Arniston, wow! What an interesting place! My folks had been talking about visiting for some time; when AJ & I were invited to stay at the Blue Sky Guest House in the heart of the village.
We’d driven up and were really looking forward to a lovely night away in a small fishing village. Little did we know that it would be such a fascinating place!
After arriving at the guest, house where we were so warmly welcomed by Jill and Aden, we dumped our bags and went on a whirl wind tour of the town. Aden kindly took us to the top of the nearby hill, down to the cliff edge and into the history district of the village. (This is a courtesy he did and not a service that is always available.) I really enjoyed our tour and learnt these things:
5 Travel Tips For Arniston
- Arniston has no police station, school nor hospital! So don’t plan to do any admin while you’re there. This is pure relaxation (but don’t worry, Bredasdorp is 30kms away).
- You’re not confused if you hear “Waenhuiskrans” (wagon house cliff in Afrikaans) or Arniston. It is one of the few places in South Africa with 2 official names: Aniston and Waenhuiskrans
- There’s a huge seaside cave that’s big enough to fit a wagon inside! Hence the motivation for the name “Waenhuiskrans”.
- Bring clothing for 4 seasons. While the weather is generally good, it can get very misty. Hence how the town was named – after the Arniston ship that ran aground in 1815 with only 6 out of 378 survivors 🙁 . Big jackets and sun hats both welcome!
- Be respectful of the beautiful white, thatched roof houses. These traditional fishing homes were assigned to the families of Arniston residents who have lived in the village for decades and are officially a national monument in its entirety.
Blue Sky Guest House Review
After our charming tour of the village, we returned “home” to settle in for the evening. We had a lovely second story room that allowed us to overlook the roof tops. En suite, cupboard space, queen sized bed and a desk were all included in the comfortable room. Here’s my 6C review:
Comfortable Bed (Get a good night’s rest)
We had a very comfortable bed at Blue Sky. Positioned under a window, I was a little anxious when we arrived because I really can’t sleep under a draft. But the windows sealed perfectly so this was in no way an issue. The bedding was very soft, clean and comfortable, we were very cosy.
Passing the book shelves on the way through to our room, reminded me of childhood night’s at my best friend’s house in Hermanus. There’s nothing better than seeing the old books and CDs in a holiday house!
Cleanliness
10/10. Staying at the Blue Sky Guest House in Arniston reminded me of when I used to come home for school holidays after a term at boarding school. My Mom would make sure my room was spic and span, she’d leave a new magazine or a chocolate on my bed. It really made you feel special; like you were welcome, safe and happy. I had the same feeling at the Blue Sky.
I particularly dislike tiled floors because things stick to your feet, but this room was extremely clean and the carpets were a nice warming touch.
Counterspace (Bathroom)
I loved the modern mirror in the bathroom! Because, let’s be honest, my passion for makeup has grown over the past 5 years and there’s nothing better than a good mirror! (I think it has something to do with getting older.) There was no counter space to lay out my makeup, however, there was a giant slide out drawer so storage was no issue.
Charging Stations
We found a regular plug in our room which worked perfectly well for charging, as well as plug points next to the bed that allowed for USB charging. Very convenient.
Connectivity
We had full reception during our stay and I believe there was wifi as well. Arniston’s internet reception worked well enough – I was able to watch InstaStories at the beach at night.
Conveniences
Considering this is a small, family run business I was pleasantly surprised as to how well each room was prepared.
Each room has a queen sized bed, Nespresso coffee machines or a kettle, aircon (Mr John was happy) and a mini bar fridge. The supplied water was also appreciated as I love having cold water/drinks in the night (so I do miss the fridge when rooms don’t have them).
I must add that there is a pool within the main courtyard, which everyone can use, as well as a garage to lock up your bikes should you be a cyclist. The ground floor room (more like apartment!) has its own garden – convenient for anyone needing to use a wheelchair.
Blue Sky Restaurant in Arniston
What makes Blue Sky even better is the in-house restaurant and bar. I can imagine many a good night kicking off on the wooden slab bar counter after a delicious meal.
I was surprised at the amount of effort put into each plate. Small towns often don’t have amazing food; their strengths lying in traditional cuisine. So unless you feel like vetkoek or toasted sandwich, you’re often at a loss.
Chef ___ and his team were eager to please, professional yet obliging when addressed. The food was good and we enjoyed our meal.
I had a mushroom __ to start. Packed with mushrooms and __. For mains, Mr John had his usual – steak and chips while I tried the pork. I loved the mini toffee apple (easy to eat) and a veggie potato rosti nest. My potatoes were lovely and crunchy, pork tender with that hint of safe so welcome on a dish of pork. Three mousse desserts may have also disappeared in my presence. 😉
Final Impression
Sadly, in the middle of the night Mr John had one of his allergic reactions again!!! So we had to speed out of town at the crack of dawn to rush him to hospital.
Thank goodness, Jill & Aden had told how to come in and out of the guest house so we were able to disappear without disturbing them so early. And they even apologised for the inconvenience! These hosts are seasoned professionals and really offer such a warm and comfortable stay for visitors.
We were so sorry that we had to leave Blue Sky, but we will gladly stay again any time and are happy to recommend the guest house to anyone wanting a more authentic town visit to the beautiful Arniston. Rooms are available for between R1350 and R1450 per night and can be booked online.
Thank you SO much to the Blue Sky Guest House staff for having us. We definitely hope to see you again SOON!
This post was not sponsored, however, our visit was furnished by Blue Sky Guest House.
