Mermaid Guest House

The room was small, but the view was lovely. We came at the tail end of the off season, so it was quiet, and the beach and a couple of restaurants were within walking distance. This guest house had the feel of a cute, quaint bed and breakfast on the Eastern Coast in the States. The owner was nice and greeted us with a smile. Breakfast was an English Breakfast spread, with hot items made to order. For some reason, they had the best eggs.

After a week travelling the garden route, this was easily my favourite guest house. It was small, clean, and welcoming, just how I remember guest houses being. I was surprised it had A/C, since most places along the route don’t, and it was the only place that provided a face cloth. The tea station was extensive, and I really appreciated the green tea and chamomile. Breakfast was great too. The only issue was that the shower head in our room made showering difficult.

There’s so much here for families, including a children’s play area, books, and games, plus a well stocked mini bar and bathroom basics like soap and shampoo. Breakfast is plentiful, with options for different diets and tastes. The tastefully furnished place has everything, including a splashpool and indoor braai, and good restaurants are just a 5 minute walk away. If stairs are difficult for you, ask for a downstairs room. They’ve thought of everything. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

We expected the advertised 4 star guesthouse, but the experience felt like 3 stars to us. Someone welcomed us, showed us to the room, and explained the tea and coffee and cash bar. We were told the tea and coffee were complimentary, but they weren’t in the end. The room was smaller than it looked in the photos, there was a bloodstain on my cushion, and the stairs were extremely steep. The bathroom was so cramped that it was hard to move with the door shut. The TV was at an angle that made it uncomfortable to watch from bed or the chair. A “we wish you a merry Christmas” sign in the breakfast area in July was odd. We also didn’t expect the WhatsApp message they initiated after we left, and thought it showed poor judgement. This place wasn’t for us.