We arrived at On The Beach, a beautiful boutique hotel located in the heart of Wilderness, on a cloudy afternoon in January, after a long, but captivating 5 hour drive.
The Journey
Our journey took us through the Franschhoek Pass, where we were delighted to witness baboons frolicking on the grassy verges (amongst other things, which I’m far too polite to mention)!!!
We continued our journey through the ever-changing landscape along the R45, which passed the spectacular Theewaterskloof dam. This vast reservoir was sadly almost empty due to the prolonged dry season the region was experiencing.
From here we continued south, towards the coast and on to Hermanus, a hugely popular whale-watching destination. Where we stopped for a spot of lunch and a wander around the small town. I have to say, I was bitterly disappointed not to spot a whale, but considering it was out of season perhaps my expectations were a bit unrealistic! Ha ha. After stretching our legs we continued along the Garden Route and on to Wilderness.
On The Beach is a small boutique property, consisting of 7 rooms and is a short walk to the centre of Wilderness. Here you will find a good selection of bars and Restaurants. We ate at two excellent restaurants during our 2 night stay; Girls on the Square and Serendipity. Make sure you read my review of these restaurants, which can be found under the Lifestyle section.
The hotel is situated in the most incredible of locations. It has direct access to a white sandy beach via steps off the sundeck. There is a small pool on the sundeck and breakfast is served here most mornings, weather dependant. Breakfast is plentiful, with a great cold buffet selection, along with a hot menu available to order
Although On the Beach is small, it is perfectly formed. Providing guests with everything they could possibly need. The service is excellent, nothing is too much trouble. They offer free on-site parking, even giving your car a wash before you leave!
The accommodation
The rooms at On The Beach are wonderful. We booked suite 2, which was a ground floor, luxury beachfront suite, with direct access to the sundeck.
The huge oversized bed was positioned to face the ocean, the quality of the bedding was immediately noticeable, luxurious Egyptian cotton and soft pillows for a restful nights sleep. I couldn’t wait to wake up to the view of the ocean and the sound of crashing waves. Complete bliss!
The room had a small seating area with a table and two chairs, a sideboard with a large wall mounted TV. At the back of the beds headboard was the dressing area with a beautiful dressing table, (happy me) providing great lighting, storage and plug sockets!!
The bathroom was vast, modern and white. The definition of “luxury in simplicity” Offering a rain shower, separate toilet, free-standing bath and twin vanity sink.
We absolutely loved our short stay in Wilderness, it’s a fabulously relaxing holiday resort. The beach is deserted and endless.
The Indian Ocean is warm and inviting. Be warned though the waves are huge and the currents are strong, so take care! However, if you are brave enough to go in, it’s so invigorating
It really is the most perfect place to kick-back and completely unwind. In fact we enjoyed it so much we came back for another two nights on our return journey to Cape Town, although on our return we stayed at a different property
Life takes you down many paths but my favourite ones lead to the beach
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To learn more about Wilderness and the rest of our trip, read my South African Adventure article
