Birkenhead House
Perched high on the cliffs of Hermanus, overlooking Walker Bay, is the magnificent Birkenhead House, an ultimate coastal retreat. Its elegant beach-house atmosphere reflects the beauty of its coastal setting with rare antiques, maps and art. Most of the eleven opulently appointed sea-facing studio rooms offer expansive vistas of Walker Bay and the distant Overberg Mountains. From the comfort of their residence, guests can look forward to sighting the majestic Southern Right whales that enter the sheltered waters every year to calve. World-class cuisine, here, is a matter of course. Room service can bring a sumptuous breakfast to the comfort and privacy of your bedroom, or you may enjoy this on the front patio overlooking the expansive Walker Bay. Lavish meals and seafood delicacies are served daily and a selection of menus is available for your special day.
Facilities include a split-level swimming pool in a sheltered courtyard, an infinity pool above the ocean and a gym and treatment centre, while two of Hermanus' best swimming beaches, warm with the waters of the Indian Ocean, are on your doorstep. Spectacular mountain trails and breathtaking cliff path walks are in easy reach, opening up the Cape's thriving floral kingdom, the world's most diverse botanic ecosystem on southern Africa's very tip. Set amongst the unique flora of the Cape and with direct access to two sandy beaches and spectacular mountain trails, it is just a leisurely forty minutes stroll along a coastal path to the centre of the village. The ideals of space, light, water and flow are in perfect harmony at Birkenhead House, which makes it such a casual, easy hotel to be in. Here you feel rejuvenated, with all the fresh air, good food and endless views of the ocean. It is simple and informal and you can do as little or as much as you want, from relaxing on the sun-dappled deck chairs, to indulging your senses in the treatment centre or sipping a cocktail whilst enjoying the view after an evening swim on the beach below.
1 hour 30 minutes by car from Cape Town International Airport.
