It’s so dark in the bedroom that it’s nearly pitch black. I’m less worried about the floorboards creaking than I am about trying to open the bedroom door to creep out. Climbing out of bed I gingerly reach out for the indoor shutter, trying to find a latch of some sort. Got it. I open it ever so slightly as a tiny, stark saber of light penetrates the room. Clearly it’s later than I had anticipated; these shutters clearly do their job.
The instant injection of light allows me to carefully round the bed and cross the room. Slowly turning the brass bedroom handle I slip into the passageway. If it’s this late then surely our early bird friends, Dean and Tracey, must be awake – which means the house alarm is off?
Stepping into the lounge I find Dean – it turns out the shutters weren’t the only thing keeping beams out; the house alarm beams didn’t turn off when Dean tried to go for his morning run. The solution? Yolam – the house manager at Greystones Beach House. Since it’s after 9am, I feel it’s not too early to whatsapp Yolam for, “Help, please!”
Yolam responds with a quick instruction and Dean was set free for his morning run. Turns out you should probably write down alarm instructions when given to you. Ooops! The morning in Langebaan has begun.
Family History at Greystones Beach House
The charm of this 100 year old house is what makes staying at Greystones so unique. From the large, granite stones on the exterior of the house (that were recently reinforced to preserve the home), the old indoor fireplace keeping the heart of the home cozy, the wooden lintels submerged in the bedroom wall, indoor shutters, the old, Oregon pine wooden floor boards and ceilings, Greystones was built to last and built for families.
A Beach House for Families
Greystones is a large, 4 bedroomed home on the lagoon’s edge in Langebaan. Built more than 100 years ago, by the family’s great-grandfather, it remains in the family and provides visitors to Langebaan with large accommodation in the centre of town – perfect for summer holidays with the family.
The upstairs portion of the house is locked and exclusively used by the owners. The ground floor centres around the lounge (with indoor fireplace and DSTV), dining table and fully equipped kitchen.
Each bedroom is separated by a bathroom, yet neither are en suite, but both bathrooms include a shower, basin and lavatory (with one including a bath). One bedroom has a queen sized bed, the other two rooms have doubles and the last bedroom has 2 single beds.
We made the mistake of taking the small room and AJ ended up moving out during the night as we are big people and the double was just a bit too small for us (I wasn’t moving)! So be sure to consider your family options before selecting a room.
Spring Days at the Greystones Beach House
The front porch and garden of Greystones is something special and perfect for family holidays. The trimmed hedges enclose the garden while the crisp lawn makes the most inviting carpet for spring days. The lagoon is literally 50 meters from the front garden gate (front as it’s facing the lagoon) and excited visitors in the car park can be heard over the manatoka hedge.
Before we had decided what to do for breakfast, we had moved the garden chairs out onto the lawn to spend a moment watching birds fly by and mongooses circumnavigate the hedges. The soft, spring sun was a warm welcome after months of wintery lockdown living.
Soon the lull of lounging in the gentle light, to the sounds of Sam Cooke and Etta James, totally overtook the group and breakfast was merrily forgotten.
What’s For Lunch?
Eventually it was time to drag ourselves away and go for a lagoon walk. Easily popping out the front gate, we strolled along the seashore, watching seagulls patter past while children frollicked in the calm, shallow waters.
Having enjoyed the Milky Lane down the way, we returned to drive through Langebaan looking for wild flowers of the west coast. We also found the Wild Butcher and bought ourselves some fresh produce to braai in the evening after sundowners on the cosy porch.
As the sun became yellow to orange over the lagoon, we sipped our wine and started the fire crackling. As soon as it became a bit chilly, we moved into the enclosed porch, which is best used at night due to the fire keeping the room warm and the transparent blinds keeping out any pesky bugs.
Final Thoughts
The Greystones Beach House was built 5 generations ago for the purpose of families to enjoy lagoon life in Langebaan – that’s exactly what you’ll get. A well-kitted out, well furnished home that facilitates two families very comfortably, possibly three.
While being in the centre of town poses the usual “city living” security issues, Yolam was phenomenal at ensuring all gates and cars were locked (mine wasn’t!) as well as coming through to close all shutters at sunset.
Having that extra site on-hand really makes the stay pleasurable and assures you that you are safe and secure. Please do, however, be cautious and do not leave anything valuable out overnight, just as you wouldn’t in the city.
Greystones Beach House has a number of rates available for long weekends, school holidays, high season, low season and inbetween. Gretta is a wonderful owner and very approachable so if you have any queries about long stays or weekends, don’t be shy to enquire. There are still a few weekends available in 2020, but don’t delay as this property won’t remain available for long!
For more information, please mail WeLoveTravel@GotThePassports.com
