Budget friendly self-catering accommodation, Western Cape

By Roxanne Reid
If you’re like me, you need a few days away every now and then to stay invigorated and sane. But what happens if the purse strings are tight? Luckily, there’s lots of budget friendly self-catering accommodation in the Western Cape where you can stay without having to hawk your house.

​South Africa’s Western Cape is magnificent, a place of vineyards and Winelands, open stretches of Karoo veld with sheep, big skies and a quirky character. It stretches towards the mountains, rivers and oceans of the Overberg where you can find the southernmost point of Africa and landscapes of yellow canola fields. It rumbles part of the way along the scenically striking Garden Route with its forests, lakes and beaches. And don’t forget the West Coast, where the vibe is laidback and the seafood superb.
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• I’ve put together a list of 18 self-catering accommodation places in the Western Cape where two people sharing can stay for R1100 – or less – per night.
• All rates I’ve quoted are off-peak prices and don’t reflect peak-season Christmas/New Year increases.
• Note that leisure travel in South Africa has only officially reopened after the Covid-19 lockdown for travel within your own province, but it’s good to dream and plan ahead in any case. 
• Please ask about any specials before you book. A number of these Western Cape accommodation places are offering substantial (20-40%) winter and spring discounts on the rates quoted here. These specials may run until September or November in some cases, so do yourself a favour and check.
• There’s a link to an accommodation establishment’s own website at the beginning of each snippet to make booking enquiries easy for you.
• I’ve put an *asterisk next to those places I’ve experienced for myself. The others have all been recommended by friends from their personal experience.
• I’ve listed regions and accommodations alphabetically so I can’t be accused of favouritism!

Cape Winelands

​1. *Eikelaan farm cottages, Tulbagh

If the farm lifestyle appeals to you, you’ll love Eikelaan Farm Cottages, 10 minutes outside Tulbagh. There are farm animals like sheep and hens and geese, a farm dam, an organic veggie garden that you can buy from, and wraparound views of knuckled mountains. The one-bedroomed cottages (with king-sized beds) both have an en suite bathroom, full kitchen, lounge area with fireplace for cosy winters, aircon for hot summers, and wide stoep for lazy lunches or braais. A pull-out bed in the lounge can accommodate another two people – great if you have kids. It’s all spotlessly clean and spacious. There’s also a bigger family cottage.

There’s a pool for cooling off in summer and a small children’s play area. Go walking through the fynbos, gaze at the stars, cycle along the farm tracks or just relax on your stoep. Take a drive into town to discover all the things to do in Tulbagh.

R950 for 2-4 people sharing

Read more about Eikelaan Farm Cottages


2. Plum Tree Cottage, McGregor

Get your country cool on in McGregor, a village of small and peaceful proportions. Stay at the delightful thatched Plum Tree Cottage. You get a queen-size bed, big bathroom with bath and shower, and an open-plan living and dining area with a fully equipped kitchen – there’s even a washing machine and tumble dryer. Bonuses that add a touch of magic to your tranquil experience are the vine-covered stoep where you can relax to admire the mountain views, and a pretty garden. There’s a braai area too, and you’re in easy walking distance of the village.

Rise early to listen to the birds, enjoy wine on the stoep as you watch the sunset, or explore to discover the many things to do in McGregor, from hiking to wine tasting, from a country market to driving along the Road to Nowhere.

R860 for 2 people sharing

Other affordable stays in McGregor include Bougainvillea Cottage (R890), Miss Milly Folly (R620) and Ons Huisie (R890).


Garden Route

3. Footprints of Knysna, Knysna

Who doesn’t want to spend time in Knysna on the Garden Route? But accommodation here can be pricey. Not so Footprints of Knysna where two of the units fit our budget. The little Featherbed Studio is a flamboyantly coloured loft with dormer windows, queen-size bed, en suite bathroom with bath and shower, and kitchenette with fridge and microwave. Views of the Knysna lagoon from the balcony make this the best place to enjoy your morning coffee or sundowners.

The bigger Heads Up Apartment (pictured), also on the upper level, is decorated in nautical shades of blue and white. Expect wonderful views from huge picture windows in the open-plan living/dining area. The kitchen is fully equipped with stove, microwave and fridge. There’s a separate bedroom with queen-size bed and en suite bathroom with bath and shower. Views of the lagoon from the deck are magical, and there’s a braai to encourage you to make the most of them. Spend time here to watch the Knysna Heads, the first flush of dawn pink or the stars after dark.

R600 for 2 people sharing the Featherbed Studio
R700 for 2 people sharing the Heads Up Apartment

​Another place to consider is Forest Edge just outside Knysna, where the standard cottages fit our budget. As its name suggests the cottages are on the edge of the Knysna forest. 

4.*Forest Cabin, Wilderness Ebb & Flow

Stay over in the Forest Cabins at Ebb & Flow Rest Camp in the Wilderness Section of SANParks’ Garden Route National Park and you’ll be surrounded by nature, with good hiking and kayaking right on your doorstep. These log cabins along the Touw River have two single beds, with small en suite shower and loo. Crockery and cutlery are provided and there’s a braai and fridge on your deck, which is a great place to sit to listen to the birds and watch kayakers gliding up and down the river. If you prefer not to braai, there’s a communal kitchen for cooking – and washing up.

This makes a great base from which to explore the Wilderness lake district, some excellent forest hikes and drives. Don’t miss an early morning walk on Wilderness Beach, which is in spitting distance, or some of the many of other things to do in Wilderness.

R890 for 2 people sharing
Additional R46 per person per night conservation fee (unless you have a Wild Card).


5. *Goukamma Nature Reserve 

CapeNature’s Goukamma Nature Reserve is a superb mix of coastal fynbos, coastal forest, dunefields and lakes between Knysna and Sedgefield on the Garden Route. The pick of the accommodation here is Otter’s Rest Lodge (pictured), with its modern décor and sweeping views over the Goukamma River towards the ocean. It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a gorgeous open-plan living area with fully equipped kitchen. There’s an indoor fireplace and a freestanding braai on the large deck. Fish Eagle Loft sits above it, sleeping only two people. There are also freestanding chalets at Goukamma, each with two bedrooms and sharing one bathroom.

Goukamma is a perfect place for those who enjoy walking and nature. Knock yourself out on beach, dune and forest trails from 4-15km, and keep your eyes peeled for birds like the brightly coloured Knysna turaco. There’s plenty to do this side of Knysna. Get lulled to sleep by the distant sound of the sea.

R1030 for 2-4 people sharing Otter’s Rest Lodge
R900 for 2 people sharing Fish Eagle Loft
R950 for 2-4 people sharing the cottages
Additional R40 per person per night conservation fee (unless you have a Wild Card).

Read more about Otter’s Rest Lodge


Karoo

​6. *Gamkaberg Nature Reserve 

What’s not to love about the eco/sustainability ethics of CapeNature’s Gamkaberg Nature Reserve between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn in the Karoo? Each eco lodge has safari tents and if you book one of them, no other party is booked in with you so you get the place to yourselves. The tents are on wooden decks and have proper beds, with safari chairs for lounging on the deck. There are shared ablutions with hot showers and waterless toilets. (If you hate waterless, you might prefer Tierkloof or Xami’s flush loos.) The equipped kitchen a short walk away from your tent has a gas hob and solar fridge and there’s a boma where you can enjoy a braai. Each tented lodge also has a splash pool, which is a thrill on a hot day. Xami Eco Lodge is a little different in that all facilities are together on one deck.

The joy of these tented camps is the environment and the views, the glow of warm rocks as the sun sets, the chance to listen to the dawn chorus as you sip your first cup of coffee. Hike one of the trails, spot animals and birds, go rock climbing at Tierkloof or drive a 4x4 trail.

R650 for 2 people sharing at Fossil Ridge (2 tents), Sweet Thorn (3 tents), Tierkloof (4 tents) and Xami Eco Lodge (1 tent)
Additional R40 per person per night conservation fee (unless you have a Wild Card).

Read more about Fossil Ridge Eco Lodge
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7. Karoo Khaya, Prince Albert 

You’ll find Karoo Khaya on a smallholding at the edge of Prince Albert in the Great Karoo. Four cottages share a tranquil garden, with fruit trees, a veggie garden and olive orchards. The cottages have a living area/kitchenette with everything you need to self cater, including small fridge, electric hob and microwave. There’s also a communal boma/braai area. Cottage 4 has a private braai area, a queen-size four-poster and a shower. The others have queen or twin beds and bathrooms with either shower or freestanding Victorian-style bath. Add hot water bottles and heaters in winter, and fans and a splash pool for summer.

There’s something special about Karoo hospitality so sit back and relax, visit the farm animals and orchards, gaze at the stars where the lack of street lights enhances your experience. Despite the quiet at Karoo Khaya, the village buzz is an easy walk away. There are lots of things to do in Prince Albert, two of my favourites being to drive the gravel switchbacks of the Swartberg Pass and visit the Fransie Pienaar museum.

R860 for 2 people sharing


8. *Olive Grove Guest Farm, Beaufort West

Olive Grove Guest Farm 20km outside Beaufort West in the Great Karoo is a working olive farm with lots of wide open space for a tranquil stay. The en suite rooms are popular for an overnight stay on a longer road trip. For an extra cost, you can order breakfast or dinner. But for a longer, more relaxing stay the self-catering chalets are your best choice. There are two bedrooms, a bath with showerhead, fully equipped kitchen and braai. Since the Karoo is a place of extremes, there’s an aircon for hot Karoo summers and heaters for cold Karoo winters.

Indulge in the classic Karoo activity of stoep-sitting, watch the sunset and admire the views of mountains and veld. Go bird watching, walk one of the trails or bring your mountain bike, take to the dam in a canoe. In olive season (March to July) you may be able to do an olive tour and tasting. Leave the farm to enjoy a day visit to the nearby Karoo National Park or explore some of the other things to do in Beaufort West.

R790 for 2 sharing a room
R970 for 2 sharing a self-catering cottage


Overberg

9. The Barnacle, Pringle Bay

The Milkwood Apartment at The Barnacle in Pringle Bay is a dinky space decked out in bright and cheerful colours. You get an open-plan space with double bed, bathroom with Victorian bath and shower, lounge/dining area and kitchenette. There’s also a generous outdoor braai area with built-in braai. It’s all within a minute’s walk of the beach and the Buffels River Mouth.

Go kayaking, hiking and bird-watching to spot the elusive Rooiels rockjumper. Other wildlife that lives in harmony with the residents includes porcupines, genets, duikers, baboons and otters. There are restaurants for days you don’t feel like self-catering, a little village market each weekend. Don’t miss meeting Montana the town sheep or the three alpacas that raise money for the fire station.

R1100 for 2 people sharing


10. *Belfield cottages, Grabouw/Elgin

Love the romantic notion of staying on a wine farm? You can do that at Belfield cottages in Grabouw/Elgin. There are three two-sleeper cottages under shady oak trees: Apple Rose, The Stables and Acorn Cottage (pictured). You’ll get a small living room with a fireplace for cold winter’s days and a porch where you can dream away the late afternoon in mid-summer or enjoy a braai. There’s a well equipped kitchen too and a bedroom en suite. The Stables Cottage is one large open-plan room.

Go hiking and wine tasting in the area, ask for a tasting of Belfield’s reds. Chat to Mel about the history of the farm and she might even tell you about some of the odd characters (think jailbird and prostitute) they found staying on the farm when they first arrived 20 years ago. There’s a two-bedroomed cottage for families too.

R900-R1000 for 2 people sharing


11. *Black Oystercatcher cottages near Elim 

Another wine farm offering cottages to stay is Black Oystercatcher in the Overberg Strandveld. Just four cottages sit in a row overlooking an organic vegetable patch. Each has a separate bedroom en suite and a compact open-plan living room (two of them with a fireplace), dining area and well equipped kitchen. The predominantly white palette gives the cottages a clean, fresh aspect. A bonus is the wide stoep with built-in braai, perfect for long lunches or romantic firelit suppers.

Go wine tasting or beer tasting on the estate, enjoy a meal at its own restaurant, or bring your bike to explore the surrounding Agulhas Plain. L’Agulhas – where you can see the lighthouse and southernmost tip of Africa – is only 43km away. Don’t miss a visit to the historic Moravian village of Elim 10km away

R990 for 2 people sharing


12. Honeyrock Cottages, Kleinmond

You’ll find Honeyrock Cottages between the Kogelberg mountains and the ocean just outside Kleinmond in the Overberg. There are seven cottages, some with one big open-plan room of living/sleeping space, others with a separate bedroom so mention your preference when you book. There’s even a honeymoon suite. In all cases, you get a comfy lounge and dining area as well as a fully equipped kitchen for self-catering.

Sit on your stoep to admire the Kogelberg mountains, do a short walk through the fynbos, go bird-watching for specials like the orange-breasted sunbird and Cape sugarbird, or take a short drive to the beach. There are lots of things to do in Kleinmond, including hiking in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, seeing wild horses at Rooisand Nature Reserve, or walking along the cliffs above the rocks and the sea.

R580-R805 for 2 people sharing


13. *Platbos Forest, Gansbaai 

Get back to nature in the indigenous Platbos Forest near Gansbaai. Old Olive is a log cabin with double bed, open-plan living area with indoor fireplace and fully equipped kitchen with gas mini fridge and cooker (no electricity so no microwave).

Honey Bee and Bushbuck suites are free-standing half-cabin, half-tented rooms with double beds, separate braai areas, showers and toilets (waterless at Honey Bee and flush at Bushbuck). For all units, you make a fire in the donkey boiler (wood supplied) for a hot shower in the partially enclosed ablutions a short walk along a leaf-strewn path from the cabin or suite. Honey Bee has a separate kitchen, while Bushbuck’s kitchen is part of the main unit. Bushbuck also has an indoor fireplace. There’s a mozzie net for summer or you can drop down the canvas blinds along the front when it’s cold.

Each suite stands in a patch of indigenous forest so it’s like having the whole forest to yourself. You’ll be entranced by the shadowy dance of the leaves of white stinkwood trees and the call of birds. If you enjoy nature you’ll love this unusual off-grid experience; if you’re super anxious about the odd creepy crawly, then this nature immersion may not be for you.

Explore the hiking trails or relax in the shady forest (read why Platbos is special here). You may even hear the bark of a bushbuck nearby. There are lots of things to do in Gansbaai 15km away, like whale and shark watching experiences.

R900 for 2 people sharing Old Olive Cabin
R1050 for 2 people sharing Honey Bee Suite or Bushbuck Suite


14. *Robin’s Nest, Hermanus

Robin’s Nest lies at the start of the Hemel en Aarde Valley Road in Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast. Think queen-size bed, ceiling fan, easy chairs to relax in and a neat little kitchenette that allows the independence of self-catering. There’s a dedicated area in the garden for anyone who wants to braai, but my favourite place to sit is on the balcony that looks out over the beautiful garden with big trees and to the hills beyond. Three of the units are up a flight of wooden stairs from the parking, and you have the peace of mind that comes from being on a secure, gated estate.

You’re in walking distance of one of the best wine shops in the country as well as a couple of restaurants. A brewery and two wineries are also in walking distance for tastings, while the riches of the Hemel en Aarde Valley wine farms and restaurants are just a short drive away. There are loads of things to do in Hermanus, like whale watching from June to November.

R750 for 2 people sharing


15. Umshanti, Buffeljags near Swellendam

Whether you’re looking for peace and quiet or adventure, you might find it at Umshanti at Buffeljags about 12km east of Swellendam. The sweet Gypsy Cottage (pictured) is shaped like a gypsy caravan, but has everything you need – double bed, equipped kitchenette, wooden deck with views of the dam and mountains, and a braai next to the deck. Your private bathroom with shower and camping toilet is only partially enclosed for a back-to-nature feel. Gypsy Cottage 2 has the same facilities, but Gypsy 1 is the most sheltered and private of all the units.

The Chapel is a romantic honeymoon suite with gorgeous views of the dam and mountains. It has all the facilities of the other two cottages, but with a fully indoor bathroom.

Umshanti is popular with families staying in larger cottages or camping during weekends and peak season. If you prefer your holidays quiet and tranquil, try to go midweek and/or out of school holidays.

Hike to a mountain pool, go swimming, boat cruising, canoeing or take to the skies on a tandem microlight for a bird’s eye view of your surroundings. There are also tons of fun things to do in Swellendam just a short drive away.

R600 for 2 people sharing Gypsy Cottage
R750 for 2 people sharing Gypsy Cottage 2
R950 for 2 people sharing The Chapel


West Coast

16. *Azzuro, Paternoster 

For a dose of beach, ocean and salty air, stay at Azzuro self-catering cottage in the Mosselbank section of Paternoster on the West Coast. It’s a quaint thatched cottage with a spacious open-plan living/dining/kitchen area, and a separate bedroom with en suite shower and loo. The kitchen is well equipped with a gas hob, microwave and bar fridge. For an adventure in warm weather, try the outdoor bath in a courtyard off the bedroom.

On the cottage’s stoep, where you can sit to watch the world go by, there’s a built-in braai that doubles as a pizza oven, or you can take the Weber braai outside if you prefer. Although there’s no view of the sea from the cottage, you’re just one street away from the beach.

There’s no shortage of things to do in Paternoster, from visiting Cape Columbine lighthouse and nature reserve and sampling a range of good restaurants to long walks on the beach.

R1000-R1100 for 2 people sharing

Read more about Azzuro


17. Enjo Nature Farm, Biedouw Valley

If staying on a farm far from the hurly burly appeals to you, have a look at Enjo Nature Farm about 65km from Clanwilliam in the Cederberg. Think thatched chalets next to the river with open-plan living/dining/kitchen area with two-plate hob and small fridge, king-size bed and en suite bathroom. There’s also an outdoor bath for enjoying the stars in warm weather, and fresh mountain spring water on tap.

If you love off-the-grid remoteness far from any other humans, choose the Lonely Planet Cottage (pictured). Get to it via a scenic jeep track, so a vehicle with high clearance is best. There’s no electricity, but a fireplace inside and braai outside. There’s a queen-size bed in a separate bedroom, an open-plan living area and kitchenette with solar-heated water, gas fridge and two-plate gas hob.

Take a dip in the natural stone-walled Jacuzzi, enjoy views of the veld and koppies, admire a sky full of stars where there’s almost no light pollution. If you must, you can explore further afield in search of things to do in the Cederberg.

R750 for 2 people sharing Enjo or Oak Chalets
R750 for 2 people sharing Lonely Planet Cottage


18. *Sea Shack, Paternoster

You’ll find the unusual Sea Shack inside the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve just outside Paternoster on the West Coast. There are two rows of cabins, the pick of the bunch being those in the front row, with views of the rocks and sea. Your bedroom is a cute little wooden cabin with room enough for just a double bed or two singles. There are communal eco-loos and gas showers, and a communal cooking/braai/bar area. The camp is off the grid, with solar lights and gas for hot water.

The cabins are close together so are better suited for social types than lone wolves who value their privacy, especially on weekends or in high season. Fall out of bed and on to the beach, watch the sunset over the ocean, drive round Cape Columbine Nature Reserve and to the lighthouse. There’s also much to do in Paternoster just 5km away.

R820 for 2 people sharing (if you stay 2 nights Mon to Thurs it’s R750 per night for 2 people sharing)

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