Arniston is a magical spot with a beauty and quaint character that enfolds, holds and refuses to let go. It is a place of turquoise seas, white sculpted dunes, terraced rock pools, weatherbeaten fishermen and star-studded nights.

Rondeheuwel Guesthouse
Snapshot: Farm with a spacious house
Where: 9km inland from Arniston
Sleeps: 12
Equipped: yes
Linen: yes
Towels: yes
Fireplace: yes
Braai: yes
Meals available: breakfast and dinner on request
Pet-friendly: by request
Activities: birdwatching, farm animals, fishing, small game-viewing, swimming, walking
Rate guide: R150pp - R200pp (discounts for children)

Contained within the thick cool walls of this renovated farmhouse (lying 9km inland from Arniston) are six bedrooms, two kitchens, two dining areas, two bathrooms and several fireplaces. The impressive thing about Rondeheuwel is the standard of finish. Generally one finds the bigger the Budget house the poorer the standard, but not here.

Every inch between Sonop and Sononder — as the front and back are referred to — reflects Hannalie’s creative style, from the bird detailing in the kitchen to the romantic ensemble of draped four-poster bed and matching white shutter-windows in the main bedroom.

The long shaded patio has an open view of agrarian eternity and is perfect for sundowners after a day on Arniston’s beach. These can be followed by a spit braai under the thatched lapa at the back of the house. The kitchen is well-stocked, with everything from coffee filter machine to snackwich maker.

Not that you’ll necessarily have use for it as Hannalie is all too happy to cater for you. She does everything from boerekos to sandproof beach hampers. While Rondeheuwel is a good base to Arniston and the surrounding area, it is also a good destination. There is more than enough to do on the farm — walking, cycling, chatting to the ostriches, and hopping aboard Henk’s bakkie for an evening drive between jackal and ystervark.

For a civilised reunion of friends or family, we reckon Rondeheuwel is as good as you can get, short of an identical pad on the beach.

Vogelgezang Farm Cottages
Snapshot: Large farm lying adjacent to De Mond Nature Reserve, with a rustic Fishing Cabin and a rustic-luxury farm-style Cottage
Where: 17km from Arniston (& 19km from Bredasdorp & 25km from Struisbaai)
Sleeps: Fishing Cabin 4-7, De Mond Cottage 6 (+ loft for 4)
Equipped: yes
Linen: no
Towels: no
Fireplace: De Mond Cottage
Braai: yes (free wood)
Meals available: no
Pet-friendly: no
Activities: birdwatching, fishing, game viewing, small game-viewing, spring flowers, stargazing, swimming, walking, whale watching
Rate guide: R750 minimum (De Mond Cottage); R450 minimum (Fishing Cabin)

Oh boy, not another Budget gem! (Hey, somebody has to do this job!) This time it’s an historic 600ha farm running shoulder-to-shoulder with De Mond Nature Reserve and more or less equidistant from Arniston, Struisbaai and Bredasdorp.

Apart from a homestead dating back over 200 years, Vogelgezang has two guest cottages, each miles from civilization and each unique. Let’s begin with the Fishing Cabin.

If you suffer from a recurring fantasy featuring an isolated cabin, fishing to your heart’s content and drinking beer with the mates, help is at hand! We’ve seen a lot of places, but you don’t get a much better location than this: surrounded by a sea of coastal fynbos and just metres from the wild beach.

So what is the catch? The Cabin is rustic, bordering on raw, so expect bunk beds, communal sleeping, no electricity, an outside coldwater shower (solar bags available) and nothing but corrugated iron between you and the summer heat or the winter chill.

Now that you know what to expect, you will have a ball at the Fishing Cabin.

Heading back towards the homestead, de Mond Cottage is also on its own but with a somewhat different persona — a spacious ‘rustic-luxury’ thatched cottage, surrounded by open fields and a distant view of the ocean.

Painted cement floors, country furniture and simple yet attractive decor, paraffin lamps on pretty hooks, gas power (no electricity), an airy kitchen with generous table and Dover stove, a wood-burning 'donkey' for hot water, uncluttered bedrooms, a comfortable lounge with fireplace and a shady stoep.

All these elements ensure a very pleasant stay. A short stroll from the cottage, the owners have fashioned a timber sundowner deck around an old farm dam – a very nice touch. Think you’ve got the picture folks. Vogelgezang is überlekker!

For more information and to make a booking, visit www.budget-getaways.com.