Quick Facts
E 21°25'04''
Budget Getaways Review
While Stilbaai itself is no stranger to facebrick-and-cement fountain kitsch, Charlotte House is the welcome exception. On offer are two stylish self-catering apartments set in a grand and elegant double-story mansion at the end of a residential road verging on fynbos and a milkwood forest.
Your hosts Jack and Meshell are veterans of the getaway industry, having brought us the remotely located River Shell (no longer available) and House of Eels in Vermaaklikheid. While filled with the same careful attention to detail and splashes of brilliance, Charlotte House is a marked departure from these eco-inspired dwellings.
The two Mediterranean-style units mirror each other in layout; both with an open-plan lounge with eat-in kitchen (equipped with the necessary basics), flowing into a generous bedroom (with even more generous king-size bed!) and en-suite bathroom with shower only. While each unit has one bedroom there are two sleeper couches (with linen provided) that can sleep either two young children or even two adults if privacy is not high on your agenda.
Sandwashed walls and floors prevail throughout the brightly lit rooms. Soft pastel blue and green shutters means a cosy interior at night – not to mention a long lie-in. Highly recommended as the beds are excellent affairs with crisp cotton linen. Ahhhhhhh… Prized surfboards, black and white photos of bygone summer holidays, pastel-painted kitchen tables, a carefully chosen antique linen throw and a coffee table that acts as a collection cabinet for pansy shells make for the kind of co-ordinated look that is seemingly effortless but so hard to replicate. Attached to each apartment is a small garden terrace - you'll no doubt find yourself here with coffee and beskuit contemplating the day ahead.
Viewed as a whole Charlotte House is best suited to travelling couples with an eye for the aesthetic - parents with young kids might do better looking elsewhere. It’s also perfect for the lone traveller who enjoys the proximity of others, or as a decadent base and hot shower for the surf mad. Go there and be pleased.
"Exceeded my expectations, and I will definitely be back. Thank you to the lovely hosts."
(visited May 2011)
"The apartments are made up so beautifully. The owners and their family are so accommodating and welcoming. It is situated right next to the reserve where you can go walking without too many people around. A great getaway to just go relax, fish and surf whilst still in comfort. We had a FANTASTIC TIME."
(visited August 2010)
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Where You'll Also Find Us
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans) • Barrydale • Beaufort West • Betty's Bay • Bonnievale • Bot River • Bredasdorp • Caledon • Calitzdorp • Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai • Cape Town area • Ceres • Citrusdal • Clanwilliam & Cederberg • Darling • De Rust • Franschhoek • Gansbaai • George • Grabouw & Elgin Valley • Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Knysna • Ladismith • Laingsburg • Lamberts Bay • Langebaan • Malgas • Matjiesfontein • McGregor • Montagu • Mossel Bay • Napier • Oudtshoorn • Paarl • Paternoster • Plettenberg Bay • Prince Albert • Pringle Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond • Riebeek West and Riebeek-Kasteel • Riversdale • Riviersonderend • Robertson • St Helena Bay • Stanford • Stilbaai • Strand, Gordon's Bay and Somerset West • Swellendam • Tulbagh • Velddrif • Vermaaklikheid • Wilderness • Witsand • Worcester & Hex Valley • Yzerfontein • Baviaanskloof • Cape St Francis & St Francis Bay • East London • Graaff-Reinet • Hogsback • Jeffreys Bay • Makhanda (Grahamstown) • Middelburg • Nieu-Bethesda • Rhodes • Sutherland