This special nook of the Peninsula’s ‘far south’ is a nature haven and surfers’ hotspot, a place for kicking back, beach walks and family time. It also has some of the best seaside stays in Cape Town.
The end of another sublime day on the 8-kilometre beach, which stretches all the way from Kommetjie to Noordhoek.
What I found about accommodation here
- There is a good boutique hotel (thelastword.co.za) and a smattering of B&Bs, but the real finds here are in the self-catering category, hence the lack of TripAdvisor ratings.
- Kommetjie’s extraordinary setting – white sands creating a striated sea of blues, mountains peaks, milkwood trees and a nearby bird-filled vlei – has drawn investment: the standard of the holiday homes here is of the highest anywhere in SA.
- It’s the perfect family destination across ages. A large component of the community is perennial, which provides a sense that this is a safe space, where children can run feral. And for geeks, there’s fibre-fast Wi-Fi everywhere.
- ‘Shopping’ is made easy by highly professional agents. Kommetjie Hideaways has the largest selection, followed closely by Cape Villa Collection. Both offer an amazing portfolio; those featured here are just a tiny sample. Perfect Hideaways has five properties here – all are fabulous. For smaller (one- or two-bedroom) options, Airbnb is your best bet.
- For houses right on the beach, addresses to look out for include The Point, Royal Tern Close, Gannet Close, Duiker Drive and Pipers Close. Klein Slangkop is a secure eco-estate. Original ‘Kom’ houses are more affordable and more protected when the wind blows – which when it does, be warned, is fierce.
11 The Point
Not listed on TripAdvisor
For many, The Point – a tiny cul-de-sac lined with thatched houses on large beachfront plots – is the most sought-after address in Kommetjie; score a house with an uneven number and you literally step off your deck on to Long Beach. There are a few rental choices here but if No. 11 is available, this is the one to bag. Which is exactly what Joburg-based Trish van der Nest said to her husband when the house – then in serious disrepair – was up for grabs in 2012. Neatly renovated and now in great nick, it offers five bedrooms, two lounges, indoor and outdoor dining tables, a large kitchen and a pool right next to the beach. It’s a real decadence of space for two families sharing, and Trish’s classic beach-house style (wood, white linen, terracotta) is very easy on the eye. Given the location, size and decor, this is good value, so book well in advance or prepare for disappointment.
Room Tip
Only two bedrooms are en-suite, of which the main is the most spacious. The outside room has a lovely view. The other three bedrooms share a bathroom.
If The Point is unavailable, check out Pebbles, another Perfect Hideaways property sleeping 10.
Cost
From R5 500 (sleeps 10)
Contact
021-790-0972, perfecthideaways.co.za
Best Budget Stay
Slangkop Tented Camp
TripAdvisor No. 3 of 14 Speciality Lodgings
Originally developed as part of the Hoerikwaggo Hiking Trail, Slangkop Camp comprises six tents set in a milkwood forest at the south end of the village, a two-minute walk from the lighthouse and 100 metres from the sea. A meandering boardwalk connects the tents to a small shower and toilet block – rustic but cute – and the communal kitchen-dining room (complete with old Dover stove) and braai boma near the entrance. The whole set-up is pretty basic, but the somewhat monastic tents are quite delightful – a domed structure covered in latte, big enough to stand up in, with just enough space for two single beds. Each has a little deck with views over the vegetation to the sea, which lulls you to sleep at night. You’re strolling distance to Kommetjie’s small selection of pubs and restaurants – guests are not allowed to drive out of the camp after the gates close (5pm or 6pm, depending on season) – a little inconvenient, but at least you can drink to your heart’s content and totter home on foot.
Room Tip
Of the six tents, Milkwood enjoys the most secluded location.
Cost
From R620 per tent (sleeps two).
Contact
021-712-7471, sanparks.org.za
Best With Kids In Tow
Gannet Beach House
Not listed on TripAdvisor
Nic Ray and Efi Valdramidou bought their holiday house five years ago, when they were expecting their first child. ‘Nic is forever surfing, so I thought it would be nice to be close by so we could watch him, and he could pop by every now and then,’ she quips. They both fell instantly in love with Gannet, and you can see why: from the upstairs level, where the open-plan living/kitchen area and covered deck is located, you can see most of Kommetjie’s surf breaks and the mountains that dwarf Hout Bay; through the back windows, there’s a view of the greenbelt. It’s not on the beach because Efi wanted some shelter from the wind, but Nic can pick up his board and be at the backline within minutes. The master bedroom and children’s bunk room (both with bathtubs) lead off the upstairs living space, a perfect arrangement for a young family. Downstairs is another lounge and deck, and two more bedrooms sharing a bathroom, to accommodate a second family or friends. Efi’s simple white decor, with shards of bright colour, is the final clincher.
Room Tip
The downstairs lounge can be turned into a fifth bedroom, sleeping an additional four youngsters.
Cost
From R3 600 (sleeps six adults and six kids).
Contact
082-447-7960, kommetjiehideaways.co.za
Best Beach House
Farniente
Not listed on TripAdvisor
I think Kommetjie has the city’s most beautiful beach houses, but nothing tops this gem. The setting is stellar: a pathway leads through an emerald strip of lawn, enclosed by purple-tipped lavender and silvery restios, directly to the white sands. From the house you gaze west into the Atlantic hues; to the north the imposing peaks of Table Mountain National Park. Architecturally, the feel is rustic-chic farm-house, with cosy interiors separated by staircases that create nooks behind corners and into the eaves, and inviting glimpses through windows that look through each other into the pretty treed courtyard or the blue beyond. Thick glossy white walls, roughly plastered, contrast with shutters and sash windows painted sage. Decor strikes a balance between elegance and homely comfort, with a smattering of antiques, original art, rattan chairs, built-in daybeds; the kitchen is a cook’s dream. It’s maintained with great love by owners Joyce and John Bellis and, wandering around in a happy daze, you can’t help but feel grateful they share this perfect cocoon with the rest of us.
Room Tip
Only the main bedroom (with sea view) is in the house; three en-suite bedrooms have private entrances off the back courtyard. This makes Farniente equally great for a group or a romantic bolthole for two. No kids under 10.
Cost
From R5 000 (sleeps 8).
Contact
021-790-0972, perfecthideaways.co.za
Best For A Couple
Palm Villa Cottage
TripAdvisor listed but not rated
Given the plethora of large homes, I was delighted to discover this dinky one-bedroom cottage with a most fabulous location: directly on the lawns that embrace the eastern bank of the Kom, the ocean ‘basin’ that gave the village its name. When owner Wendy Smith renovated, she made the most of this lovely view, replacing an old bay window with large sliding doors that open onto a patio with built-in braai, deckchairs and a table. Wendy and husband Barry live adjacent and are happy to advise on where to shop or eat, but after check-in guests enjoy total privacy, with a separate front door and private garden access to the Kom. Wendy is generous – her welcome pack includes fruit, rusks, wine, chocolate – and she’s clearly a perfectionist; the cottage is in immaculate condition.
Room Tip
There is a sleeper couch for two extra people. If Palm Villa is occupied, or you prefer a more contemporary aesthetic, check out Blue Whale Surf Shack.
Cost
From R1 650 (sleeps two).
Contact
073-101-5320, booking.com
Best For Barefoot Living
Waves
Not listed on TripAdvisor
Cool and uncluttered, with contemporary clean-lined furniture, this is a house to move in and make your own. It’s not right on the beach but virtually a stone’s throw away, and you still enjoy Kommetjie’s classic sea and mountain views from the long shaded stoep. This overlooks the succulent garden and a generously sized pool, ideal for those who find the Atlantic Ocean too frigid. It’s been renovated with minimal fuss – a simple pitch-roof shell, with white American shutters on the windows and new cool-grey screed floors to invite barefoot living. The bathrooms – two en-suite and one shared between the third and fourth bedroom – are beautiful; the kitchen supremely functional. There is a Bang & Olufsen sound system but no TV. Designed for easy seaside living, Waves feels ideal for a group of friends or family with older children.
Room Tip
All the bedrooms are furnished with king- or queen-size beds. There’s a fireplace in the main en-suite. If Waves isn’t available, or you’d like a more slick architectural vibe, try Orca on 8.
Cost
From R 5 000 (sleeps eight).
Contact
021-783-2413, capevillacollection.com
Best Value
Salty Kisses
Not listed on TripAdvisor
There’s something special about this Cape Cod-style clapboard holiday home, with its old-fashioned atmosphere updated with contemporary styling. It’s set directly behind a protected milkwood forest glimpsed through downstairs bedroom windows and edging the charming garden; a great spot for birders. The living space is upstairs – an open-plan L-shape, with sliding doors opening onto the wraparound balcony. From here you look across the green canopy to the ocean and mountains. It’s a three-minute walk to Long Beach through the fairy-like green-belt, yet the house feels secluded and private – it’s lovely not to be overlooked
in any way, except by the abundant birdlife. Furnished with taste by local owner Heather McCulloch, the rate is very good value for Kommetjie, particularly in summer when prices usually somersault into Christmas.
Room Tip
This is an ideal multi-generational house, with one bedroom upstairs and three downstairs. One of these has doors opening onto the garden; another is en- suite, with its own lounge area – ideal for a couple wanting more privacy (or to fit in two more single beds). The compact children’s room has two bunk beds.
Cost
From R3 750 (sleeps six adults and four kids). No children under six.
Contact
021-783-2413, capevillacollection.com
Worth A Look
Lorelei
Built around 1900, this stone cottage is a Kommetjie original. The Staines have partitioned off what was the kitchen as a lounge, and added a new galley-style kitchen leading to the delightful outside entertainment area with a pool. There are two bedrooms in the loft. From R795 for two, plus R295 pp extra (sleeps four). 082-456-9476, airbnb.com
Glasenapp House
A contemporary timber box artfully placed amid the milkwoods near the lighthouse. Featuring imported fittings and furniture, Glasenapp will please modern design enthusiasts. The house has a sauna (a boon after the frigid ocean) and a rooftop deck. From R2 900 (sleeps six). kommetjiehideaways.co.za
Blue Whale Surf Shack
A tiny, double-storey thatched cottage within Klein Slangkop eco-estate, this chic little bolthole is just a minute’s stroll from Long Beach, and can accommodate two adults in the loft bedroom and two kids on daybeds downstairs. From R1 300 (sleeps four). kommetjiehideaways.co.za
Misty Mornings
Klein Slangkop must be one of the world’s best-looking gated estates but it’s very densely developed. A house with direct beach access and unobstructed views, like this one, is ideal. From R2 500 (sleeps six). kommetjiebeachretreats.co.za
8 On Orca is another good option in the eco-estate. An architect-designed, four-bedroom villa offering luxury at a very fair rate. Well managed and much loved. From R3 500 (sleeps 8). 082-786-9262, airbnb.com, booking.com
- Climbing the Slangkop Lighthouse (open week- days only). 021-783-1717
- Imhoff Farm for good food, shopping and kids’ fun.
- Horse riding on the beach.
- Some say the best surfing in Cape Town – the local surf shop rents out gear.
- De Kom tidal pool at high tide – for a swim and sundowners (or at ‘Witches Rocks’ off the boardwalk).
- The new Kelp Shack at Soetwater Environmental Centre, for an educational walk and a meal made with seaweed. 068-262-2106
- A gin tasting at Deep South Distillery.
- AndRoc’s mobile kitchen at the beach; deliveries from Komin Noodle; the Neighbourhood Farm shop at the primary school.
- Far Out Kites; buy one and fly it on the beach.
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