This was a beautiful thatched house on the outskirts of Stellenbosch about 20 minutes walk from the center of town. The walk is through leafy avenues and perfectly safe both day and night.

The house has a lovely pool and patio area for relaxation and breakfast can be taken inside or outside weather dependant. The breakfast was lovely and very filling.

There is also internet acess in the lounge area which has a TV, not that we watched it. Like most of the B&B's there is an honesty bar which comes in very useful for those cold beers or glases of wine.

Peter and Katrina are lovely friendly hosts and have a wide knowledge of the area to help you with your stay.

Our room was up in the thatched lofts and the room was a good size overlooking the pool. One slight problem was that for this room although it had a private bathroom it was acrss the landing, not a major problem but a bit inconvenient for late night toilet visits.

Beads was a nice resturant in town and the best vineyards we visited was Tokara (free), Simonsig and Delheim the latter had a lovely Pinotage Rose.

Overall very good value for money and a perfect base for the winelands exploration.

Very clean and tidy B&B with a pleasant host. It is in a good area and we were able to walk in to Stellenbosch (although not if you have your heels on). At breakfast you could have as much as you wanted of fruit ,cerals ,lovely breads, toast and cakes and there was also optional pancakes and bacon. We were only there for one night and did not get chance to try out the pool, as it was also too chilly, but it did look very welcoming. We would also recommend Tokara for lunch or dinner which is on a vineyard in the hills and has spectacular views and excellent food (not cheap but worth it). we also went on the cellar and tasting tour at Berkelders which was great value for money.

We stayed at the Beautiful South for one night on our Winelands expedition out of Cape Town.

The town itself is beautiful for wandering round, we picked up some bits from the supermarket and sat on the grassy square to eat. The museum is wonderfully operated and there is no shortage of restaurants.

We checked into Beautiful South in the afternoon by a very welcoming chap, he was extremely helpful and got us settled into our lovely room with a balcony overlooking the well tended front garden. We made use of the sparkling pool, the owner was there with his kids - he too was very friendly.

They keep a good library of books in the house, there are plenty of tour guides to inspire and the obligatory John Platter wine guide to tell you when you should be getting gooseberries or coal.

We drove into Stellie that night, it was only a five to ten minute drive that I am sure we could have walked if my shoes were more comfortable!

Breakfast is a communal affair, you all sit round the table by the pool. 'Catch of the Day' was pancakes, done with bacon and syrup. There were also cheeses and cereals etc inside. Just enough to set you up for a couple of wine tastings. We were also given some great tips for where to visit. We were going to go to Spier but changed our plans, on their advice, for two better options with great views and away from the madding crowds. aka tour busses. We went to Moratie and Delheim and they were great!!

Thanks to everyone at Beautiful South. It was a great contrast to be out of Cape Town and to get some suburban hospitality.

Recommended!
Haze

A friend and I spent two nights at the Beautiful South. My friend learned of this guest house through other friends. Each room has its own unique theme--mine was a "lion" theme with a huge straw lion head over the bed. The rooms had modern bathroom fixtures and nice linens. Breakfast was held in a central dining room with the other guests. The breakfast food was outstanding. Security was adequate for Stellenbosch. We met some great guests from all corners of the world.

My only complaint was that this property advertises itself as just blocks from downtown Stellenbosch. The reality was we needed to drive to restaurants and stores. While the drive was not long, I would not consider this place to be walking distance to the business district.

Overall, I would recommend this place for the unique, cute ambiance and wonderful breakfast (oh, and a great deal too!)