About the Manor

Tuscany Hill Manor was built in 2019 by owner Barend (Bennie) van Zyl — starting as a single property and growing room by room until every suite had its own en-suite bathroom. The rooms were originally let to community service doctors on full-year placements in the Hartswater area. Watching those guests settle in and make it their home inspired Bennie to open the doors to all travellers.

On the 3rd of June 2022, Tuscany Hill Manor officially opened as a guesthouse with just 3 rooms — welcoming up to 6 guests at a time. With the help of his sister Hedre, Bennie built something that quickly became more than just a place to sleep: a warm, family-run retreat perched on a hill on the outskirts of Hartswater, where every guest is treated like family.

The estate has grown steadily ever since. In July 2026 a new wing was completed, bringing the manor to 12 rooms with the capacity to host up to 27 guests. And this is only the beginning — Tuscany Hill Manor has plans to grow further, with an ambition that extends well beyond Hartswater.

Running the guesthouse also steered Bennie in an unexpected new direction. The day-to-day challenges of managing bookings, guest communication and operations from the ground up revealed just how much a dedicated tool was needed in this space — and so Staya was born. Staya is a guesthouse management application built from real experience, launching in September 2026 with Tuscany Hill Manor as its first partner. The long-term vision is simple: to make professional guesthouse management accessible to properties across South Africa, so that any owner with the same passion as Bennie can run their property with confidence.

Hedre is the heartbeat of the manor — managing the day-to-day operations hands-on, from bookings and guest communications to breakfast and everything in between. No question goes unanswered and no guest leaves without feeling properly looked after. Bennie handles the finances and property maintenance, keeping everything behind the scenes running without a hitch.

Guests will also be warmly assisted by Willy, Florence and Eunice, who are an essential part of the Tuscany Hill Manor team and make sure the property runs smoothly every single day. Together, it is a team that genuinely cares — and it shows.