3 bedroom house in Plettenberg Bay, Garden Route, South Africa
House with Good Birding, Superb Beaches, Estuaries, Whale Watching and Hiking
Beautiful Setting 5 Minutes Walk to the Beach
Sleeps 6/8 (3 Bedrooms)
|
|
The house is located in one of the most beautiful bays in the Western Cape and was designed for relaxation and entertaining. Built traditionally on two floors, it is ideal for an extended family with children. A beautiful setting in natural dune vegetation which supports wildlife, especially birds. The Bitou estuary and Keurbooms River are within 15kms, supporting a wide range of wetland bird species. Natures Valley, the indigenous forests and numerous coastal walks of the region are within easy reach by car. Tsitsikama National Park, a marine reserve and Storms River are within 45 minutes drive. Knysna with its waterfront and lagoon is 30 minutes away. Wildlife reserves eg Addo, Gamkaberg and Karroo National Park are within half a days drive, for game viewing in a malaria free region with wide open spaces, superb Cape fauna and flora. The house is named Hirondelle, after the swallows which roost in the reed beds in front of the veranda, from where at least 50 bird species may be seen
|
|
| Rental periods | Per week | |
| 4 October - 15 November 2008 | £400 | |
| 15 November 2008 - 15 January 2009 | £680 | |
| 15 January - 30 April 2009 | £630 | |
| 1 May - 31 August 2009 | £320 | |
| 1 September - 15 November 2009 | £400 | |
| 15 November 2009 - 15 January 2010 | £680 | subject to confirmation |
| 15 January - 30 April 2010 | £640 | subject to confirmation |
Notes on prices
Prices are for the property per week in UK pounds.
Discounts are offered for lets in excess of 4 weeks.
Changeover day
Changeover day is normally Saturday. Arrival in afternoon before 18h00. Departure before 10h00 on the last day. Because of long travel distances we try to be flexible about arrival and departure times.
Accommodation
| Bedrooms: | Bedroom 1 with double bed, walk-in wardrobe. Bedroom 2 with double bed, single bed, hanging space, bookshelves. Bedroom 3 open to TV area with double, single beds suitable for children. Open shelves for clothes, books etc, space for surf boards etc. |
| Bathrooms: | A ground floor fully tiled shower room with handbasin and wc opens from the hallway. Upstairs the suite of 2 bedrooms share a panelled bathroom with a handbasin and wc. This is convenient to bedroom 3. |
| Kitchen: | Kitchen area open to dining/living with solid oak tops, cupboards, shelves. Gas cooker (5 burners) large oven, electric frost free fridge/freezer, double bowl stainless steel sink, a large walk-in pantry with worktops and storage shelves for food and wine |
| Utility Room: | Laundry room equipped with a deep tub, top loading washing machine, iron, ironing board, storage shelves, vacuum cleaner and brooms etc. |
| Living Rooms: | Lounge/dining room with pine floor, shuttered French doors to veranda an garden. Large oak dining table, dresser, 8 chairs, sofa, 3 armchairs, DVD music centre, coffee table, 2 tables, fireplace, bookshelves, reference books on birds and mammals. |
| Other: | A television space upstairs is accessed off the landing with cane furniture, small coffee table, equipped with flat screen TV, DVD player. Satellite dish and DSTV decoder connected for tenants card. Double open carport and paved off street parking space. |
| Cleaning/towels/ linen/maid service: |
Towels, linen provided. Beds have white cotton sheets and duvets with lightweight bed covers in summer. A maid provides cleaning and ironing service weekly or more frequently by arrangement. Wages are included in rental. Guests are personally welcomed. |
Notes on accommodation
The property is suitable for children with easy access on foot to the beach via a quiet street and boardwalk. The mild climate is frost-free and requires no central heating or air-conditioning. In the cooler months, June to September, it may be advisable to light the living room fire. A Weber barbecue is provided for outdoor cooking. Outdoor furniture is provided including table and chairs. The Cape Province is malaria free.
- hob/stove,
- oven,
- fridge/freezer,
- microwave,
- washing machine,
- iron/ironing board,
- satellite tv,
- tv,
- telephone,
- barbecue
Outside
The garden is a natural wild garden with dense dune vegetation and a small lawn. 2 birdbaths are a source of attraction to many bird species. Garden birds, particularly Cape robin-chats, bulbuls, turtle doves and flycatchers are tame and will visit the table when eating outdoors or on the veranda. A 'Weber' kettle barbecue, outdoor furniture, pot plants, herbs and a rotating removable washing line for drying are provided. A double open carport and paved off-street parking spaces provide for cars and visitor's vehicles. Gas cylinders are safely stored outside.
Coast/Beach
The clean sandy beach is within 5 minutes walking distance. It is 4 kilometres long and very attractive for walking, sunbathing and is popular with surfers. Blue flag status is unknown but the Council has applied for this. Robberg Peninsula is a nature reserve within 20 minutes walk. It has clifftop and coastal walks with good sites for watching dolphins and seals which are present all year round. Whales arrive in July and are usually present until September. Sea birds are present all year.
Golf
Golf courses nearby cater for visitors. The 18 hole Country Club course is within 6 kilometres. Goose Valley Golf Course is within 12 kilometres.
Special interest holidays
Tourism and birding guides may be engaged by prior arrangement with the owner.
Travel
Cape Town International airport is six hours from Plettenberg Bay by car. Coach services are available daily but car hire is advisable. The airport at Port Elizabeth is 3 hours by car. Plettenberg Bay is served by George airport (100kms) well within 2 hours by car with regular scheduled flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth etc. Transfer from CT international airport and a qualified tour guide can be provided on request. You can be met at either airport at low rates.
Distances
Plettenberg Bay town centre is 5 kilometres from the house.
Knysna 30 kilometres. Little Karroo and Oudtshoorn 130 kilometres. Port Elizabeth 250 kilometres. Cape Town 560 kilometres.
Further details
Hirondelle House is our private family home built 10 years ago. Guests are welcomed by the owners (retired couple) and shown how everything works. No agents involved. We particularly welcome people with interests in wilderness areas and wildlife. Birdlife South Africa local branch outings can be joined on Saturday mornings to visit various birding hot spots including several estuaries. Members provide expert guiding and advice. The count could be 40 to 80 species on an outing.
Boat based whale and dolphin watching outings are provided daily from Central Beach (5 mins by car). Boats are launched directly into the surf. Scuba-diving and sea kayaking is available. The seal colony can be seen on Robberg peninsula on a coastal walk.
Plettenberg Bay has a wide choice of shops, banks, restaurants within 10 mins by car.
The nearest wine lands are near Oudtshoorn and this is the start of the much loved 'Route 62' through the wide Karroo landscapes to the Robertson vineyards and onto the Cape Peninsula.
The Tsitsikamma mountains, forests and coastal National Park resort at Storms River are all within an hour by car along the National (N2) toll road. There are forest and coastal walks in this area. Guide books are available in the house. A 2 or 3 day visit to Baviaans Kloof World Heritage Site, Addo Elephant Park and adjacent wilderness areas should be considered. Most big game species can be seen in natural surroundings where the bird species count is high. Distance by car up to 320kms from Plettenberg Bay on sealed roads. Baviaans Kloof is accessed through a winding mountain pass on gravelled roads. (See map) This is an area of diverse wildlife and great botanical interest. There are prehistoric sites, early rock art and interpretive centres in various wilderness areas which are highly regarded by visitors. The area is malaria free. It would take several weeks to see a wide range of interesting places in the region. Further information on application to the owner
Booking notes
Book by email. A non refundable deposit of £150 is required to confirm your booking. The balance is payable 6 weeks in advance in £ to a UK bank account. Terms on request. Minimum rental period 1 week. (We advise a minimum stay of 2 weeks to cover a good selection of attractions available). High season rates are £680 per week from 15 November to 15 January. May to August low season at £320 per week. Mid season £400 per week. Additional days pro rata.
Guest comments
'The house is perfect for us and it was the best holiday we have had' - German Deputy Ambassador and family based in Pretoria. Christmas 2006 - four weeks and ten days in 2007/8.
For booking and further information
Alastair Grant
Tel: (South Africa) + 27 445 330 728
Email: Click here
International Dialling Access Codes:
From Europe dial 00 in place of +
From USA dial 011 in place of +
If phoning from outside Europe or USA please consult your telephone directory for international dialling access codes.
This advertiser joined Owners Direct in March 2008,
and has advertised this property with us since August 2008.
Property Ref SA176
When contacting the owner please mention that you saw this property on Owners Direct Website.