Top 10 budget beach guesthouses and B&Bs in South Africa's Western Cape
WEST COAST
Not Forgotten, Yzerfontein
It costs a small fortune to rent many of the artfully dressed properties in the Perfect Hideaways’ portfolio, but it also has more affordable options, including this sand-between-the-toes beach house. Less than an 1½ hours by car from Cape Town, it’s in a peaceful village, in a landscape that’s carpeted with wildflowers each spring. The house perches right on the chalk-white dunes and has a relaxed, painted-wood interior finished in contemporary, sun-bleached tones. On hot, sunny days, you can simply step off the broad veranda and walk down to the shore to cool off.
Self-catering four-bedroom house (sleeps 8) £208 a night, +27 21 790 0972, perfecthideaways.co.za
Ah! Guest House, Paternoster
This arty, foodie B&B oozes the kind of laid-back beach-chic that makes Paternoster popular with weekenders from Cape Town. Arnold and Annalise Hoon are keen collectors of contemporary African design and have peppered their house with vibrant touches, from beaded chandeliers to hand-embroidered cushions. Outside, there’s a plunge pool within earshot of the waves. Breakfast is an event, with different choices each morning: think twice-baked cheese soufflé, or grilled asparagus wrapped in bacon. Come evening, Arnold can whip up delicious dinners, chef’s table style (there’s no à la carte menu, so every meal is a surprise) or point you to a seafood restaurant nearby.
Doubles from £72 B&B, +27 82 464 5898, ahguesthouse.com
KiteLab guesthouse, Langebaan
If Langebaan is on your itinerary, it’s a fair guess you’re into kitesurfing. The turquoise waters of Langebaan lagoon are clear, shallow, breezy and (relatively) warm, making this an ideal place to learn or to test your skills to the limit. KiteLab, a kitesurfing shop and training centre, offers rooms in a stylish, modern house with an open-plan kitchen, living room and balcony. Just 500m from watersports hotspot Shark Bay, this is by far the newest and smartest option for those who want somewhere comfortable to rest their aching, salty limbs.
Self-catering doubles from £28, +27 22 772 0026, kitelab.co.za
CAPE TOWN AND CAPE PENINSULA
Eco Wave Lodge, Kommetjie
Aimed at backpackers looking for a peaceful alternative to Cape Town’s party hostels, Eco Wave is within a few minutes’ walk of Kommetjie’s wild and gorgeous Long Beach. There’s a choice of double rooms or a bunkroom for four, none of which are huge, but the shared living areas compensate: they’re spacious enough for sofas, a dining table and pool table. The kitchen is roomy too, with a braai (barbecue) on the balcony. With big windows and splashes of colour, the house has an upmarket surf shack feel – fitting, since massive Atlantic waves batter this stretch of coast.
Self-catering doubles from £23, +27 73 927 5644, ecowave.co.za
Slangkop Tented Camp, Table Mountain national park
Slangkop is a recent addition to the Hoerikwaggo Trail, a superb five-day hiking route from Cape Town to Cape Point. You don’t have to be on a long hike to stay here, though: with a play area, a communal braai and cycling paths through the milkwood trees, it also appeals to outdoorsy families keen to immerse themselves in the wilderness. Rustic and eco-friendly, the camp has six weatherproof, simply furnished tents. There’s also a cosy kitchen and dining room decorated with whalebones found on the shore.
Self-catering tents for two £28, +27 21 712 7471, sanparks.org
Chartfield Guesthouse, Kalk Bay
Kalk Bay is one of the most interesting coastal villages around Cape Town, with a busy little harbour and an easygoing, boho-ish atmosphere. Chartfield, a late Victorian mansion with splendid sea views, has 16 stylish guest rooms, all named after boats. Breakfast is organic and so delicious that many of the locals have become regulars. Close to the shore, the house is a short stroll from shops and cafes and the highly rated Harbour House seafood restaurant. Also nearby are the famous Dalebrook tidal swimming pool and St James with its jauntily painted beach huts.
Doubles from £39 B&B, +27 21 788 3793, chartfield.co.za
Samhitakasha Cob House, Muizenberg
Owners Simric and Carey Yarrow created this unusual eco-house themselves – 200m from the beachfront – in surf-mad Muizenberg. Wonderfully organic in character and form, it’s entirely built of natural materials including mud, straw, wood and lime, using techniques borrowed from traditional English rural architecture. Already charming, with a guestroom sleeping up to four, it’s set to get even better: the Yarrows have plans to renovate the house in early 2015. Stay here and you’ll be treated to a wholesome and tasty vegetarian breakfast and, if you’re interested, tips on local craft markets, festivals and yoga classes.
Double £40 B&B, +27 21 788 6613, cobhouse.co.za
WHALE COAST AND GARDEN ROUTE (WEST)
Arch Rock, Keurboomstrand, near Plettenberg Bay
Between Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s valley, Keurboomstrand is a quiet seaside village with wonderful views of the Indian Ocean. Even if it’s too rough to swim here, the dazzling beaches lend themselves to bracing walks and, inland, there are wildlife attractions to visit. Popular with both South Africans and foreign visitors as it’s such good value, Arch Rock has 20 properties in different styles, from chalets and apartments on the sand to cabins among the trees further back. Some units are in better condition than others but there’s no arguing with the location – slap bang on the shore.
Self-catering chalets for two from £34, +27 44 535 9409, archrock.co.za
Agulhas Rest Camp, Agulhas national park
Agulhas national park. Photograph: Alamy
With nothing but crashing waves and huge skies between you and Antarctica, you can’t help but feel epic at Africa’s southernmost point, Cape Agulhas, where a small monument marks the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Just west of here is a small, low-impact collection of simple but comfortable thatched timber chalets. Set back from the beach, they’re surrounded by a sea of lowland fynbos vegetation, home to Cape sugarbirds, orange-breasted sunbirds and rare long-billed larks. A raised wooden deck with a barbecue and breathtaking views of wilderness, beach and ocean makes each chalet truly special.
Self-catering chalets for two £72 including daily national park conservation fee, +27 12 428 9111, sanparks.org
Charlotte House, Stilbaai
Coastal developments at Stilbaai and at the mouth of the Goukou estuary. Photograph: Peter Chadwick/Getty Images/Gallo Images
Stilbaai is only 17 miles south of the main N2 highway from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay, but is small and remote enough to feel well off the beaten track. That’s its charm; this stretch of coast is unspoilt, with a Blue Flag beach at Lappiesbaai, a whale-watching lookout at Morris Point and several nature reserves. Backing on to the Skulpiesbaai nature reserve is Charlotte House, an airy, family home created by Jack and Meshell Andrew – he an architect and builder, she an interior designer. Inspired by Cape Dutch farmhouses and Mediterranean villas, it’s comfortable and elegant.
Self-catering apartments for two from £34, +27 76 592 1794, charlottehouse.co.za