Seaside hideaways for whale season and Christmas
Our Hermanus hideaways sit along the cliffs of Eastcliff and Voëlklip, most of them on or just above the cliff path. They are made for gathering: houses that sleep up to 16, with pools, fireplaces and terraces wide enough for long lunches, and room for grandparents, parents and teenagers to each find a corner of their own.
The town changes with the seasons. In winter and spring the whales take centre stage, and evenings are spent by the fire after a blustery walk along the cliffs. At Christmas the pace slows to beach days, tidal pools and lunches that run into supper, with the entire family under one roof.
Hideaways in this guide
Heaven on Earth
Kwaai Rock
Stone House
Langbaai
The Blue AnchorOur quick picks in Hermanus
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Where can you watch whales from the house?
Southern right whales come into Walker Bay to calve and mate from June to late November (Fernkloof). From the cliff-top houses of Eastcliff and Voëlklip you can often watch them from the terrace, weather permitting.
The cliff path runs for almost 12km from the New Harbour along Walker Bay. Most of the hideaways in this guide sit on or just above it, so a morning walk with binoculars starts at the garden gate.
Three houses put the whales right in the room:
- Kwaai Rock: both first-floor bedrooms open onto large balconies with sea views, and one of their bathrooms has two showers with ocean views.
- The Blue Anchor: “whale-watching can be done from the bathtub”.
- Stone House: a 180-degree view of the bay from the living areas, with a path through the fynbos to the tidal pools.
June-November
Southern right whale season · Fernkloof
Almost 12km of cliff path
From the New Harbour along Walker Bay · Fernkloof
Blue Flag 2025/26
Grotto Beach · Overstrand Municipality
Which of our Hermanus hideaways suits you?
If you are deciding where to stay in Hermanus with a big family, start with Heaven on Earth or Langbaai; for whales from the house, choose Kwaai Rock, Stone House or The Blue Anchor. Every one has been hand-picked and personally visited by our team.
Heaven on Earth
Sleeps 16 · seven bedrooms · six bathrooms · pool and jacuzzi · Voëlklip, on the cliff path
Best for: a three-generation Christmas · Signature: a teen pad with its own games room
Heaven on Earth spreads across “three voluminous levels of living, dining, entertaining, gaming”, and the sea is in view from the deck, the pool and the jacuzzi. The ground-floor teen pad has bunks for seven, a kitchenette, a games room and its own door to the fire pit, so older children have a space of their own.
A separate cottage suite with its own lounge and fireplace opens onto the pool and jacuzzi, which suits grandparents. Children under two can’t be accommodated.
Stone House
Sleeps 12 (eight adults, four children) · five bedrooms · five bathrooms · pool with a safety net · five minutes’ walk to the village
Best for: whales from your bed · Signature: a 180-degree view of the bay
Stone House is built from pink and ochre stone on the cliffs, and from its bedrooms you can “watch whales breaching from the cocooned warmth of your bed”. Four king bedrooms each have their own bathroom, and a bunk room sleeps four children.
Solar power with a backup battery keeps load-shedding out of your holiday, and there are stand-up paddleboards in the garage for calm mornings.
Kwaai Rock
Sleeps 10 · five bedrooms · five bathrooms · courtyard pool and sea-facing plunge pool · Eastcliff
Best for: a winter whale weekend · Signature: four fireplaces
A restored 1940s heritage home on the Eastcliff footpaths, Kwaai Rock is a “contemporary cliff house by the sea”. Both first-floor bedrooms open onto large balconies with sea views, and one of their bathrooms has two showers with ocean views.
Fireplaces in the living room, kitchen, bar and main bedroom, with underfloor heating in the bar and downstairs bathrooms, make it as good in whale season as in summer. No pets; seven-night minimum from 15 December to 15 January.
Langbaai
Sleeps 12 (eight adults, four children) · seven bedrooms · six bathrooms · pool courtyard · Voëlklip, a few steps from the beach
Best for: two families and a month of summer · Signature: a main house and a cottage
Langbaai is an almost 100-year-old thatched beach house named after the swimming cove below it. “It’s like having the sea in your garden,” says the architect-owner.
The main house has four bedrooms, including a bunk room for five children, and a cottage 15m away adds two bedrooms and a loft with four double beds. Small dogs are welcome by prior arrangement.
The Blue Anchor
Sleeps 10 · six bedrooms · five bathrooms and a guest loo · pool · Eastcliff, cliff path on the doorstep
Best for: families with young children · Signature: a playroom with table tennis and table football
Rebuilt by the owner from her grandmother’s 1950s cottage, The Blue Anchor pairs sea and mountain views with three Morso wood-burning stoves, oak-beamed ceilings and a four-poster bed.
A small nursery under the eaves has sea views and shares a bathroom with the queen room next door, and the large playroom keeps rainy afternoons busy.
New to the collection
- The 147: sleeps 16 in 10 en-suite bedrooms, with a rimless pool above Voëlklip.
- Tickle Me Pink: sleeps eight in three bedrooms, seconds from Voëlklip Beach, with a plunge pool.
- The Blue Nook: sleeps 13 in six bedrooms near Kwaaiwater beach, with a camp cot and Stokke cot in every room.
Which Hermanus house is right for your group?
When is the best time to visit Hermanus?
Visit from June to November for whales, and from December to March for beach weather. December, early January and Easter are the busiest weeks, so book the large houses months ahead.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun (whale season)
- Jul (whale season)
- Aug (whale season)
- Sep (whale season)
- Oct (whale season)
- Nov (whale season)
- Dec
Southern right whales are in Walker Bay from June to November, when they come into the bay to calve and mate.
- Jan (beach weather)
- Feb (beach weather)
- Mar (beach weather)
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec (beach weather)
December to March brings the warmest, longest beach days at Grotto Beach and Voëlklip.
- Jan (book early)
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr (book early)
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec (book early)
Christmas, New Year and Easter book first, and some houses set minimum stays over the holidays.
How do you get to Hermanus, and what should you book early?
Hermanus is about 120km from Cape Town, a 90-minute drive on the N2 over Sir Lowry’s Pass and then the R43. The coastal R44 through Betty’s Bay takes about two hours (South African Tourism).
- Minimum stays: all five hideaways profiled here ask for seven nights from 15 December to 15 January, and Kwaai Rock asks for four nights over Easter.
- Book early: December, early January and Easter in the large houses. Whale-watching boat trips run weather permitting and need booking ahead.
- Getting around: a car is easiest. Langbaai and Tickle Me Pink are steps from Voëlklip Beach, and Stone House is five minutes’ walk from the village.
- Beaches: Grotto Beach held full Blue Flag status for 2025/26 (Overstrand Municipality).
- Wine: the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley lies just inland from Hermanus, and Newton Johnson is nine kilometres from town (Wesgro).
Questions about staying in Hermanus
Which Hermanus houses sleep 12 or more for a family Christmas?
Heaven on Earth and The 147 each sleep 16, and Langbaai and Stone House each sleep 12. Heaven on Earth adds a teen pad, and Langbaai splits across a main house and a cottage. Christmas books months ahead, so enquire early.
Which Hermanus holiday homes are right on the sea for whale watching?
Kwaai Rock and The Blue Anchor on the Eastcliff paths, and Stone House on the cliffs, all have sea-facing bedrooms above Walker Bay. From June to November you can often watch southern right whales from the balcony, weather permitting.
When is whale season in Hermanus?
Whale season in Hermanus runs from June to late November, when southern right whales come into Walker Bay. Sightings depend on the weather and the whales, so allow a few days for the best chance.
Are any Hermanus holiday homes within walking distance of a beach?
Yes. Langbaai in Voëlklip is a few steps down a path to the first beach off the cliff path, and Tickle Me Pink is seconds from Voëlklip Beach.
How far is Hermanus from Cape Town?
Hermanus is about 120km from Cape Town, a 90-minute drive on the N2 over Sir Lowry’s Pass and then the R43. The coastal R44 through Betty’s Bay takes about two hours.
Can we stay in Hermanus for a month in January?
Yes. Langbaai, a few steps from the beach in Voëlklip, suits a month of summer. Ask our team which hideaways are free for long stays and for monthly rates, and book ahead, as January fills early.
Where is the nearest wine route to Hermanus?
The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley wine route lies just inland from Hermanus, and Newton Johnson is nine kilometres from town. Casa Estrela is in the valley itself.
How do we book a holiday home in Hermanus with Perfect Hideaways?
Choose a hideaway and send your dates and group size through our enquiry form, or call +27 21 790 0972. Every Hermanus hideaway has been personally visited by our team.
