Sandals Guesthouse, St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape
Considered one of the top guest houses in the beautiful St Francis Bay, Sandals Guesthouse offers unsurpassed luxury in a blend of excellent hospitality, fine food and great service. Having recently visited the guesthouse, I found it to be a breath of fresh air.
We arrived on what turned out to be the coldest day the Eastern Cape has had so far this year. With a crispy 2 degrees Celsius on the clock, the sight of a roaring fire through the window upon our arrival lured us in without delay.
We were warmly welcomed by the friendly Tapiwa who let us defrost next to the fire for a moment before taking us on a tour of the guesthouse.
The guesthouse features a palm-fringed thatched roof and gives off a sub-tropical theme. Big open spaces, high ceilings and lots of natural light combined with the white wash look akin to a carefree beach house, sets the mood for relaxation and “play” in St Francis Bay.
With the main beach just 150 metres away, you can slip on some sandals or walk barefoot along the shore during your stay. St Francis Bay is known as the Eastern Cape’s ‘best-kept secret’ with its meandering waterways, beautiful houses and miles of golden beaches!
Accommodation at Sandals Guesthouse
Sandals Guesthouse offers 11 beautifully decorated rooms of which 8 are in the house and 3 are set in the lovely lush indigenous garden. Each room is flawless with its own unique and stylish décor.
Equipped with spotless en-suite bathrooms and furnished with either king, queen double or single extra-length beds, the rooms also have sliding doors that lead out to a private balcony with a sub-tropical garden – an oasis on your doorstep! I was surprised to see that each ground floor room also has a private outside deck shower which is probably my favourite feature at Sandals Guesthouse!
Whether you are a leisure or business traveller, you will find that the rooms have anything you could possibly need. All rooms come equipped with a TV with DStv, tea and coffee-making facilities, a hairdryer, telephone, beach and bath towels, safe, bathrobes and a fan. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the guesthouse and rooms are serviced on a daily basis.
Sandals Guesthouse is also perfect for families with a family room that can sleep a family of four and a triple room for a family of three.
Facilities & breakfast at Sandals Guesthouse
Breakfast is another highlight when visiting Sandals Guesthouse. Whether you decide to kick start your day around the cozy fire in the indoor dining area in winter or on the lovely outside patio overlooking the swimming pool and garden in the summer, the Sandals kitchen will make sure you start your day with a full tummy.
Ranging from English breakfasts and omelettes to Caribbean Pancakes and French toast, there’s something for every taste.
Sandals Guesthouse utilises the natural abundance of fruits, vegetables, fish and shellfish South Africa has to offer in their menu. They serve up international and local cuisine infused with the spices of Africa and flavours of the Indian Ocean.
Dinners are planned according to the number of guests and arranged upon group request. St Francis Bay has a number of restaurants (many in walking distance) in the surrounding area you can go to, with the staff at Sandals Guesthouse assisting you with the reservations.
There are a number of activities to enjoy in the area. With the beaches and various canal water-ways you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to water-based activities. Activities to enjoy range from hiking along the Sand River Dunes, surfing, Yachting, kayaking, fishing, sandboarding and so much more!
You can also take a relaxing dip in the pool to cool off if you don’t feel like heading down to the beach. The open plan communal lounge is a place where you can kick back and relax while enjoying refreshments from the honesty bar.
There’s also a braai area next to the swimming pool and Tapiwa explained that they love having braais for groups on warm summer’s nights.
You will feel like you have escaped to the tranquil Caribbean when you stay at Sandals Guesthouse. This top-class accommodation is in the Hall of Fame on TripAdvisor for receiving a Certificates of Excellence for TEN years in a row!
This comes as no surprise as we really enjoyed our visit to Sandals Guesthouse. I can highly recommend them and we will definitely return in the near future.
To make a booking at Sandals Guesthouse, give them a call on 042 294 0551 or email enquiries@sandalsguesthouse.co.za. Visit their website at www.sandalsguesthouse.co.za. Find them at 4 Napier Rd, St Francis Bay, 6312.
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