High above the forest floor in the picturesque town of Plettenberg Bay in South Africa?s ever-popular Garden Route, Tsala Treetop Lodge feels like coming home.

We arrive at Tsala Treetop Lodge late in the afternoon. The road to get to Tsala is beautifully scenic and it?s no wonder that the Garden Route is the favorite all-year-round destination of holidaymakers and residents. Combine powdery white beaches and indigenous forests and you have a winning recipe. The weather is incredible, even in winter, making it the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of modern everyday life.

The arrival point at Tsala is an architectural delight, with its stone masonry entrance, fringed by water features and the triangular shape with its glass windows, supported by Blackwood columns presents an eye-catching appearance. Our welcome is warm; we are offered the most delicious cappuccinos, hot chocolate and home-made biscuits.
We are shown to our Villa, Villa no 15 and the wooden walkway leads us to our impressive suite. The two-bedroom Villa with lounge and plunge pool is the perfect antidote for any fatigued traveler.
My husband and I are accommodated in the master bedroom, with the most jaw-dropping views over the indigenous forest. Our daughter has her own room, with equally exquisite views. Both bedrooms have a full en-suite bathroom, tiled in black marble with the most inviting deep tub in the middle of the bathroom

It is time to unwind and my attempt to carefully light a fire in...