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The African Voyager

Paternoster, South Africa

The 5 best boutique and luxury hotels in Paternoster

Southern Africa • Stay • The 5 best boutique and luxury hotels in Paternoster

Where to stay in Paternoster

If you’ve ever found yourself daydreaming about wild beaches, painterly skies and that unique sense of stillness only the West Coast can deliver, Paternoster is your spot. Set along the Western Cape’s most photogenic shoreline, this fishing village in South Africa has become a magnet for travellers who crave more than just another pretty view. Paternoster’s boutique and luxury hotels infuse every stay with character, sustainability and coastal soul. Here, waking up to the sound of gulls, wandering from art-filled rooms to the tide line and digging into locally inspired breakfasts are part of the daily rhythm. Ready to explore Paternoster? Here’s where to check in.

Top photography courtesy of Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel

Overview: Paternoster’s best hotels

01 Gonana Guesthouse

02 Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel

03 Abalone Hotel & Villas

04 The Oystercatchers Haven

05 Paternoster Dunes Boutique Guesthouse

Gonana Guesthouse

Upon arrival at Gonana Guesthouse, you’re welcomed by the soothing scent of indigenous fynbos in bloom and a salty sea breeze. As Paternoster’s first fully sustainable guesthouse, the entire property is solar-powered, water-wise and free of single-use plastics, with furniture and fittings either locally made or upcycled. Swedish owner Jonas Sandström brought a Scandinavian sense of calm to the interiors – soft neutrals, lots of light and handmade textiles like woven baskets and ceramics that nod to African culture. The design is soft and grounding, with a subtle coastal palette that mirrors the dunes and sky outside. Every room has a sea view or private patio and the communal spaces – like the courtyard pool and indoor fireplace lounge – are easy to sink into and relax.

Gonana Guesthouse
42 Sonkwas St
Bek Bay
Paternoster
South Africa

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Photography courtesy of Gonana Guesthouse

Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel

Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel is the sort of place that makes you forget the outside world entirely. With just 16 rooms and suites, privacy is a given, but it’s the artful blend of raw textures – weathered wood, stone and glass – and wide-open ocean views that truly set the mood. The architecture invites nature in – bedrooms open onto private terraces and the only soundtrack is the crash of waves and the call of gulls. We love the on-site restaurant, Leeto Restaurant, helmed by West Coast chef Garth Almazan, whose menu dives deep into seasonal, local ingredients. Another highlight of staying here is the small spa and heated outdoor pool. But honestly, it’s the simple luxury of slipping out at dawn to watch fishing boats bobbing in the surf that stays with you.

Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel
Patterson Slot
Paternoster
South Africa

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Photography courtesy of Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel

Abalone Hotel & Villas

Sitting just metres from Gaatjies beach, Abalone Hotel & Villas offers a refreshing blend of barefoot seaside ease and polished luxury that feels entirely its own. Stepping inside Abalone Hotel & Villas, the design immediately catches your attention – crisp white walls and lofty ceilings offer a clean canvas for the textured accents and statement pieces. Cape Town’s acclaimed interior designer David Strauss combined modern minimalism with rustic charm. Here you will find exposed wooden beams overhead, reclaimed wooden coffee tables dressed in brass lanterns and contemporary art. In the elegant Oyster Villa Suites, pale stone floors flow onto private patios and plunge pools, inviting sea breezes and natural light to dance through floor-to-ceiling glass doors. Make some time in your schedule to dine at the on-site restaurants – Blues Restaurant and Oyster Lounge, where you can savour fresh West Coast oysters and sip on bubbles while watching the sun go down.

Abalone Hotel & Villas
3 Kriedoring St
Bek Bay
Paternoster
South Africa

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Photography courtesy of Abalone Hotel & Villas

The Oystercatchers Haven

The Oystercatchers Haven offers that elusive mix of intimacy and tranquillity, set right above Bekbaai’s quieter stretch of beach. The interiors feel like a love letter to the West Coast, with exposed rafters, bamboo ceilings and sun-bleached woods. The rooms feature vintage finds with classic West Coast touches – botanical art, woven baskets, shelves of well-thumbed books and the kind of textured rugs you want to kick your shoes off for. The open-plan dining space, warmed by original timber and a scatter of curios, sets the scene for a slow breakfast or an evening glass of wine. You’re never more than a few steps from that salty Atlantic air. Whether you’re curled up with a novel in a sunlit corner or lounging poolside, toes just brushing the water, the sound of the surf always in the background. This is the West Coast at its most inviting – thoughtful, unhurried and impossibly relaxing.

The Oystercatchers Haven
48 Sonkwas St
Bek Bay
Paternoster
South Africa

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Photography courtesy of The Oystercatchers Haven

Paternoster Dunes Boutique Guesthouse

It’s easy to lose track of time at Paternoster Dunes Boutique Guesthouse. Here, your days flow to the rhythm of the tides. Six individually decorated rooms open out onto a stretch of white sand that feels almost private, especially in the early mornings when the mist rolls in from the sea. Interiors mix soft linen, tactile ceramics and warm, neutral tones – there’s a refined simplicity here that we find genuinely calming. The in-house bar and lounge come alive at sunset. Here you can gather, along with fellow guests, around the fireplace or out on the terrace while taking in the scenery with a drink in hand. We also love the plunge pool, set among indigenous gardens – the perfect spot to unwind after exploring the village streets.