Travel Inspired Living SA

A recent media trip found me exploring one of my favourite parts of the Cape, the West Coast. I have spent quite a bit of time holidaying up the West Coast but have not done much in-depth exploring. This trip gave me the opportunity of doing just that, as well as spending a night at the Bon Hotel Shelley Point.

The West Coast is such a magical, unspoiled piece of Coast line, which you cannot help but love! The water may very well be icy cold most of the year round but you cannot beat the peace and tranquility it has to offer.

We started out our trip in Big Bay, with Bon Hotel Shelley Point being our end destination. Before I highlight a few of the West Coast Attractions, I thought I would tell you a bit about the hotel.

Bon Hotel Shelley Point

Bon Hotel Shelley Point, is located in St Helena Bay, approximately 90 minutes drive from Cape Town. The hotel boasts 84 rooms, with the emphasis on privacy and comfort. Guests can choose from either Standard Rooms, Luxury Suites or Garden Suites.

Accommodation

We have stayed at Bon Hotel Shelley Point on a few occasions, as a family and loved it! This was my first solo mission! The hotel rooms are lovely and spacious, with tea and coffee making facilities, Wifi, a mini bar {stocked on request}, air conditioning, as well as a flat screen TV with satellite channels.

The bathrooms are a generous size, with a shower, standalone bath and double basin. There is a half-shutter between the bedroom and bathroom, which can be left open depending on how much privacy is required.

The hotel has 3 meeting rooms, which can accommodate up to 90 people. These areas can be used for one-on-one meetings, launches or as a conference facility. Full day, overnight and half-day conference packages are available.

Dining

One of my favourite spots at the hotel, is the cocktail bar overlooking the 1st tee! It is the perfect place to sit sipping a G&T and witness some of the spectacular sunsets which the West Coast is renowned for.

There are two restaurants to choose from at the hotel. You can dine at São Gabrielle for breakfast, with views across the bay and golf course, or grab lunch or dinner at São Antonio, alongside the pool deck. The pizza’s at São Antonio are delicious!

Facilties

If you are in need of a bit of pampering, a visit to the Spa at Bon Hotel Shelley Point, is a must ! They offer holistic body treatments and specialised facials for both men and women. The spa also has a hydro-centre, which consists of high pressure showers, a sauna, steam rooms, as well as a heated pool and Jacuzzi area. Sounds heavenly don’t you think? It is advisable to book your Spa visit in advance, as they are usually very busy, especially during high-season.

If you are travelling with kids, the hotel has got you covered! While you relax poolside or at the spa, the kids can be entertained at the Crazy Crew Kidz Club. The Kidz Club has age appropriate toys, arts & crafts, movies, as well as a supervised outdoor play area. There is also a Teen Club available which offers table tennis, a pool table, sports activities, Xbox, as well as movies.

If you need something a bit more strenuous to alleviate the stress, then why not play a game of tennis, take a splash in the pool{weather permitting} or try your hand at bowling. The hotel also offers a fully equipped gym, with treadmills, bicycles and rowing machines.

Golf enthusiasts can enjoy the challenging 9-hole links golf course, which winds its way through the lush peninsula.

Beaches

There are three private beaches on the Shelley Point estate, all with their own special qualities. Take a walk down to Shelley Beach or venture down Golden Mile beyond the Oyster Catcher to Britannia Bay, a favourite with the Kids’ Club, especially in summer . If the wind is pumping, you will find a gorgeous, well-protected beach on the north side of the peninsula.

Location & Contact Details

Location: Golden Mile Boulevard, Shelley Point, St Helena Bay, 7380. Contact: Tel 022 742 1394 or Central Reservations 0861 266 222 or via email  or book online via the Bon Hotels Website.

West Coast Attractions

Below is a list of a few of the must see attractions or places to visit up the West Coast:

• West Coast National Park – is an animal and bird lovers paradise, with over 200 bird species as well as Eland, Springbok, Kudu, Gemsbok and the rare Mountain Zebra. A must for flowers lovers, is a visit to Postberg Flower Reserve, which is part of the West Coast National Park. The West Coast Wild flowers truly are a beautiful sight!

• Buffelsfontein Game and Nature Reserve – we did not have the opportunity of visiting the reserve during our trip, so this is still on my to-do-list. Buffelsfontein offers game drives to view a variety of Buck, Lion, Giraffe, Zebra and Wildebeest. You may also spot the African Wildcat, Lynx and Honey Badgers. There is accommodation available on the reserve, which is situated right near the waterholes, perfect for viewing animals, while sipping a sundowner.

• !Khwa ttu San Cultural & Educational Centre – this was my first time visiting !Khwa ttu. I am sorry we did not venture there before, because it was well worth it! As well as offering a San-guided tour, they have a cosy restaurant, craft shop and a conference room. There is also accommodation available if you would like to stay over at !Khwa ttu. Accommodation facilities range from a bush-camp, a secluded bush house, to a farm-style guest house. They all offer their unique extras such as a ‘shower in a tree’ and underfloor heating.

• West Coast Fossil Park – this was my first time visiting the Fossil Park and it was truly fascinating! In 1950, mining in the area exposed one of the richest fossil sites ever discovered. Around 200 different kinds of animals, some still unknown to science, have been recovered in the West Coast Fossil Park. Today the West Coast Fossil Park is a National Heritage Site and is believed to contain the greatest diversity of five million year old fossils in the world. You can see the fossils of bears, sabre-tooth cats, short-necked giraffes and the many other exotic animals, which inhabited the West Coast area, some 5 million years ago.

• Groote Post Vineyards – for wine lovers, a visit Groote Post for a bit of wine tasting, is a must. The winery is situated in a lovely green valley threaded by the Klawer River, overlooked by the beautifully restored Cape Dutch Klawer Valley homestead. Look out for the imposing slave bell, which you can spot on the Groote Post wine labels.
• Langebaan – the Langebaan Lagoon is another family favourite up the West Coast. It is a popular spot for wind and kite surfing. We often stop in at Pearly’s Restaurant for an early evening pizza while watching the sunset.

• Paternoster – is one of the oldest fishing villages in the area and over the years has become one of our favourite venues for lunch! It has also become a favoured holiday destination, with a large variety of accommodation on offer. I recently did a review on a stay we did at Abalone House, a popular guest house in the area.

I hope you enjoyed these highlights of a few places to see and things to do along the West Coast. If you need more ideas, West Coast Way has put together an awesome list of 101+ Things to See and Do.

Source: Info – West Coast Way Images Inspired Living, Bon Hotels, West Coast Info