Hermanus Beach House

Rooms

There are 4 bedrooms on the ground floor, around a sheltered courtyard, and a suite upstairs. Three have ensuite bathrooms; 2 share a bathroom.

White walls and wide windows infuse the rooms with light and serenity. You'll find wooden floors, old dressers, plump pillows and luxurious bedding of 100% cotton percale with satin stitching. In the bathrooms, blue tiles and white wooden surfaces surround contemporary showers and fixtures; there's also a wash-stand in each bedroom.

Bedroom 1, on the seaward side of the house, has a kingsize bed, a fireplace, a green-tiled Arts & Crafts washstand and an array of bright, hand-embroidered cushions from Namibia. It shares a bathroom with Bedroom 4, a smaller twin room with a yellow tiled washstand and kilims on the wall. These 2 make a self-contained family unit, with access to a terrace, a courtyard and a living room. Bedrooms 2 and 3, 1 twin and 1 king-bedded, face inland across the gardens or braai area to the mountains. Both have ensuite bathrooms.

Upstairs from the kitchen, twin-bedded Bedroom 5 has the best view in the house, with a fish mouth window overlooking the bay. It's ideal for kids, with its own entertainment space - a small sitting room with TV and DVD facilities. There is a bathroom with a bathtub and a shower under the eaves.

Features include:

• Washing machine
• WiFi

Eating

The open-plan kitchen-dining room has had a complete overhaul, with bright downlighters, smart wooden worktops and white wooden storage units, including a lovely plate rack. There's enough equipment for the most adventurous of cooks: 2 fridges, an oven with a gas hob, a twin sink, a dishwasher and plenty of sharp knives, chopping boards, graters etc. There's a breakfast table for 6 (a toaster, a kettle and coffee pots are on hand), and windows onto the pool deck and barbecue area. The adjoining dining room has a polished antique table which comfortably seats 10, and views out to sea.

You can join the South African passion for braais - there's a built-in barbecue and a 12-seater teak table in a shaded area by the pool. Fresh fish can be bought at the harbour, and other provisions at Hermanus' well-stocked shops and supermarkets (a short drive), you can also pre-order shopping throught the owners. The town has some excellent restaurants, or the Pickstones can book a chef to come to the house - a real luxury for those special celebratory meals.

Features include:

• Barbecue
• Chef on request
• Dishwasher
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Kids' meals
• Microwave
• Oven

Activities

• Hermanus has some of the best land-based whale-watching in the world - you can see them breach from the terrace or Jacuzzi!
  
  
• Delightful walking: from your front door a "cliff path" follows the coast west into town, whilst miles of pristine beach stretch eastwards, culminating in a lagoon
  
  
• Shop for art and crafts bargains in Market Square
  
  
• Improve your swing at the local 18-hole golf course, or at the Arabella Golf estate 30 minutes' drive away
  
  
• In the summer the town has plenty of restaurants, bars and nightlife
  
  
• Hike into Fernkloof Nature Reserve, whose streams and (swimmable) reservoirs are surrounded by a wealth of colourful 'Fynbos' flora, including some endemic proteas. The owners can arrange guided walks with an expert in local flora, fauna and birdlife
  
  
• For the more actively inclined, there is paragliding off the Olifantberg, surfing and shark cage diving on the coast, and kloofing (canyoning) down 'Suicide Gorge'
  
  
• The southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Agulhas, is a haunting, wave-lashed spot within 2 hours' drive
  
  
• You can always head to Cape Town for the day (90 minutes' drive each way)
  
  
• Given advance notice, the owners can arrange special interest tours, surfboard rental, horse-riding - even weddings!

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Plantlife / flora
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Whale watching
• Wildlife
• Windsurfing

Kids

This is a great spot for an extended family getaway, a family party, or as somewhere to rent with your friends. It sleeps 10 in total. The owners have children and as a result the house is stocked with plenty of gear for all ages from baby to teens -though timid families may struggle with the unfenced drops off the veranda for toddlers.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

You've got the run of the place. Kids will like the bedroom upstairs from the kitchen, which has a TV and small sitting room as well a great views and twin beds. The master bedroom shares a bathroom with a twin room so it works well for a small family; there are also 2 bedrooms upstairs which would work well for a second family. Two of the bathrooms have a bath and a shower.

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 90 minutes
• Hospital: 15 minutes
• Doctor: 15 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The villa is 10 minutes' drive from the centre of Hermanus, on the Southern Cape coast of South Africa. It is close to the popular and large Grotto Beach.

By Air
Cape Town International (110km) is the closest airport. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving it.

From the Airport
The drive from Cape Town Airport takes 1.5 hours, following the N2 highway east until Botrivier (1 hour) and then the R43 trunk road to Hermanus. The owner can arrange airport transfers for you, using a Hermanus-based driver who has various air-conditioned vehicles, including a bus that takes 13.

By Car
Most guests hire a car, and this allows you to continue east along the beautiful Garden Route. See our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be provided when you book through i-escape.

More on getting to South Africa and getting around.