I am Seonaid Beningfield and was born and grew up on a farm in Zululand, not far from Mtunzini. I love nature and the wide open spaces and being out of the noise and pace of large cities ( traffic jams are not missed!). I find peace in nature, adore gardening and cycling, sailing, traveling, history, everything vintage and reading Biographies or non fiction. I studied Clothing and Textile Design and Production however left that field a long time ago but still enjoy decorating part time. I have 3 wonderful children who are now adults and give me endless joy, motivation and inspiration. I was privileged to have traveled extensively and through the travels experienced some of the most beautiful and luxurious hotels in the World, so I do keep standards high, albeit realistic. In 2015 my then partner and I bought One on Hely as a project for me to work at and improve and I have loved the journey and getting stuck into improving the vast garden, updating and upgrading the rooms each with their personal and proudly Zululand heritage coming through and sharing with guests what Zululand has to offer. I do enjoy people and love hosting guests and can't wait to meet you.

One on Hely has 9 deluxe en suite rooms all with balconies and private entrances and one room is a Family Suite with its own lounge All rooms have beautiful views over the indigenous forest and Indian Ocean which is 3km away. The spacious rooms tastefully reflect our Zululand heritage without compromising on high end quality. One on Hely is set in a quiet little village called Mtunzini ( the Zulu meaning of the name means "a place in the shade") which is a hidden gem as we are a birders paradise with "lifers" like the Palm Nut Vulture, Green Barbet, Black Coucal and Mangrave kingfishers in abundance. The walking/ hiking and cycling trails through the forests and farmlands around the lagoon and dams are nonparallel. Seeing vervet monkeys, red duiker and zebra whilst in the nature reserve is expected as well as the smaller animal such as the prehistoric mudskippers and fiddler crabs. Fishing, water skiing or just a trip up the lagoon are favorite activities with the locals too. We also have a great history and day tours can be arranged to nearby forts and monuments. Came to unwind and get away from it all and yet enjoy top notch facilities and service at One on Hely during your stay

Mtunzini means "a place in the shade" in Zulu. It is a hidden gem on the North coast of KwaZulu - Natal, Zululand. It is a village bursting with nature with a beach, lagoon and coastal forest offering birding ( think Palm nut vulture, black coucal, finfoot, mangrove and woodland kingfishers), animal viewing such as zebra and red duiker (antelope), fishing and the smaller critters like mud skippers and beautiful red fiddler crabs are a delight to children as they do the mudwalk boardwalk along the lagoon . There are beautiful mangrove and forest trails and boardwalks, for walking, hiking, trail running or cycling. We have specialized guides in all the above fields to help our guests see and understand more. The area is also rich in history and monuments and places of interest such as John Dunn (the white Zulu chief) pool are easily accessible. Other activities like gym, golf, tennis and squash are available for a daily fee at the Mtunzini Country Club and horse riding, water skiing, canoeing and a trip on the lagoon are available by booking if you don't have the facilities yourself. The restaurants serve generous portions of good food and "nothing fancy" is their slogan