by Amanda Perkins and Michelle Snaddon
STONE HOUSE, HERMANUS
Is there a hideaway in the world where you open your eyes and with a small adjustment of your down pillows, watch whales breaching from the cocooned warmth of your bed? Lie quite still and count the seconds between the giant swells of Walker Bay pushed by a strong north-easter. The seven-metre high waves undulating over Great Whites and Southern Rights ‘demand respect’ say the locals who surf them. So do the creators of this extraordinary home that is so sensitively rooted to the land. Their choice was to ‘grow’ the house organically on the cliffs of Hermanus with rock in muted earth shades of pink and ochre, quarried and set painstakingly down over three years. From the ocean, it is at one with the skyline of clinging fynbos and the cliff face.
For any adult with an eye for design, it is a house of rich inspiration: Indian shutters; a giant paper chandelier that is a witty interpretation of concrete dolosse; wrought iron standing lamps by a local blacksmith; handmade tiles with a hint of a Moroccan heritage; a granite basin hewn from solid rock; natural linen drapes and raw textured surfaces; a giant woven cane nest chair. And now and then, a pop of colour. Wrought, hewn, carved, skimmed and joined, it is a house born of patience, imagination and great skill.
Stone House has both indoor and outdoor dining areas, including a protected inner stone courtyard that’s a delightful sun trap during the day and wonderfully sheltered from sea breezes in the evenings
What to do in and around Hermanus:
The cliffside location of Stone House, one of Perfect Hideaways’ most sought after self-catering houses to rent, is enough to keep you rooted to the spot. Its rustic stone exterior belies the luxury accommodation behind its thick walls, and as a result is one of our most sought-after weekend getaways in Hermanus, known for its whales and wine. Southern Right Whales arrive in June and stay until November, while wine tasting is year-round, with the Grootbos to Elim route offering some of the most flinty white wines in the area and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley some equally good red and white wines. The mountain ranges bordering Hermanus are popular for hiking and mountain biking, especially in spring and autumn, but in summer the pristine white sandy beaches of Hermanus and Walker Bay are especially popular for weekend getaways.
Perfect Hideaways has a number of self-catering beach houses in the Overberg area, including Hermanus, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Stanford holiday accommodation.
HOUT HUISIE, SCHRYWERSHOEK
Of all our hideaways in the West Coast National Park, this is the closest to the beach and has the most intimate relationship with the lagoon. Hout Huisie is enviably positioned all on its own near the tip of a little peninsula in Schrywershoek and backed by a marshy wetland. With no shops or restaurants to distract you, this is a place to unwind and let your days be governed by the moods of Langebaan Lagoon and the gentle rhythms of life in this West Coast hamlet.
Centerpiece of the community is a small Anglican church and a picturesque graveyard where one gravestone inscription reads, ‘Sakkie Pieterse, a man who would give his last fish.’ There are three clusters of whitewashed, chalkstone cottages strung along a bluff overlooking lagoon beaches where boats are drawn up on the sand. The older buildings, many dating from the 19th century, have end chimneys, reed ceilings, window frames and rafters fashioned from the timbers of wrecked ships and interiors full of flotsam, antiques and lagoon memorabilia.
What to do in and around Schrywershoek:
Schrywershoek is an ancient and much-loved spot in the West Coast National Park: set apart from the rest of the accommodation in the area, Hout Huisie is positioned on its own little bay, surrounded by the natural wonder of this untouched reserve, where life remains practically unchanged over the past 100 years. It’s the quintessential Perfect Hideaways West Coast experience, with rustic yet comfortable interiors and uninterrupted views from every window and deck. Life is simple here, and although active water sports in Langebaan might beckon, many guests simply enjoy taking long walks along the beach, birdwatching, swimming, kayaking and SUP-ing right here. In springtime, the veld comes alive with Namaqualand daisies and colourful blooms. For those who stay a while, a day trip to the West Coast Fossil Park is fascinating. It’s a 50-minute drive from Hout Huisie.
Perfect Hideaways has a number of self-catering beach houses in Schrywershoek and Churchhaven for friends who are gathering together for a special holiday on the lagoon or beach front.
YELLOWWOOD, CHURCHHAVEN
Yellowwood is a place where the abounding nature unravels as far as the eyes can travel. Where the air is salty and the skies eternal, mirroring the magic of all that’s blanketing below. A place where time slows down and moves with the natural flow of light. It’s nature’s invitation to reset, revive and reveal all that matters most, when we feed our souls with a slice of Churchhaven.
Settled on the lagoon’s edge, no more than a minute’s walk from the water and emerging from the verdant West Coast vegetation, Yellowwood seamlessly blends into the land it occupies like a loyal friend of the fynbos, not wanting to steal the limelight.
In keeping with the vernacular of the community’s cottages, this hideaway reveals its use of natural materials and soft, neutral tones that are as distinct as they are unique. All open-plan, the living, reclining and dining spaces are met with an eclectic mix of contemporary elements accompanying traditional classics. Camphor wood beams, corrugated iron, rattan ceilings, rough screed floors, wood-burning stoves, cottage-comfy furnishings are fêted by signature pieces of art, contemporary lighting, quality linens and textures and fabrics fit for kings. Given that the property is entirely off-grid, it’s a marvel that the kitchen’s high-tech appliances, the WiFi, the piping hot water and the rest of the electrics all run off the Tesla solar systems that help the hideaway to function. Without a hint of being pervasive to its environment.
What to do in and around Churchhaven:
Churchhaven is nothing short of magical: it has a few very carefully chosen self-catering accommodation options that rival all others on this rugged West Coast of South Africa, just over an hour’s drive from Cape Town. But the tranquility of the lagoon on the quieter inland waters of the West Coast National Park is a best-kept secret and where waterside gems such as Yellowwood Cottage can be found. Share this natural paradise with over 250 species of birdlife, including flocks of pink-and-white flamingos, and witness the annual spring flower glory of Namaqualand right outside your front door. Daisies literally bloom along the pathways and cover hillsides and previously barren, rocky slopes in colour. Most guests come to relax in nature, enjoying early morning dips, kayaking, bird watching and walking in between wonderful meals, but for those who want to try adrenaline-inducing water sports, Langebaan is a 45-minute drive away through the reserve.
Perfect Hideaways has a number of self-catering beach houses in Churchhaven or the West Coast for friends who are gathering together for a special holiday on the lagoon. Many of the properties on the beautiful West Coast accommodation offer an off-grid vacation.
DE HOEK
It’s hard to imagine that a house with such an elegant flow and balance, was once rundown and made so awkward from haphazard additions and ‘renovations’ over the decades that only a glimmer of De Hoek’s original sturdy framework still existed. And yet there was something in its proportion and potential that piqued the interest of the owners five years ago. In its favour was its position on a tract of farmland in Barrydale that skirted the edge of the Overberg and the beginning of the Karoo.
That meant a sweeping sky and folded hillsides but with air so clear it was a tonic. And then there was the golden light found nowhere else but in the Karoo. ‘It changes like the sea here,’ says the owner. It’s worth sitting quietly simply to watch the change come over purple-veined hills at dusk, a washed out blue sky in mid-summer fading to a dramatic sunset.
Once the house had regained its historic shape, the interior gutted and re-designed to suit their lifestyle, the owners began to fill the rooms with pieces collected over the years or with their own heirlooms. It’s resulted in an effortless, soothing to the eye mix of classics but with a restraint in the placing of collections. There are carefully considered arrangements, a feeling of order with no sense of formality.
The walls are white parchment with soft, desaturated Karoo colours introduced in fabrics and rugs. Visit De Hoek more than once and you may find subtle additions – a new chair, a turn-of-the-century washstand or a Persian with just the right degree of fadedness. The house is like that -accommodating and rather tempting, the owner ruefully admits, when it comes to housing one more ‘irresistible’ find.
What to do along Route 62:
Known as the longest wine route in the world, not just the Western Cape, Route 62 never fails to disappoint, whether you’re heading out to a farm stay in the Karoo or staying at beautiful De Hoek, just outside Barrydale. There’s something to be said for booking self-catering accommodation here: you can sample and buy some of the Cape’s top wines, cheeses, charcuterie and olives on the journey up, and then enjoy them alfresco in the shade of an ancient Karoo tree or around the fire under the stars. Farm stays are an increasing trend, and De Hoek is just over four hours’s drive from Cape Town.
Perfect Hideaways has a number of self-catering farm stays in Barrydale, Calitzdorp and Ladismith, each one offering an off-the-beaten track vacation that is hard to beat, but the collection also includes a selection of homesteads in the Great Karoo.
FRAILANN
Named after the owner’s grandfather’s French fishing vessel and what was once a sixties Sardinian-inspired boathouse, Frailann has been lovingly revived to reveal a contemporary beach house hovering above the high-water mark of the lagoon. It’s as if you’re aboard your own yacht, with the crystal-clear waters lapping beneath your feet.
Set on three levels of considered spaces that optimise on the magnificent lagoon views, this hideaway retains its familial heritage and old Langebaan charm yet boldly makes a statement of sophistication in its refined style. Accommodating as many as ten of your favourite big people plus a couple of small ones besides – from the mammoth Balinese-inspired main ensuite bedroom to the adventurous kids bunk room – the bungalow generously extends itself into a large open-plan kitchen, living and dining space, a clever wind-sheltered courtyard, patios and long viewing decks, a library, a TV room and a cosy ‘dungeon’. Solid oak floors and American Spruce timber panelling hints a little further to that yacht, setting sail over the lagoon.
What to do in and around Langebaan?
Langebaan is best-known for its water sports and beach activities, so a self-catering and wonderfully luxurious beach house like Frailann is ideal for multigenerational families. The beach house is right on the beach, with three moorings for boats, so while some might opt for an early morning swims others will head out by boat, or paddle across towards Churchhaven – a favourite activity for birdwatchers.
Others will go parasailing, SUPing or windsurfing; while the rest of the family have a laid-back morning reading books on the deck with spectacular views. Take a drive through the West Coast National Park to go hiking in Postberg Nature reserve, particularly in flower season when the Namaqualand flowers bloom. Fossil enthusiasts can visit the West Coast Fossil Park, just 15 minutes’ drive from Langebaan and for those who are keen to visit farms along the Swartland Wine and Olive Route, Darling and Riebeek-Kasteel are an easy drive.
Perfect Hideaways has a number of self-catering beach houses in both Langebaan and Churchhaven for friends who are gathering together for a special holiday on the lagoon or the beach front.
Summer sunsets are long and languid on the Langebaan lagoon: time for sundowners on the deck
VILLA KERSBOS
Just beyond the quiet little dorpie of Velddrif, lies an untouched stretch of shoreline known as Dwarskersbos. Here, sitting directly on the beach, Villa Kersbos opens itself out to nothing but nature. Set on two levels of contemporary beach house living, its large and light open-plan living, dining and entertaining areas, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, long verandah and fabulous Balau timber courtyard with both swimming pool and Kol Kol wood-fired hot tub, as well as the ‘pyjama room’ make this rental property just perfect for a family yearning for a self-catering escape. Where the waves are wonderful for swimming and surfing, the walks are endless, the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular, and the time goes by nice and slowly.
Days will be spent in the surf, on the sand, beside the pool, or beneath the giant olive tree in the courtyard, as you drift off with the chapters of a cherished novel. Evenings will be spent around the fire, stargazing and listening to the sounds of the waves curling over and over again, as the family banter picks up from where it was left off the night before. It’s all you envisaged about a trip up the West Coast. It’s just what the crowd ordered!
What to do in Dwarskersbos:
Villa Kersbos is just north of the fishing village of Veldrif. Known for its salted, dried fish called Bokkoms, you can visit the heritage site of Bokkom Laan close to the Vlei. It’s a local gem, offering an insight into ancient fishing traditions and the art of preserving the small, silvery mullet that are strung in bunches and laid out to cure in the sunshine and dry winds of the West Coast.
The sun-dried, salty fish or Bokkoms are sliced thinly and eaten like biltong – a speciality here. The Vlei is loved by birders who spend time slowly puttering up the Great Berg River, known for its prolific wildlife, particularly pelicans, spoonbills, kingfishers and flamingos. If birds and fish are not your thing, you will enjoy long walks, early morning yoga and sundowners on the unspoilt beach in front of Villa Kersbos.
Perfect Hideaways has a number of self-catering beach houses close by, so if you’re looking for more holiday houses or beachfront accommodation to rent in Dwarskersbos, take a look as it’s ideal for friends who are wanting to book self-catering holiday accommodation together.
A play of light and shadow at Dwarskersbos beach house near the fishing village of Velddrif
To book these beautiful hideaways, email our reservations team now on [email protected]
