Don’t let big names blind you to the considerable charms of small bed and often gourmet breakfast accommodation. One of this breed is Pikkie Cottage at 19 Seventh Avenue in Saldanha Bay.
And what impresses at first glance, is its impeccable exterior. With a xeriscaped garden and turquoise ornaments giving a shout-out to its West Coast seaside location, this B&B is bang-on for a staycation.
The original cottage dates back to 1920. But today it features four double ensuite rooms – all with private entrances and the requisite braai facilities on the stoep. Rooms are considered and absolutely spick-and-span. Each has a small fridge, DStv, plus tea-/coffee-making facilities.
Breakfasts in the homely dining-room are belt-busting. And the bonus is that hosts Leon and Tilla Nell are walking encyclopaedias about flora, fauna, birds, the West Coast and history – making for a decidedly convivial time around the table.
If you’re not braaing, request picnic hampers, lunch or dinner. However, a number of restaurants in town offer lip-smacking fare if you feel like time out.
Being only 300 m from the beachfront, guests can spend their days ambling along the coastline or getting wet with a myriad of water activities. There also are options of cycling through the SAS Saldanha Nature Reserve, hiking in the Hoedjeskoppie Nature Reserve, or cruising the ocean in a charter boat.
Rates are R700 pps. Requests should be made for children u/12. Book: info@pikkiecottage.co.za or 022 7141741/082 5638833.
All photos by Leon Nell.
