A Table For My Tribe: A West Coast Wonder Gonana Collection

June 13, 2023 by Elske Joubert

It was a cold and rainy Friday afternoon in Cape Town when we excitedly packed our bags and made our way to the small fisherman village of Paternoster – the epitome of slow living.

We arrived at Gonana Guesthouse, a member of Cape Country Routes, where we were greeted – in true West Coast style – by friendly staff who checked us in and helped us get settled. It was a brief, refreshing walk from the main guesthouse to our unit, Coral Villa, just up the road (there is parking at the villa, but some of us chose to walk and our designated driver brought our car).

We loved taking the short walk to the main guesthouse and back.

En route you’ll get a glimpse of Bek Bay, a mere stone’s throw away, with numerous little paths leading you straight to the beach.

One of the many little paths leading to Bek Bay beach.

The villa, recently renovated and refurbished, is spacious and the furnishings (all sourced locally) are reminiscent of quintessential laid-back living. It consists of three bedrooms: two upstairs with en-suite bathrooms and one downstairs with a separate bath and shower.

The rooms are furnished beautifully.

There’s a communal lounge with an open fireplace and a large dining room table – perfect for those nights kuiering around the fire while having dinner with friends and family. Coral Villa, being self-catering, also has a fully equipped kitchen with a gas hob and all the essentials you may need to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Even though winter is in full swing, we spent most of our time outside on the stoep, basking in the winter sun. The stoep overlooks a small fynbos garden, from where you’ll also get glimpses of Bek Bay. The braai area is located in the garden, so stoep kuiers were, of course, the order of the day.

We took leisurely strolls to the beach and watched the hues of orange and pink erupt on the horizon – there is nothing quite like a West Coast sunset! With the golden rays caressing our faces, we sat on the sand, immersing ourselves in every moment, counting ourselves so incredibly blessed to be there.

We had breakfast at the main guesthouse, where we enjoyed a wholesome and hearty meal, served Scandinavian style. The dining area opens up to an outside eating area that overlooks the ocean.

With full bellies and happy hearts, we bid Gonana and Paternoster farewell at the end of our stay. And as we walked back to our villa for the last time on Sunday, on a misty morning with the ocean raging, we vowed to each other that we’d be back again soon.

More about the Gonana Collection

Gonana Guesthouse – Gonana Collection’s flagship property is located on the Bek Bay beach alongside a greenbelt. Its eight en-suite guest rooms are a study of calm and tranquility – seven have private terraces/balconies, with three leading directly to the beach, and upstairs the three-sleeper triple room has its own private balcony, while The Studio – a small apartment with an upstairs bedroom with balcony (with a partial sea view), a lounge area, a small kitchenette and a bathroom downstairs – can be rented as a self-catering option. An upstairs dining area with a stunning sea view is where guests can enjoy breakfast, while the adjacent lounge area with comfortable classic leather couches is the perfect place to curl up with a book, a cup of coffee or tea and simply relax. 

Gonana Houses – two self-catering houses that offer an option for guests seeking total privacy. Both the two-bedroom, four-sleeper Acacia House and the one-bedroom, three-sleeper Aloe House have fully equipped kitchens, a dining area, patios/balconies with sea views and braai facilities on their covered verandahs, allowing for year-round enjoyment.

Gonana Coral Villa – the oldest fisherman villa at the quieter Bek Bay side of Paternoster has been renovated and refurbished. It features two en-suite bedrooms and one bedroom with a separate bathroom, a large communal lounge with open fireplace and dining area, bathrooms with walk-in showers and solar geysers and a fully equipped kitchen with gas hob. Its own garden – with a braai area and an outside breakfast area – faces onto an indigenous fynbos garden.

Gonana Studios – three separate studios: The Scallop, The Oyster and The Mussel are situated in the garden. Each studio sleeps three (queen-size bed plus sleeper couch). All bathrooms feature a walk-in shower and solar geysers and the fully equipped kitchenettes feature gas hobs. The front porches (with a built-in braai) of the two ground floor studios face the indigenous fynbos garden. Each also has a secluded back porch with dining facilities. The Scallop has a private terrace with built-in braai and dining table.