De Mond Villa, De Hoop

De Mond Villa stands on its own at the mouth of the De Hoop Vlei, where the Ramsar-listed wetland meets the dune fields near the sea, inside De Hoop Nature Reserve. The De Hoop Collection restored it, and it runs entirely off the grid on solar power and gas.

The villa has five en-suite bedrooms, three in the house and two with outside access. One has a bath and shower and four have showers, and every bed can be made up as a king or twins. The lounge, with a fireplace, and the dining room look straight over the water, and outside there is a private swimming pool and a braai area. Wifi is available.

De Mond is sold for sole use on a fully catered and guided basis, with a chef and host throughout, for a minimum of five guests and two nights. Afternoon tea, breakfasts, a lunch and dinners are included, along with guided activities: a marine walk, a nature drive, a guided mountain bike ride and a bird and vlei walk. Drinks are for guests' own account.

The birdlife on the vlei is outstanding, and bushpigs, otters, rock hyraxes and herds of eland live around the villa. The Opstal area and The Fig Tree Restaurant are about ten minutes away by car. De Mond Villa is also a base for the De Hoop Trail, Vlei to Whales, a catered and guided walk of up to 38.5 km over four days.