Stone Cottage Backpackers & Lodge

In a corner of a world overtaken by modernity, Stone Cottage is as authentic as they come. What we have here is an exhilarating blast from the past, in the form of one of Plett's oldest (if not the oldest) holiday homes.

Built by the Le Roux family nearly a century ago and still in the same family today, Stone Cottage is a museum of nostalgia and rich artefact. It started with the Le Roux clan from Uniondale loading the ox wagon with ostrich eggs, fruit, veggies and a turkey or two, and rock-'n-rolling their way to Plett for the annual summer holidays.

This Ernest Hemingway retreat consists of the main house (occupied by Annie the artist) and three self-catering apartments on the same property; Boetie Pierre, the Hilda Room and Leonard Room, and the new Oupa Jannie upmarket backpackers.

If you are looking for absolute privacy and perfection this might not really be for you, but if creative shabby chic is your thing, you'll love it.

Creaky timber floors and doors, high beamed ceilings, old-fashioned kitchens, temperamental lights and water, Victorian beds and wafty white curtains, old rattan chairs, sagging but comfy couches, black and white photos of life as it once was, other nostalgic memorabilia that could have come with the first wagon, spectacular views of the bay and a communal deck with Jacuzzi all work together to provide comfort and Old World charm.

Of the various options, the newer two-sleeper units edge close to to luxury, while Oupa Jannie backpackers, forming part of the main house, is a lot more casual.

The only flipside to this sanctuary is the sound of traffic whizzing past just below the apartments. But this warning aside, we still think Stone Cottage is fabulous, as does a chain of previous visitors. Annie's blurb more or less sums it up: “Stone Cottage is a home away from home for many guests who enjoy the simple, relaxed and rustic atmosphere of barefoot living… No frills or luxuries, just essence."