The name of this particular apartment is "Annapurna". The name is taken from a mountain peak in Nepal, as a testimony to the breath-taking, sweeping views of the Hout Bay valley below and the surrounding mountains. There are no words that can really convey how awesome the views are, and you will no doubt spend many hours just admiring them during your stay.
As an entire space all to yourself, you will get three bedrooms where up to six people can be accommodated. High speed WiFi with back up power supply to see you through those bouts of Eskom loadshedding. Smart TV equipped with Netflix.
The apartment boasts down-to-earth features merged with luxurious highlights. The living area has solid wooden floors, contrasted with the bedrooms plush carpets. The living area has two crystal chandeliers, compared with the bedrooms dimmable downlighters. On warmer days, open up all the windows to let the view in, and enjoy the cool ocean breeze drifting over the mountaintop from Llandudno Beach a mere 800 meters away, as the eagle flies.
The main bedroom welcomes in the valley views, is quite spacious, has ample cupboard space with both a “his and hers” section, and has an ensuite bathroom. The bathroom boasts a large walk-in shower, a separate bath, and a beautiful mirror and marble basin vanity (and of course, the ever-necessary toilet).
The second bedroom enjoys afternoon sunshine, is medium-sized, has sizable cupboard space and a sliding door from the bedroom onto the outside wooden deck. The third bedrooms also enjoys the late sun, is smaller than the other two, and therefore could be described as small, yet still manages to fit a king-size bed nonetheless, and also has sufficient cupboard space. A communal bathroom offers a shower, toilet and basin. There is an private outside laundry area with washing machine and a covered washline.
The garden, the pool, the jacuzzi, the large outside built-in braai (barbeque) area, and the two firepits, are communal and available for use by all guests. To manage the use of the jacuzzi, braai area and firepits, we do have a schedule where you will need to pre-book the area for your use. Outside table and chairs are positioned at key viewpoints through-out the property for guests to make use of whilst they enjoy the garden and pool area.
Please do read our special cautionary note regarding children on the property, in the section below, "Other things to note".
The garden, pool area and outside entertainment areas are for communal use by all guests. However, the spacious wooden deck off the living area of the apartment is for your use only.
We do have a booking schedule for the outside built-in-braai area and the two firepits, and you will need to book a spot, if it's available, to make sure there's no conflict with other guests.
Interaction with Guests
We give my guests space but am available when needed. We won't be onsite to assist you. However, we are most definitely available on our mobile/cellphone and by email and we do our best to provide you with the time & attention you need to make your stay with us enjoyable. If additional assistance is required on-site, either ourselves or a co-host will be available to see to anything that needs specific attention. If you require more specific hands-on assistance with your stay in Cape Town, we can certainly step it up and provide what you need. All we need from you if to communicate that with us upfront, so we can know what to arrange in advance. Things we an assist with:-
- Airport transfers
- Recommendations of restaurants, tourist spots and must-sees, local treasures
- Warnings of what to avoid
- We also have accommodation in our guesthouse in Johannesburg, if you plan to visit that city. Ask us more about that if you're interested.
- We also have access to accommodation through-out South Africa through a timeshare-program, which can provide you access to accommodation in almost every tourist destination spot in the country, including safari-type destinations like Kruger National Park.
Other Things to Note
Our apartment can accommodate children, however we offer a precautionary note to parents. We have had many children stay at the property, without incident. However, if you are a nervous parent or feel that your children are not able to be safe without constant supervision, you might NOT feel at ease with our property. There is one big staircases leading from the parking area to the front door of the apartment. There is a staircase inside the apartment. There are several large staircases leading to the pool and entertainment areas. With a property this size, it is not possible to baby-proof or kid-proof everything. Your children will need a degree of common-sense to be able to make use of the property.
The Neighborhood
The neighborhood. Well, in South Africa we use the queen’s English, so we spell it “neighbourhood”. Anyhow, back to the point… there is so much to be said for Hout Bay itself as a neighbourhood, and then so much more about Cape Town as a city. Oh, where to start!
Hout Bay is a multi-cultural, multi-national suburb. There are more than 5 000 households. We have 3 distinct areas, each worlds’ apart, yet we as a community try our best to embrace the gap and integrate as a united community. The gap is widened by so many factors it’s not worth getting into here, however we bond on the most natural level possible – humanity.
There is Imizamo Yetho, a melting pot of controversy, home to some 40 000 informal settlers, and many formal residents as well. Then there is Harbour Heights, on the other side of the valley, home to some informal settlers however houses the longest-standing residents of the Hout Bay valley, the long-serving fisherman’s community, mostly homed in council-housing. And then there is the rest of Hout Bay, who are not living in council-housing or informal shacks. All this adds for very interesting dynamics that will fascinate you. Official tours are available inside Imizamo Yetho, if you wish to witness first-hand the internal workings of a South African informal settlement.
Hout Bay has some of these wonderful things to explore, a few of which are:-
Hout Bay Market - eclectic, arty, inspiring, entertaining, musical, creativity [hidden_information] co za. Fish on the Rocks / Snookies – world-renowned take-away hake fish & slap chips (aka “tjips”). Hout Bay Harbour tour boats to see great white sharks at Seal Island – have you seen those pictures of great white sharks breaching out of the water with their full bodies as they’re chasing a seal? It all happens here… - drumbeatcharters co za and [hidden_information] co za and others. Hout Bay Harbour famous restaurant, Mariner’s Wharf, known for their seafood platters [hidden_information] co za. Hout Bay Vineyard – if you get your hands on one of their sparkling rose wines, don’t share [hidden_information] co za. Long-established and well-respected Chapman’s Peak Hotel Restaurant (try the delicious calamari in a pan) and Dunes Restaurant (a must for those wind-still summer days and sunset drinks) positioned right on the Hout Bay beachfront [hidden_information] co za / restaurant-e.htm. A little bit of a nightlife and live music at Pakalolo’s [hidden_information] co za. Our own Little Italy found at Dario’s Coffee Shop – if you go on grappa Thursday, be prepared to have grappa for breakfast (I’ve also heard been subjected to grappa Tuesdays and grappa Fridays, which makes me wonder if not every day is grappa day at Dario’s) [hidden_information] co za. Hout Bay Beach, great for long walks hand in hand with your loved one
Famous nudist Sandy Bay Beach, more in the summer months if that’s your thing, and more my thing, an outstanding horse-riding beach for the winter months. Pristine Llandudno Beach, quite literally one of the most beautiful, pristine beaches in the world with pearly white sand, granite boulders and some of the world’s most expensive and architecturally awe-inspiring real estate positioned around it. Constantia Nek Restaurants – fine dining on one side, tapas-style with live music on the other side [hidden_information] co za. Horse riding - search for The Riding Centre Hout Bay on social media sites. Pottery Studio [hidden_information] co za. Art in the Forest [hidden_information] com. Dozens of eclectic coffee shops and cafes, too numerous to mention here. Chapmans’ Peak Drive, one of the world’s wonders and offering unimaginable views from its historical roadway [hidden_information] co za. Many beautiful and well-worth-it hiking trails up the various mountains, including the protected Oranjekloof Nature Reserve (permits required) [hidden_information] co za. And the list goes on and on…this is all just in the Hout Bay valley, don’t get me started on what lies outside of the valley…
Hout Bay is very popular with foreigners whom are affectionally called “swallows”, mostly German, some British, French and other nationalities. They live abroad for 9 months of the year, and come to rest in Hout Bay for the summer months, usually December / January / February.
What will likely strike you about Hout Bay, is the sense of community. Everyone is friends with everybody. There is a great sense of fighting for the benefit of the community, a volunteer spirit that rises amongst the valley’s residents whenever necessary, and a sense of comradery. Witness the Argus Cycle Tour in Hout Bay and you’ll quickly see how quirky we all are. Come, witness, experience and let the madness infect you… you will never look back, and may end up never leaving (as many have done – come, seen and stayed). Welcome to Hout Bay!
Getting Around
There are a few options for public transportation, however it is probably best to hire your own car. Public transportation:
1. MyCity buses: There is a MyCity bus terminal right outside the entrance to Mount Rhodes Estate. There are several other bus terminals through-out Hout Bay. The MyCity bus serves most of the high-demand areas. For more information on the MyCity bus routes, see the website myciti org za /en/routes/
2. Worldwide known and ascribed to, Uber taxi service, see the website [hidden_information] com, or use the app on your smart phone.
3. Local taxis - not recommended.
4. Local train - not recommended.
5. Red Tourist Bus - highly recommended, see the website [hidden_information] co za /cape-town for more information.
6. Again, as stated above, we highly recommend you hire your own car. Speak to us about options of hiring a car from us, or you can use one of the well-known car hiring companies like Avis, Hertz, etc.
