A whale of a time

Birkenhead House, Hermanus, South Africa

There are myriad fantastic hotels around the world, but only a rare few that really make a lasting impression. Birkenhead house, in the coastal town of hermanus, 90 minutes outside Cape Town, is one of the latter—it exudes something special that you can’t quite put your finger on.

It might be the hotel’s easy-going atmosphere or it might be the eccentric, beachhouse-style interiors that you’ll be desperate to re-create at home. My money, however, is on the view, pristine beach and Walker Bay, which is famous for some of the best landbased whale-watching in the world. Sure enough, less than an hour after arriving, a southern right whale guided her calf into the calm waters.

eleven rooms, scattered across the three houses and connected by landscaped courtyards, make up Birkenhead house. Individually decorated in the indomitable style of Liz Biden—who also owns The Silo in Cape Town and La residence in Franschhoek, among others—mine, number six, was awash with elegant blues and greens and a heady concoction of textures, from the dramatic, dark-wood headboard and zebraskin mirror to the cobalt-silk, oversized armchair. There was also a freestanding Victorian bath and wrap-around balcony, whereas other rooms boast quirky paintings, antique furniture, marble-topped vanities and shagreen writing desks.

Don’t let the fact that Birkenhead is allinclusive put you off. The ingredients used are incomparably fresh—with prawns and mussels picked from the rocks just yards from your table—and meals can be served in the glass-fronted dining room, next to the dual-level swimming pool or in your room. My favourite meal was lunch, taken on a sunlounger at the edge of the ocean-view terrace, waiting for the next whale sighting. RP Susie Freeman Travel offers three nights and full-board from £630 per person (www.susiefreemantravel.com; 01488 668821)