Our Story

Hippo Hollow Country Estate’s story starts back in 1995 when owner and founder, Jack Brotherton and his family opened the doors of the very first ‘Hollow Hotel’ on the banks of the Sabie River in Hazyview, Mpumalanga. The establishment of Hippo Hollow represented the beginning of what was to become a collection of hotels and luxury safari lodges that would fall under the Seasons in Africa umbrella.

Originally a local farmers pub on the Brotherton family farm of pecan orchards, Hippo Hollow Country Estate started out as a 6-bedroomed overnight stop for those on their way to and from Kruger. Named after the onsite hippo pool on the Sabie River, Hippo Hollow has grown over the years into a 91-bedroomed country hotel on an exquisite estate cradled by the Sabie River.

After the success of Hippo Hollow, Jack went on to his next venture as a entrepreneurial hotelier and opened Knysna Hollow in 1998. A few years later, Jack spread the Hollow Hotel brand even further and branched out into Cape Town, opening Cape Town Hollow Hotel  in 2003 and Hollow on the Square in 2006. That same year, Perry’s Bridge Hollow, alongside Hippo Hollow Country Estate in Hazyview opened its doors. Casterbridge Hollow Hotel, the newest of the Hollows collection opened in 2009, and is another great success in the Hollow Hotel family.

The Hollow Hotels are all marketed and managed by Seasons in Africa, a premier tourism marketing and management company, comprising luxury game lodges, hotels and adventure activity providers throughout Southern Africa. Each of the properties within the group not only offers all the facilities one expects from an upmarket establishment, but also warm, friendly and personalised service that is characteristic of South African hospitality.