La Fontaine Guest House Hermanus
Deluxe Hermanus guest retreat
4 star guest house situated in beautiful Hermanus town
Serene, gracious living at the edge of the ocean..
Historical Guest House one of the oldest buildings in Hermanus
Be surrounded by the uplifting sights and sounds of waves and whales in season
Located on a property famous for its prime whale watching position
Individually decorated en-suite bedrooms
Panoramic views across the bay
Various activities include hiking, fishing, golfing, shark diving and swimming
Member of Cape Town Tourism and Fedhasa
La Fontaine is a deluxe guest retreat perfect for a rejuvenating break, golf vacation, romantic getaway or whale viewing holiday in southern Africa. Health and wellness, paradise on earth, spiritual energy, rejuvenation, strength and even life itself have been symbolised by the Fountain for thousands of years. The guesthouse holds one of the best spots for land based whale watching in the world. Where else can one sit and have breakfast watching the whales in season !
Physical address:
La Fontaine Guest House
33 Marine Drive
P O Box 1170
Hermanus 7200
Visit La Fontaine Guest House website
Right at the bottom of Africa, perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, you will find a guest house that is very aptly named. La Fontaine embodies the symbolism of the fountain. It is the perfect place to relax, and rejuvenate body, mind and soul.
The guest house is steeped in history, situated in one of the oldest buildings in the whale haven of Hermanus. It is located on a property famous for its prime whale watching position, across the way from the original fresh water fountain around which the village of Hermanus was founded. At La Fontaine you will find yourself immersed in comfortable luxury and surrounded by the uplifting sights and sounds of waves and whales in season.
La Fontaine is not a hotel; it is a home away from home with a warm ambience that offers gracious living and all the comforts conducive to a serene, restorative getaway.
Our five en-suite bedrooms are all individually decorated and vary in size and rates. We offer a spectacular breakfast menu, which can be enjoyed on the patio as you take in the panoramic views across the bay.
During summer, relax by the pool or stroll along the cliff path and in winter, enjoy world famous wines from this region in front of the crackling fireplace in our cosy lounge.
We’re only a short walk to the quaint village centre with bustling galleries, shops and restaurants. We offer all the services and comforts you may need, including satellite television, hairdryers, heated towel rails, tea trays and more.
Just some of the many activities at or near to La Fontaine :
Bird watching
Hermanus is a bird watchers delight – situated between mountains and sea, home to several nature and marine reserves, birders will spot a wide variety of species whether out hiking, strolling around the village or just sitting in our garden.
Fishing
Hermanus is a fishermans dream. The Hemel & Aarde Valley has fresh water fishing spots. The beaches, lagoons and cliffs along the coast provide many perfect off-shore fishing locations and there are several companies that will take you deep sea fishing too. The waters of Walker Bay abound with galjoen, cob, red roman, steenbras and many more fish. Fishing permits can be obtained from the magistrates office and the post office.
Golfing
Hermanus boasts one of the most beautiful golf courses in the country – the 18 hole Hermanus Golf Club – a secret favourite of many golfing pro’s. There are also 3 other golf courses in the surrounding area for golfers who like a bit of variety. The newest is the Arabella Golf Course at the Arabella-Sheraton Hotel on the banks of the Bot River. The course at Kleinbaai, 4 km from Gansbaai, has a sea-view and the Kleinmond course is situated in a spectacular setting at the foot of the Three Sisters mountain.
Hiking
- The 12 km Cliff Path in Hermanus has made the town famous for Land-based whale watching. It stretches from the New Harbour in Westcliff all along the coastline to Grotto beach in Voelklip. The Cliff Path is accessible from many points along the route, is dotted with rock pools filled with natural treasures, surrounded by fragrant fynbos and has benches at strategic points so that you can sit and watch the whales, the moon rise or the mesmerising Atlantic ocean.
- Fernkloof Nature Reserve has well-marked and well-maintained hiking trails. The variety of trails accommodates all hikers needs. There are longer trails for regular hikers and easy-going trails for those who might not usually consider putting on boots and set of on an hour or two's walk.
- The Frans Senekal Nature Reserve in Vermont offers a delightful walk from Vermont along the sea's edge past Hoek van den Berg to Hawston harbour. The walk takes about two hours.
With a host of mountain ranges and nature reserves, and such a diverse coastline, there is no shortage of hiking trails - each uniquely breathtaking.
Whale Watching
The Southern Right Whale, Humpback Whale, common dolphin and bottlenose dolphin can all be seen along the Hermanus coastline. The Southern Right Whales come to the shores in about June each year to mate and calve in the shallow waters. Hermanus has gained the reputation of offering the best land-based whale watching in the world because of the excellent vantage points that the cliffs along Walker Bay provide. Areas designated for boat based whale watching have been carefully selected so as not to interfere with those watching from the land (and the whales of course).
Shark Diving
The nearby town of Gansbaai is known as the Great White Shark capital of the world. Just off the coast there are 2 islands teeming with sea life - Dyer Island home to a breeding colony of Jackass Penguins and Geyser Island a seal breeding ground. A veritable feast for hungry Great White Sharks. There are several shark diving tour operators that offer shark cage diving for the brave and surface viewing for those who’d prefer not to get too close. Shark diving shuttles leave from Hermanus daily.
Events
Hermanus has many festivals and fairs throughout the year where local talent, delicacies and products can be enjoyed. The festivals celebrate a host of different things from calamari, wine, music, beer, christmas lights and art to whales. The Hermanus Whale Festival and the Fernkloof Wild Flower Show take place on the last weekend of September (+/- 24th), the Hermanus Wine and Food Fair and the Kalfiefees take place on the weekend closest to the 9th of August. There are Passion Plays in the Old Harbour at Hermanus every Easter and Midnight Church Services and carol singing under the stars at Christmas.
Swimming
There are obviously many places to swim in Hermanus. ‘On-shore’ bathing spots include the tidal pool below the Marine Hotel, Fick’s Pool, the rock pools long the cliff paths and the lagoons at Grotto Beach and at Onrus Beach. Then of course there are our pristine beaches: Grotto Beach, Voëlklip, Langbaai, Kammabaai, Sandbaai, Onrus Beach and Breakfast Bay.
Relaxing
Now this is the real beauty of Hermanus - it is the perfect place to relax, recuperate, rejuvenate and generally do nothing but treat yourself. European doctors have sent patients to Hermanus to enjoy the restorative qualities of its 'champagne air' for over 100 years. You can indulge in deep body massages, reiki, aromatherapy, facials and reflexology. You can take a walk and then sit and watch whales, birds, flowers, the ocean, the mountains and the heavens. You can eat like a king at the wide range of first class restaurants. You can visit Hermanus to simply sit back and relax and absorb the serenity of the environment.
Visit La Fontaine Guest House website
Children policy:
All ages welcome
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