My voyage into the seaside town was greeted by a degree of poison as the dangers of being on the road during a peak holiday period were brought home thick and fast. The source? Sloppy overtaking, ending in a fatal pile-up that required emergency helicopter assistance.

The N2 is the main road that connects the oysters of the Garden Route: Wilderness, Sedgefield, Buffalo Bay , Brenton-on-Sea, The Knysna Heads, Noetzie, Plettenberg Bay, Keurboomstrand and Nature's Valley.

This misfortune had us sitting for at least an hour contemplating "how fragile we are" indeed. The only good thing to note was the swift response of emergency paramedics. Arrive alive, is all I can say!

These towns are anything from 10 minutes to an hour away from each other, depending. So staying put is not an option as this stretch of the Garden Route has 'day trip' etched all over it. 

With this in mind, a snippet of a main road really is all you'll be driving through when in Knysna. This can be delightful when you have parade events like the Pink Loerie taking place or simply awful when a third of the population decides to descend on the place during summer.

But the best possible time to visit, in my opinion, is the off season. May is good as there is still enough sunshine to languish along the beach. June and July also offer respite in terms of activities. Who can deny the allure of piling oyster upon oyster into your mouth? Don't miss the Oyster Festival from 4 to 13 July.

 And yet once again there is the flip side to this holiday hotspot that cannot be ignored. What if all you want is to totally escape? To have nothing to do except indulge in the finer luxuries life has to offer?

As with all proverbial castles or magical places, it is perched on top of a hill, with a long and winding road leading up to it. The surrounding estate is dotted with the odd billboard heralding exclusive opportunities to buy into this nature-sensitive spread of platinum real estate.

And absolutely everything at Pezula is ultra-decadent. From the moment my partner Grant and I stepped out of the car we felt as though we were transported into a parallel universe.

We had porters falling over themselves to assist. We jokingly questioned if there was anything in the water as no request or enquiry was too much. But seriously the service was par-excellence as staff gave a 'can-do' attitude new meaning.

 

Anybody can greet and smile you might be saying to yourself. But what I'm talking about are the subtle nuances that might go unnoticed; yet they certainly add to a totally sublime experience.

I must admit my normally meticulous self felt slightly slovenly as I returned from the sumptuous spread of the buffet breakfast to find my napkin refolded and ready to wipe away stray titbits.

And breaking your fast is a must on the terrace overlooking the Knysna Heads and Lagoon down below. Life is grand at the top of this hill.

Each piece of artwork from the in-house library (guest often donate the odd city guide or paperback to its collection) to the conference facilities have been selectively put together to create an atmosphere that oozes class and a snappy style laced with Afro-centric authenticity. One tends to glide rather than walk along the reception areas of Pezula.

But be forewarned, this type of accommodation comes at a pretty handsome price. We stayed in the studio apartment, which is considered to be entry-level for this five star palace. Entry-level my foot; that is until you get a glimpse of the 'Rolls Royce' accommodation the establishment has to offer, namely the Noetzie Beach Castle.

The studio apartment is kitted out with a bed big enough for you to do a feline stretch in either direction and still have heaps of space to manoeuvre. Cognacs and fine wines adorn the bar and the kitchenette is stuff with organically good snacks and sweets.  

Every care is taken. Even the pillows get changed from the comfy lounger-styled day ones to the more snug types at night. Sweet Lindt ball chocolates to kiss you goodnight, mineral water at the ready and earthy-toned robes and slippers await you in the bathroom.

The walk-in shower extends its length; and the oval-egg bath for two begs you to steep until you're a wrinkly prune.

The Signature Maruwa products are so good I just couldn't resist being a typical tourist and taking them with me.

My personal favourite is the body exfoliator with crushed grape seeds, it's skin suppleness in a jar I tell you. Pezula's Spa has been ranked as one of the top 100 in the world. So naturally all pamper facilities are an extension of the spa therapy on offer.

Staying at Pezula without sampling its spa delights is like finding the fountain of youth and not bothering to drink a drop. You can have anything from a hot stone massage, a hydro bath or a combination of treatments rolled into a signature experience. They even offer micro dermo-abrasion and botox injections. This is the playground of the rich and famous after all.

I think the mani and pedi is way over priced but then again it does include having your appendages massaged with the Maruwa body exfoliator.

But the estate certainly has more to offer other than a romantic retreat.

Once you've nurtured your inner and outer being, take a broader look and you'll be delighted with what you find.

With over 612 hectares and only 255 residential sites Pezula is regarded as one of the lowest density projects in South Africa, less than 15 percent of the Estate is being developed. This includes the Championship Golf Course and Pezula Resort Hotel & Spa.

The estate borders the Sinclair Nature Reserve and the Noetzie River. This means you have the opportunity to explore the indigenous forests and fynbos landscapes of the Southern Cape from the Pezula Barnyard & Stables.

It's run by dedicated and passionate staff. Some of the activities on offer include trails with Cape Riding Horses, hiking and cycle along nature trails. Or you could canoe along the pristine Noetzie River. Birders also have the opportunity to enjoy over 130 species on the estate. 

But the animal touch-farm with its 'Venda birds' and 'Babe the pig' will have the younger generations captivated for hours. They'll also learn invaluable information about their furry playmates. 

The Pezula Field of Dreams is an unexpected find on the estate. This world class multi-sport venue would be an ideal place to see the odd 2010 match. But for now it boasts an international cricket oval, a field for soccer, hockey or soft ball, four tennis courts and a 300m golf driving range with target greens.

And if congested airports or long commutes make you dread the idea of going home (leaving this retreat is hard in itself) then the Pezula Jet, a Raytheon Hawker 800XP, will indulge any jetsetter, at a fee of course.

We however made our way home by car, but not before the staff wowed us by pulling together Grant's little surprise plan.

On our second and final evening in the studio apartment, we returned from Zachary's, the in house award-wining restaurant, to candles, bubbly and oysters. As I said, no request is too big or small.

For more detailed information on the resort and costing on the latest package deals visit www.pezula.co.za.

  

 Get the most of the Garden Route during the secret season or spend a day at Pezula's spa with these great package deals