Suzanne Wille: Hospitality that Heals and Welcomes
Saturday, 9th August 2025
Suzanne Wille runs two well-loved guesthouses — A Stone’s Throw and 30 on Oatlands — that act as warm ambassadors for the town. Her hospitality style is deceptively simple: impeccable attention to detail, an insistence on comfort, and a real sense of home. Suzanne combines the highest standards of guest service with a gentle, mentorship-oriented leadership that has helped other local entrepreneurs professionalise their offers.
Her story is also one of resilience. When a major fire damaged one of her properties a few years ago, Suzanne didn’t retreat. She led a careful rebuild — prioritising local labour, restoring heritage features where possible, and reimagining guest experiences to be more sustainable and community-oriented. That recovery became a learning moment: business continuity planning, strong relationships with local tradespeople, and a mindset that embraces slow, intentional rebuilding. Let's learn more:
1. Please can you share some of the key experiences or turning points in your personal or professional life that led you to this field?
Starting A Stone’s Throw Accommodation more than two decades ago was driven by a dream to create a space where travellers could experience comfort, peace, and the beauty of our small-town hospitality. The decision came at a time when I was balancing the demands of young children and the desire to build something meaningful. Establishing 30 on Oatlands Accommodation later was a natural progression — seeing the need for accessible, homely, yet professional accommodation in the heart of Makhanda. Each turning point has come with both a leap of faith and a lesson in resilience. especially as we recovered and rebuilt A Stones Throw which is also our amazing home with a view - that was destroyed in a runaway fire just over 11 years ago.
2. What aspects of the work keep you motivated or inspired to stay in this space?
It’s the people — the guests who share their stories, the team who have walked this journey with me, and the community that makes Makhanda so unique. There’s something deeply rewarding about creating a welcoming space that becomes a memory in someone else’s story. Also, adapting through changing tourism landscapes keeps me energised — no two days are ever the same.
3. How does your work contribute to the tourism, culture, or heritage of Makhanda and the rest of the Makana region?
Our guesthouses serve as quiet ambassadors for the region. We are often the first impression travellers have of Makhanda, so I make a conscious effort to reflect our town's warmth, history, and charm. Whether it’s recommending local spots, encouraging guests to explore events like the K-Day, the National Arts Festival, and our fantastic weekly Park Run in the Botanical gardens. I think businesses like ours support the broader tourism economy and helps build pride in what we as South Africans have to offer especially our beautiful natural heritage and wide-open spaces.
4. What does this year’s Women's Month theme mean to you personally? "The Urgency to Achieving Gender Equality and Empowering Women and Girls."
To me, this theme is both a call to action and a reflection of the quiet strength women have demonstrated for generations. Running a business while raising children in a society where gender expectations persist has shown me how far we’ve come — and how much further we need to go. Empowering women and girls mean opening doors, shifting mindsets, and recognising that equality is not a favour, but a necessity.
5. What challenges have you faced as a woman in your field, and how have you overcome them?
There have been moments of being underestimated, juggling double standards, or carrying the emotional load of both business and home. In the early days, securing support or resources was more difficult as a woman. I’ve overcome these challenges with persistence, a strong support system, and by staying true to my vision. I’ve also learned the value of mentoring and supporting other women in this space — we rise by lifting each other.
6. What message would you like to share with the next generation of women and girls in the Makana region and further in the country?
Believe in your voice, your ideas, and your right to take up space. You don’t have to wait for permission to start something — you are enough, just as you are. Build slowly if you must, but don’t stop building. And know that even in the small things — raising a family, running a local business, speaking up — you are shaping the future. Your story matters.
