Hotels in Hermanus

When I think of hotels in Hermanus, there are two that spring to mind – the Marine and the Windsor.

That’s because they were the original Hermanus hotels that existed when I first went there in the late 1980’s. South Africa was in the final years of apartheid and Hermanus had yet to make its mark on the global eco-tourism radar.

These days there are a few more hotels – ranging from the down-to-earth family-friendly variety to the frankly luxurious with ‘boutique’ offerings falling somewhere in between the extremes.

Let’s visit a few of my favourite hotels in Hermanus -- basically the best in each category!

The Windsor is located right on the edge of the cliffs and offers good, old-fashioned hospitality.

This is a traditional gem and the oldest hotel in Hermanus.

It’s unpretentious and friendly and will accommodate your kids in your room, albeit on a sleeper couch or additional mattress.

The Marine has undergone several transformations since it was first built in 1902. It is now unashamedly a luxury destination, part of the group of hotels that includes The Plettenberg and Cellars Hohenort.

This would not be my first choice as a young-child friendly destination as they only offer only double rooms and suites. But as is the way of luxury establishments, they would go out of their way to accommodate you if need be as they are dedicated to customer service.

Misty Waves Boutique Hotel is a great, central place to stay. You can fall out of bed onto the cliff path, walk to the town centre in very little time and generally have the run of Hermanus without getting into your car. It’s also in a fairly quiet spot, not too much passing traffic. Again, probably better suited to older kids than tots.

Birkenhead House in Voelklip is BEAUTIFUL. It’s luxury accommodation in a class of its own and can’t really be compared with anywhere else.

It is close to Voelklip beach which means town is an easy drive rather than a walk, but as they include all your meals in their rates you won’t need to venture far.