespoort area fills up with day-trippers from Gauteng. The Hartbeespoort Dam itself is for looking at and boating, not swimming. With 8.6 from more than 1,600 reviews, guests rate it well for space and facilities rather than refinement.
8.6Family-friendlyThree Oaks and an Aloe Boutique Hotel
Boutique hotel with spa, pool, and mountain views in Hartbeespoort
Three Oaks and an Aloe suits families who want a relaxed boutique break in Hartbeespoort. Family rooms have garden or mountain views, air-conditioning and free WiFi, and the year-round outdoor pool and the lush garden give children room to play. The spa facilities are there for parents, and the restaurant serves diverse cuisines. A terrace and an outdoor fireplace set the evenings. Hartbeespoort lies outside any malaria risk area.
7.2Family-friendlyThe Venue Country Hotel, Lanseria
Family-friendly hotel with a pool, garden views, and a children's playground
The Venue Country Hotel in Lanseria is a family-friendly stay with an outdoor pool, a garden and a terrace. Every room has garden views and free Wi-Fi, and a children's playground is on site. A continental breakfast and an à la carte restaurant are available, and billiards and cycling are mentioned nearby. A 7.2 rating from 1,315 reviews is fair. I would recommend it for relaxed family weekends rather than polished luxury.
Local tips
- Book a self-catering apartment at First Group Magalies Park if you want to cook, as each one has a full kitchen and a patio.
- Check that The Venue Country Hotel, Lanseria suits your plans: it is in Lanseria, closer to the airport than to Hartbeespoort Dam.
- Ride the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway early in the day for clear views over the dam and the Magaliesberg.
- Use the barbecue facilities at First Group Magalies Park for an evening braai with the family.
- Choose Three Oaks and an Aloe Boutique Hotel for a quieter weekend, since it has a year-round pool and a garden but no kids' club.
- Stop at the farm stalls along the roads around the dam for easy snacks and supplies with children.