There’s something about cabins that just gets me. Maybe it’s the quiet. The freedom. The hot tubs under the stars. Or maybe it’s that no matter what kind of mood or season I’m in, there’s always one that fits — perfectly.
I didn’t plan to collect cabin stories. But somewhere between a spontaneous weekend in Hout Bay and a misty few days up in Tulbagh, I started noticing a pattern. Every time life got loud or messy or just too much, I found myself drawn back to these tucked-away places that let me hit pause.
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- Overstory Cabins in Hout Bay
Immersed in nature
One of the first was Overstory Cabins in Hout Bay. Nestled deep in the trees, it’s quiet in that healing way. The kind of place you don’t just hear silence — you feel it. My favourite memory? Slipping into the wood-fired hot tub just after sunset, the steam mixing with the cool forest air, a glass of red balancing on the wooden deck beside me. I stayed until the sky went full velvet and I could finally breathe again.
Then there was La Bruyère Farm in Tulbagh. Off-grid, tucked beside a flowing river, with the mountains folding around you like a soft blanket. I went solo — no expectations, no laptop, no noise. Just books, a fire pit, and a wildly romantic outdoor shower under the stars. It’s glamping, sure, but not in the influencer way. More like real, raw, grounding comfort. I left with my nervous system genuinely soothed.
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- Vrolikheid Landgoed
A few months later, Tulbagh called me back — this time to Vrolikheid Landgoed. This one had space, soul, and the kind of views that make you stop mid-conversation. I went with friends and we did absolutely nothing — which, somehow, felt like everything. Long coffee mornings on the patio. Sunset braais. The kind of laughter that resets your whole system. It’s warm, unpretentious, and effortlessly South African.
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- Untether – Olive View
Not long after, I found myself deep in Wellington olive country at a place called Untether – Olive View. It’s probably the most design-forward stay I’ve booked — minimalist, elegant, and unbelievably photogenic — but also incredibly thoughtful. I lit the pizza oven on night one, scribbled in my journal for hours, and sank into a hot tub surrounded by 360° mountain views. It gave me exactly what I needed: stillness with style.
And then came Immerson in Ballots Bay, tucked inside a private nature reserve near George. Ocean on one side, forest on the other, and this beautifully modern villa suspended in between. I went with a small group of friends and we quickly fell into a rhythm — barefoot breakfasts, sunset soaks in the hot tub, late-night talks with no signal to distract us. It’s the kind of place that changes your pace without asking permission.
Immerson in Ballots Bay
Slowing down and feeling again
These stays weren’t planned as a series. But in the messiness of everyday life — the emails, the overstimulation, the endless doing — they’ve become my unofficial way back to myself.
If you’ve been craving a break that isn’t about ticking boxes or chasing views, but about slowing down and feeling again, I can’t recommend these cabins enough.
You don’t have to go far to find magic. Sometimes, it’s just a booking link away.
Follow more of my slow travel favourites on Instagram at @marisia_in_africa, and discover curated South African getaways at @purelylocal. #PurelyLocal #MarisiaInAfrica #TravelSA #SlowTravel #CabinCrush #HotTubStays #StaySomewhereBetter
Top picture: Overstory Cabins in Hout Bay. Bottom pic: Immerson in Ballots Bay.