Forest Edge news, media, press, events & awards

NEWSFLASH 8 MAY 2011!!! Forest Edge wins acclaim with its entry into the prestigious AA Travel HALL OF FAME at Indaba in Durban !! This award follows 3 years in a row of winning the Best Self-catering cottages in South Africa award and rewards our ongoing high standards. Kate Trench represented Forest Edge to receive our award - see photo to right.

See news & specials via Facebook/Twitter below; join our giftclub for freebies or fast-track to these news bits:

• Forest Edge prize winners
• Forest Edge in the Media and Forest Edge press releases
• Forest Edge Awards & Events
• Forest Edge Upgrades and Projects

Guests earn entries into a draw when they give feedback on their stay. We keep a prioritised To-Do list including this feedback, which we then tackle passionately, within cashflow and manpower constraints (see Upgrades and Projects below). The prize is a 3-night stay which is valid for 1 year, transferrable, not redeemable for cash, not valid for Peak or Low-Peak or for value-adds and it can be extended at listed rates. The most recent winner of this lucky draw:

• Jan 2012 - Angie and Ronnie Long from Houtbay

Every 100th person to tell a friend about Forest Edge, (and this friend) will receive a 20% discount voucher on a Forest Edge stay outside of Peak/Low Peak. The most recent winners of these vouchers are:

• Jan 2012 - Laurien Sutton from Port Elizabeth, was a 100th confirmed person to tell a friend, Gary Joubert from George, about Forest Edge

The clock was re-set, so start referring friends, if you know even one friend, you could perhaps make it tick over from 99 to 100.... And if you know 100 people, you can be guaranteed a 20% discount voucher! :)

Another way in which YOU can win, it to contact us if you can link to our website from your website or blog.

Forest Edge in the news - if you see us featured anywhere new, kindly let us know:

• Jan 2012: WEG magazine featured an article on the area and woodcutters and mentioned Forest Edge
• Oct 2010:  go! magazine's list of the best places on the Garden Route featuring Forest Edge
• May 2010:  Video of Forest Edge owner, Ronel Pieterse, interviewed at 2010 AA Awards (1:22)
• Jan 2010: THE EDGE Newspaper's spread on Millwood Magic featuring Forest Edge
• Jun 2009: ESSENTIALS MAG's Fun family holidays at a fraction of the price featuring Forest Edge
• Nov 2008: Forest Edge features on Kyknet TV program insert
• Apr 2008:  go! magazine's guest letter to the editor re Forest Edge
• Feb 2008: COUNTRY LIFE's Millwood feature with info on Forest Edge
• Jul 2007: COUNTRY LIFE's 21 Warm Winter Escapes incl Forest Edge
• 2 Dec 2005: THE STAR article on Rheenendal & Forest Edge
• Oct 1999: COUNTRY LIFE's Front Page article on Forest Edge
• 1996: Braham van Zyl writes in DIE BURGER on Forest Edge & area

At Forest Edge we continually look for ways to improve, partner and give:

• 8 May 2011: national HALL OF FAME entrant in 2011 AA Accommodation awards !!
• FEB 2011: 360 degree video tours of Forest Edge, gardens and interiors of 3 cottages!
• Sept 2010: Forest Edge does a major garden/landscaping overhaul, with dozens of new trees, and starts on wooden walkways and extra benches. We also build a separate donkey camp to keep Hansel and Gretel from eating our new garden plants!
• Jul 2010: Forest Edge adds impetus to our alien vegetation eradication and removes scores of australian blackwood at huge cost.
• 9 May 2010: a national WINNER in 2010 AA Accommodation awards - third year running !!
• Jan 2010: Forest Edge launches a 1km Edu-Eco-History trail that has proven a hit with adults and kids alike. We also name and mark most of our trees and shrubs.
• Dec 2009: Forest Edge builds a new earthen dam to store water for irrigation and that may double as a swimming hole once full. We also rebuilt our soakaway.
• Oct 2009: Forest Edge obtains 3-star grading with TGCSA and upgrades road signage accordingly.
• 1 August 2009: Our brand new Forest Edge Reception and Entrance gate has been completed and furnished for our guest's comfort. Thank you to our valued guests for your input and patience in this regard.
• 10 May 2009: a national WINNER in 2009 AA Accommodation awards - second year running !!
• 11 May 2008: a national WINNER in 2008 AA Accommodation awards!
• Jun 2008: Forest Edge re-opens the upgraded & refurbished 3 "old" cottages
• Sep 2007: Forest Edge launches 2 more cottages
• Feb 2007: a SEMI-FINALIST in 2007 AA Accommodation Awards
• 26 June 2006: Forest Edge supports SAPS with a donation at JSE event
• 18 June 2006 : Forest Edge at the Kyalami Outdoor Expo
• 10 June 2006 : Forest Edge helps a local entrepreneur to launch a laundry in the local Keurhoek community
• 26 May 2006: Forest Edge supports HIRS Leadership Forum
• 7 May 2006: one of 5 national FINALISTs in 2006 AA Accommodation awards
• August 2005 : Forest Edge AA QA'ed: Highly Recommended for the first time
• June 2005: Forest Edge gets new owners and we work hard to get it to a new standard: introducing onsite presence, upgrading roads and signs, reinstating TV reception, adding a jungle gym and communal bonfire area; reintroducing donkeys; adding showers, hammocks and a library; replacing cutlery, cookware and linen.

Our current top priorities are:

• To start rolling out solar power to the cottages, one by one.
• To safeguard our young food area from the baboons!!
• To continue creating secluded, lush garden retreat areas on Forest Edge - safe from the donkeys' appetites
• To build an audience for our Forest Edge Twitter messages
• To continue lobbying the authorities for the reasonable right to erect our signage on the N2, which was approved but in a way that is unnecessarily and exorbitantly costed
• To do window-frame, floor and deck maintenance on our cottages
• To create a more stable surface for our internal roads - do you know a cost-effective method?

Major projects and upgrades completed most recently:

• We completed Phase I of going solar! Our reception, laundry and waterpumps are all run off solar power at this stage. What a thrill.
• We started an organic food corner with a variety of fruit trees and vegetables, with high wooden fence and electric fencing on top to try and deter baboons. We hope to eventually have enough fresh food to surprise guests with a little gift every so often :)
• We updated and added to the self-guided edu-eco-trail on Forest Edge
• We created a peaceful meditation corner which has proven to be a hit!
• We eradicated the very last copse of alien blackwood trees from the property - phew.
• We upgraded our woodcutter grave area with a display of the beautiful little glass and medicine bottles and other heirlooms we dug up.
• We continued adding to our gardens (what the donkeys don't eat!)
• We created a Forest Edge Twitter page to share fresh news and thoughts:
  

THANKS TO OUR VALUED GUESTS FOR YOUR TIME, FEEDBACK AND INPUT INTO OUR BECOMING.