Sawubona Magazine: Inside Gonana Collection’s GuesthouseAn eco-conscious stay

Date: March 24, 2023

Owned by Swedish entrepreneur and interior designer Jonas Sandström, the eco-conscious Gonana Collection, located on the Bekbaai beach in Paternoster alongside a green belt, offers luxurious, but relaxed contemporary accommodation comprising its flagship Gonana Guesthouse, two pet-friendly, self-catering Houses with breathtaking sea views and its newest additions, the exclusive three-bedroom Coral Villa and three separate Studios – Scallop, Oyster and Mussel.

If you’re thinking of long walks on the beach…sundowners by the sea… scrumptious seafood dinners – then Gonana is where you want to be. Ideal for a family getaway, a romantic holiday for two or a fun-filled beach break with a bunch of friends it is where you can swap your ‘city blues’ with Atlantic ocean’s hues.

An eco-conscious stay

The Guesthouse with eight ensuite guest rooms – seven with their own terraces or balconies and one, the Apartment, a fully equipped double storey with a kitchenette, which can serve as a self-catering unit or as a bed and breakfast, is effectively off the grid and entirely environmentally ethical.

As an eco-conscious and recent 2022 TripAdvisor’s Excellence awardee, the Scandi-owned guesthouse is self-sufficient, solar powered and untouched by loadshedding, its water is recycled, plastic usage is minimal, chemicals are taboo, the gardens are indigenous and waterwise, decor is natural and sourced locally, everything is fresh and organic and it follows the philosophy of ‘buying local, thinking global’.

Aside from the Guesthouse, Gonana Collection’s other accommodation offerings include the two fully furnished, pet-friendly, self-catering Houses: the one-bedroomed, three-sleeper Aloe House and the 2022 Afristay Pet-Friendly Destination awardee, the two-bedroomed, four-sleeper Acacia House, which offer the perfect option for those seeking privacy; and its most recent additions – three self-catering, separate Scallop, Oyster and Mussel Studios and the exclusive three-roomed Coral Villa. These are also solar-powered and unaffected by loadshedding.

Gonana Collection (Gonana is derived from the isiZulu word ‘embrace’) is proudly LGBTQ-friendly and an inclusive space for all who enjoy and appreciate nature and are environmentally conscious.