High Corner Guest House

Breakfast is really good, and the location on High Street puts you right in the middle of Grahamstown. I’ve stayed here many times over the years and have always found the service excellent, the rooms clean, and the atmosphere lovely. I’d highly recommend it. Just ask for a room away from the street, especially when the students are around.

The house has a lovely blend of history and modern touches, and the food was great. The attention to detail and care were superb, too. It’s an unbelievably gorgeous guest house, with the friendliest staff and hostess around. I’m so spoiled now that it’ll be hard to stay anywhere else.

I’d always wondered what it was like inside High Corner after seeing it and walking past as a Rhodes University student. Finally spending a night in the Garden Room let me in on this well-kept secret. The place is beautiful and should be a stop for anyone who loves Grahamstown.

We stayed in the cozy “Guy Butler” room at the back of the house. There’s air conditioning and heating, and the bathroom was added using what look like old floorboards for its walls, a thoughtful choice for an old house. The building is a heritage property, so alterations need heritage council approval. It also has off-street parking. When we arrived, Elvis greeted us warmly and was our point of contact throughout the stay. He was friendly, and nothing was too much trouble. Breakfast was the usual buffet, and the staff accommodated specific requests. The house is just opposite the Drosty Arch in Grahamstown. It’s historic, probably one of the town’s earliest houses, with very thick walls, tall ceilings, and wooden floors. It was once the home of the late Guy Butler, the well-known poet and academic who lived in Grahamstown. One of the theatres at the 1820 Settlers monument is named after him. The conversion into a guest house has been done with care. We had a very pleasant stay in this Eastern Cape town during the National Arts Festival. The older, multi-storey house carries sound through its wooden floors, so you can hear activity in the upper rooms. As others have suggested, choose a room at the rear, since street noise can sometimes be excessive in this university town.