SHELLEY POINT HOTEL AND SPA – HIDDEN PARADISE ON THE WEST COAST

DISCOVERY OF ST HELENA BAY

Let me put it out in the open – If I had enough savings, I would buy land, build a house, and relocate to the Cape West Coast. That’s how much I love this region and the reason why I spend almost every second weekend exploring the area. Every time I leave any town on the West Coast, it feels like I leave a part of me behind hence I always go back to the same towns.

St Helena Bay is one of my top favourite small seaside villages in the Western Cape that I discovered by chance. Three years ago I stumbled across a small town called Velddrif – Port Owen to be precise on Google maps. It looked like an Island and had a river that flowed into the Atlantic Ocean. One Saturday morning I drove to Velddrif to check out the area with the hope of spending a night in the area if I liked it but things didn’t go according to plan. Yep, that’s what I do most of the time – I don’t plan, I just go to a place and if I like it, I search for affordable accommodation, and spend a night or two. Velddrif looked boring with old run-down buildings and looked nothing like what I saw on Google maps. There was no Island, no yachts, no restaurants, or anything interesting. I drove around the area until I saw old rusted huge commercial fishing boats and I knew I had to go back home. I was in an unfamiliar environment and I felt like my safety was compromised. Surprisingly, Velddrif is now one of my favourite towns too, I just needed to know where to look.

As soon as I drove out of Velddrif and felt safe, I parked the car on the side of the road and opened Google maps to see if there were other nearby small towns. I was not going to spend my time and money on fuel and go back home without finding anything exciting. Google maps showed a few small coastal villages such as Saldanha Bay, Jacobs Bay, and Paternoster but St Helena Bay caught my attention and that’s where I headed to. On my arrival, I realised I had discovered one of the most beautiful places on the West Coast called Shelley Point and a Hotel with the same name, Shelley Point Hotel and Spa. I explored the area with the limited time I had and enjoyed lunch at Shelly Point Hotel before heading back home. Since that day, I have visited St Helena Bay countless times but only slept at Shelley Point Hotel and Spa once and the weather was bad so I still couldn’t explore the area properly but this past weekend, I was reminded why I fell in love with this hotel in the first place when I spent two days there again.

From Cape Town, Shelley Point Hotel and Spa is accessible via two routes that offer different things. The popular R27 has multiple traffic lights and takes you through popular northern suburbs including Bloubergstrand and it offers the perfect view of Table Mountain, sandy beaches, the Atlantic Ocean, shops, shopping malls, restaurants, and bars before passing Atlantis Dunes – a protected area popular for sandboarding and quad biking activities. The route then continues and passes !Khwa ttu San Cultural Centre, Yzerfontein, West Coast National Park, and Langebaan before turning left onto St Helena Bay road.

The N7 with no traffic lights, offers some hills and vineyards – It’s spectacular during the months of August and September when the fields and almost the entire landscape are covered with a blanket of colourful yellow canola flowers and spring wildflowers. This is one special thing that happens every year around the arid areas of the Cape West Coast and the semi-desert of Namaqualand. This is a magical time along the prestige West Coast when almost every coastal town and inland village, mountains, and fields are ablaze as an endless kaleidoscope of spring wildflowers burst, almost simultaneously, into full bloom.

ST HELENA BAY

This bay was named after the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama in 1947 after discovering it during his pioneer voyage from Europe to India. Residents here are fortunate to begin and end each day with both the sunrise and sunset across the sea. This is due to its geographic location along perspective bay, facing northeast to northeast inland. Looking over St. Helena Bay lies Cape St Martin Private Nature Reserve where you can watch the amazing sunrise and sunset over the sea. The actual bay of St Helena stretches from Dwarskersbos in the north, past Shelley Point Peninsula, to Cape St Martin in the west, traversing a total of eighteen bays.

There are three gorgeous beaches surrounding the peninsula of Shelley Point, each with its own unique characteristics. Tucked away on the northern side where Shelley Point Hotel is located, is the protected Shelley Bay named due to the fusion of sand, beach pebbles, and shells found around the area. On the western side is Britannia Bay beach, an unspoiled 5km stretch of white sand, and Stompneus Bay beach on the eastern side is characterised by little coves of alternating rock and sand.

SHELLEY POINT HOTEL AND SPA

Nestled on a charming West Coast Peninsula in a gated golf estate, Shelley Point Hotel and Spa is a beautiful family-friendly boutique hotel and haven of tranquillity just 150km from Cape Town. The hotel emphasises on privacy and comfort in their elegantly decorated and airconditioned luxury, superior, luxury duplex, luxury suites disabled rooms, and honeymoon suites. The décor is a combination of modern African and European styles, and the entire property is an art lover’s paradise with large ornate vases, paintings, and antique model ships. The location is complimented by lush gardens, koi ponds, statues, and knight guards around the hotel.

With an abundance of leisure options and facilities to keep you entertained, the only problem you will have would be trying to fit in everything during your stay. Shelley Point Hotel and Spa has a sauna, steam room, hydro pool, and hair salon as well as a wide variety of wellness and beauty treatments. For outdoor enthusiasts, there is a 9-hole Links Golf Course, bicycle rentals, tennis courts, sea kayaking, horse riding, and coastal drive.

If you enjoy a relaxed holiday with fewer or no activities, you can grab a book from one of the libraries scattered throughout the hotel, swim or relax in the pool area, watch a movie in a private cinema, enjoy tea in the private tea garden, or grab a few cocktails from the cocktail bar. There is a kiddies and teens club to keep the little ones entertained too.

A buffet breakfast is included with every booking and is served at Dorothea’s restaurant set around a koi pond and also serves light meals, while Cattle Baron upstairs serves late lunches and dinners.

OUR ROOM – SUPERIOR SUITE (2 GUESTS)

We stayed in a spacious superior suite which was perfect for a couple. It consisted of a king-size bed with mosquito nets, lounge, en-suite bathroom with bath and glass-walled shower, kitchenette with fridge and coffee station (no microwave, unfortunately), a writing desk with a chair and stationery, cable TV with limited DSTV channels (no Netflix), fresh, fluffy towels, bathrobes, and slippers. There is also a spacious outside seating area with chairs and a small table which is great for a morning coffee or sundowners.

OTHER ROOMS

LUXURY DUPLEX SUITES (4 GUESTS)

These suites offer exceptional comfort for a family. There are twin beds in the main sleeping area, while the thatched loft houses a king-size bed. The stylish en-suite bathroom boasts a modern, frame-less glass shower, bath, and miniature amenity.

LUXURY SUITES (2 GUESTS)

The superior suites are spacious rooms with king size bed, lounge, kitchenette, and en-suite bathroom with bath and glass-walled shower.

LUXURY SUITES DISABLED ROOMS (2 GUESTS)

The disabled luxury suites are spacious rooms with a king-size bed, lounge, and en-suite bathroom with bath and glass-walled shower. The bathroom is fitted with the necessary fixtures.

HONEYMOON SUITES

These are private suites with exceptional comfort. These suites consist of a king-size bed, sitting area, and en-suite bathroom with a glass-walled shower. The bathtub is situated in an open area in the room and overlooks the golf course and private patio.

I enjoy the outdoor lifestyle, I love nature, and sometimes I prefer the quietness away from the city buzz. This coastal holiday destination with an unspoiled coastline and picturesque sea views offers me all three. St Helena Bay is a picturesque and secluded destination and not yet popular as some of its other West Coast counterparts but it’s a paradise worth exploring too.

ACTIVITIES AT SHELLEY POINT HOTEL AND SPA

COASTAL DRIVE

Enjoy a scenic coastal drive around the bay with an open game driving vehicle. The drive starts at Shelley Point Hotel and Spa, all the way to Paternoster through Paternoster Nature Reserve, and ends at Shelley Point Hotel and Spa.
The total duration varies from 2.5 hours to about 4 hours depending on the time available to guests and it costs only R250 per person (maximum of 6 guests per trip). Book directly with Shelley Point Hotel and Spa at +27 22 742 1065 or by e-mail at reservations@shelleypointhotel.com / info@shelleypointhotel.com

HORSE RIDING EXPERIENCE

Explore the beauty of the West Coast’s white sandy beaches on a horseback. The price is R400.00 per person and booking is essential. Book directly with the hotel at +27 22 742 1065 or by e-mail at reservations@shelleypointhotel.com / info@shelleypointhotel.com

ENJOY A GUIDED SEA KAYAK TOUR

Explore the calm water of St. Helena Bay and the bays surrounding Shelley Point on a guided Sea Kayak tour. There is an opportunity to see wonderful wildlife such as Heaviside dolphins, a rare species of dolphin only found off the coast of Namibia and South Africa’s West Coast, seals, penguins, whales (seasonal), sunfish, and occasionally otters in their natural environment. For rates, availability and bookings contact spkayak@yahoo.com or +27 82 805 5363.

PLAY GOLF ON A 9-HOLE LINKS GOLF COURSE

A challenging 9-hole links golf course winds its way through the lush peninsula. Splendid homes blend seamlessly into the environment, and well-manicured gardens, fairways, and green belts all add to an unprecedented day out. Rates start from R160 – R320. For availability and bookings please contact the Shelley Point Golf Club at 022 742 1037

EXPLORE SHELLEY POINT PENINSULA, HIKE AND CYCLE

You can bring your own bicycle or rent one from the hotel and enjoy trails and gravel roads in the surrounding hills. You can also explore Shelley Point Peninsula to enjoy the beauty of three natural bays and sandy white beaches. Enquire directly with the hotel at +27 22 742 1065 or by e-mail at reservations@shelleypointhotel.com / info@shelleypointhotel.com

CONTACT SHELLEY POINT HOTEL AND SPA

Tel: +27 22 742 1065

E-mail: reservations@shelleypointhotel.com

info@shelleypointhotel.com

DISCLAIMER

This article may contain affiliate links. I may receive compensation if you make a booking through the links on this blog post but it won’t cost you anything extra.

BLOG POST UPDATES

I update my blog posts regularly to make sure that links are up to date and spelling is correct. Let me know if you notice anything that needs to be updated in this blog post.

Planning a trip to the Cape West Coast or anywhere around the Western Cape? Book flights, browse accommodation, hire a car, or purchase travel insurance. Alternatively, contact me at tebogo@westerncapeexperiences.com and I will help you plan your adventure.

For Western Cape travel inspiration and insider tips, follow me on Instagram or Twitter. Remember to subscribe to my blog to receive the best Western Cape insider tips and information, discount information delivered directly to your mailbox. Copyright © Western Cape Experiences – No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from www.westerncapeexperiences.com