When you walk into your accommodation, you will flop down on the huge comfy bed, dressed in crisp high thread-count linens, sigh and whisper “I’m home.” You’re not, of course. You are at Vrisch Gewagt, but you can pretend for a while.
No expense has been spared in luxurious furniture, fittings and fixtures. We’re talking SMEG fridges and Nespresso coffee machine in every suite, designer bathrooms, original artwork and seriously artistic décor. It’s all so good that we had to set the price a little steep, just to ensure guests eventually leave. But, for guests who really want to stay on, long term rentals are negotiable.
One of the best things about Vrisch Gewagt, is that you won’t be disturbed by annoying staff appointing themselves as your personal planners, interrupting your thoughts with inane comments about the weather - not that the weather in the Karoo is ever inane - or prying into your personal life.
3 bedroom Home with 2 lounges and open veranda overlooking a large swimming pool.
Overlooking the dam and the big willow tree, stands the Paradys Huis, lovingly restored to its former glory. The Victorian theme is complemented by Cape Dutch influences, like the corrugated iron roof, and the feather patterns on the doors, a fashion popular in the homes of high society during the Ostrich Feather Era and brought to Karoo farms by traveling craftsmen. Built in 1914, Paradys Huis has been renovated to allow for space and modern-day comforts, but the character of the place remains intact.
Paradys Huis has a large, convivial farm kitchen, dining room, 2 bathrooms, 2 stunning lounges, and three luxurious bedrooms, one en suite. Enjoy a glass of Merlot on the long, open veranda, while absorbing the magic of the Karoo from the best view-site on the farm.
For the slightly more active, there’s enough lawn for a memorable croquet game. Paradys huis also has its own swimming pool.
Designed for two passionate people sharing. Named after a colorful ex farm employee whose love of the Karoo, farming and alcohol are in equal proportion.
Hannes cottage reflects his sense of Joie de Vivre. There's a sense of fun about it, including a sunken bath built for two and surprising transformations of the mundane into amusing distractions: the original Hannes would have found a good use for an out of work railway sleeper, so why not turn it into a shower!
Once you're done exploring, help yourself to a Nespresso capsule and curl up with a book in your very own reading nook. The Hannes Cottage is a love nest for two, but if there's need for some rejuvenation in that department, a weekend here may just be the recipe.
Sleeps four in two double en-suites.
Authentic style meets farmhouse simplicity in Cook's Cottage, which has a communal lounge, fireplace and shaded verandah.
Overlooking olive trees, a Springbok feeding patch and Karoo hills, surely an inspiration to people who love to cook. The cottage contains two separate suites, dining and kitchen area, and the tools of the trade. There are enough aprons on the wall hooks for creative culinary teamwork in the cool kitchen, complete with Nespresso coffee machine, fully stocked spice rack and a big red SMEG fridge.
Décor is artistic and quirky – like the bedside storage boxes, tree sculpture and the wall art in the lounge with its one red mug statement.
It is a cottage designed for food and happiness.
Sleeps four in two double en-suites.
Depending on how long you take to read a book, you might want to extend your stay in the Library Cottage. With its huge bookshelf, stocked with about 100 "must read" books, this cottage was designed for writers and book worms. And, if you have a manuscript on a deadline, a few weeks in the Library Cottage will be all the inspiration you need.
The Library Cottage is a space of serenity, lightness and sophistication, with two bedroom suites, complete with showers and slipper baths. The shared lounge and dining area has a choice of comfy or arty furniture to kick back in.
Cook up a storm in the bright, open kitchen or stock the big SMEG with lots of easy!
Designed for two people sharing.
Situated just up from the riverbed, the faint sound of water at the Artist Cottage is a welcome intrusion in the Karoo.
Even the non-creative will want to write poetry, compose a symphony or swing a paintbrush in the Artist Cottage.
The quirky décor invites artistic expression, from the stylish furniture, to the cosy bed with a picture frame for a headboard; add the reed ceilings, wall of framed pictures in the bathroom, piles of empty art frames, and you could paint a moderate Mona Lisa by lunch time, or, at least, a Mrs Ples.
There's also an outside shower for the muse. Seriously! The soft sound of a river nearby, wide open spaces, clear blue skies, navy blue nights and a veil of stars, the mountain tortoise and a busy bird life. And, on this little piece of wild paradise, a cottage designed to inspire. Come paint a masterpiece!
One double bedroom - Designed for two adults who like each other.
Side by side with the Artist Cottage on the riverbank, the Birdwatcher Cottage is as close to nature as a little house can be, till you hit the sack, when the high thread count is rather boutique.
Here, you will learn to take a moment to sit in silence and enjoy the birdlife. Artistic in a love of the land kind of way, the Birdwatcher Cottage has a braai area, farm oven, colourful furniture and natural earthy décor. From the handmade headboard in the bedroom to the painted tiles in the bathroom to the rather interesting clock in the lounge, the cottage has a comfortable, lived in feel about it. Within an hour on the rustic veranda, you will be talking about olive crops, rainfall and Karoo lamb. If you don't mind the many birds or the odd rabbit seeing you naked, the Birdwatcher Cottage also has an outside shower.
Four bedroom en-suites
The original Manor House, on a hill overlooking the olive groves, is a beautiful example of early Karoo Victorian architecture. Decor is an eclectic mix of comfort, flair and outrageous creativity. Help yourself to a glass of sherry from the drinks tray, drop back in one of the oversize couches and you’ll feel right at home in the lounge, complete with colourful throws and an air of conviviality. You can even borrow a book from the coffee table! The manor house has a big warm farm kitchen, four spacious en suite bedrooms and peaceful views from every window.
The Manor House caters for up to eight guests, and is ideal for a big family or a group of friends. High ceilings, three separate verandas, and great big happy meals – it’s impossible to think of having to leave one day..