Lesley

General manager Lesley Gillett hardly needs an introduction. One half of the twin sister duo that runs most of the show at Bartholomeus Klip, Lesley’s job is to ensure that your stay at BK is smooth and memorable. Born in Cape Town in 1977, Lesley spent most of her childhood in Ermelo, and later as a boarder at school in Nelspruit (Mbombela), both in Mpumalanga province east of Johannesburg. After a brief au-pair stint in Germany, she completed the FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) degree and started work for an overland travel company that took her to Zambia, Botswana and the Kruger National Park. She joined the team at Bartholomeus Klip in 2000, and was promoted to manager three years later.

On the rare occasions that Lesley is not juggling guests’ arrival times, dietary preferences and special requests with reservations, staff coordinations and grocery shopping, she will probably be found huddled up with foodie friends and Corgi dogs around a fire sharing stories, food and wine – probably at the house she shares with her sister at the farm, or somewhere quiet in the nature reserve. She loves people, and hospitality is simply in her blood: even when she’s not hosting guests at Elandsberg, she chooses to host friends. At Elandsberg.

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