You know, we have a big weakness for accommodations with a lot of attention to detail, where not only the perfect location but, above all, the design plays an important role. And since we landed not just one, but three absolute Airbnb hits on our trip to South Africa, we would like to share them with you today.
A general tip in advance: If you are traveling with more than two people, it is almost always worth renting a shared house in South Africa instead of two or more hotel rooms. With a bundled budget you usually get significantly more for your money and in the case of South Africa with four people you often get a luxurious house compared to two rooms in a mediocre hotel in the same region. We were in South Africa with my parents and, with one stop, we only rented houses. And three of them were so special that we would like to recommend them to you wholeheartedly and present them in detail today.
Three very special Airbnb houses in South Africa
“The Hacienda” in Swellendam
We were able to get to know accommodation on a farm near Swellendam that is even more beautiful and special in real life than in the pictures. “The Hacienda” is located on the many hectares of the Fazenda farm, with fantastic views of the Langeberg Mountains. In addition to the beautiful outdoor area with pool, pizza oven and plenty of seating, the house offers a main building with a large living room, kitchen and bedroom, as well as an annex with another bedroom with its own bathroom. A special treat that took us back to our childhood: just a few meters away there is a huge field of blackberry bushes and guests are allowed to pick as many berries as they want for free.
There are a few other accommodations on the farm. For example “The Greenhouse”, a glass house idyllically embedded in the forest, and two cabins located by a lake.
“Kumbuk House” in Franschhoek
In Franschhoek we were also blown away by the house that we rented in a central location. The light-flooded “Kumbuk House” offers two bedrooms for a total of four people and is located on a very idyllic street on the edge of the vineyards. And yet it is just a few minutes’ walk from Franschhoek’s historic main street with many restaurants, cafes and galleries. Particularly beautiful: the outdoor area with a lovingly landscaped garden and a large pool. One of those houses that you would like to move into straight away.
Paula’s Cottage in Jacobsbaai
On our fourth trip to South Africa, we wanted to get to know a region that was new to us, and so we went to the west coast for a few days for the first time. About two hours from Cape Town is the small town of Jacobsbaai (also called Jacobs Bay), where we found the perfect house for a break by the sea: Paula’s Cottage. The idyllic Beach House, located on dunes, can sleep up to ten people. The special thing: you have a view of the sea from both sides. From the kitchen you have a view of a small lagoon and Jacobsbaai, from the living room, the bedrooms and the terrace you can see the beach and the vastness of the sea. We spent so many wonderful hours either with a good book in the deckchair in front of the house or on the beach, which we had all to ourselves most of the time. The house is by the way well equipped and there are, for example, canoes, numerous games and hammocks.
Reading tip: Our favorite hotels in Europe and the world at a glance