Birkenhead House Hermanus

Birkenhead House sets the standard for luxury hotels in Hermanus. With its exhilarating cliff-top position overlooking the whale watching paradise of Walker Bay, Birkenhead House provides luxury accommodation for those seeking time out to relax and recharge body and mind.

Watch surfers carving through the waves and, for several months each year, witness Southern Right and Humpback Whales breaching just metres from the shore.

The hotel’s contemporary décor is an artful mix of beach-house and quirky opulence. The all-inclusive rate means that guests never need to leave the comfort of Birkenhead House, where all meals and drinks are included.

For the more adventurous, Hermanus offers activities aplenty including whale watching, shark cage diving, golf, horse riding on the beach, hiking, surfing, mussel picking and even wine tasting. The Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is just a short drive away and is one of South Africa’s premier wine routes.

THE ROOMS
The 11 rooms at Birkenhead House are individually decorated by the stylish wand of owner Liz Biden. The rooms are located in three different houses which make up Birkenhead House.

Please note that while we will do our best to accommodate your room preference we can only guarantee a room category and not a specific room.

DINING
At Birkenhead House in Hermanus, world-class cuisine is served in a spectacular setting. Executive Chef Oliver Coetzee grew up in South Africa’s Western Cape where the cuisine has a strong Malay influence. He’s also had a long time passion for Asian flavours.

The culmination of these influences with the abundance of fresh, local seafood makes for a truly tantalising menu. On offer are homemade breads, ice creams and sorbets, as well as delicacies such as tempura strawberries.

Fresh local seafood includes Cape Salmon, Kingklip, Hake, Marlin, Red Roman and Kabeljou as well as crayfish, prawns and mussels picked fresh from the rocks below the hotel.

Only the freshest ingredients are used for lavish meals served in your choice of setting: overlooking the ocean; next to our dual level pool; in our glass fronted dining area or simply enjoyed in the privacy of your suite.

Soups are a delicious hearty option, with flavours as unusual and exotic as vanilla and butternut.  Menus and meals can be designed to meet guests’ individual palates and dietary requirements.

COASTAL CUISINE
Guests can go foraging for edible Fynbos species along the coastal shoreline. Our chefs will then prepare a five-course dinner incorporating those hand-picked ingredients while each course will be paired with wines from the nearby Hemel and Aarde Valley.

No coastal experience would be complete without picking mussels from the rocks below Birkenhead House. Chefs Oliver and Pinkie will share their knowledge with the guests and explain which mussels to pick and how to pick them.

They will then provide a ”Master Class” on how to cook them on an open fire incorporating ingredients from our local shoreline while discussing the history of South African cuisine and the Cape Malay influence.

Please note that Mussel Picking is seasonal and subject to coastal conservation rules. Guests can also enjoy a wine tasting comparing four Pinot Noirs from the region.

BIRKENHEAD HOUSE SPA
Unwind in fine style with our range of spa treatments at Birkenhead House in Hermanus. There’s something about the fresh seaside air at Birkenhead House that lends itself to a relaxing massage in our newly renovated spa.

Treatments include massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, body-exfoliations and body wraps as well as beauty and grooming treatments using some of South Africa’s best products. Our spa has four treatment rooms and a team of highly qualified therapists.

WHALES AND DOLPHINS
Rugged cliffs, invigorating air and stirring views characterise the charming town of Hermanus, the world’s best location for land-based whale watching. Pathways along the cliff edge allow you to explore this wild and beautiful Cape coastline, while the beaches themselves are pristine, safe and easily accessible.

Along Hermanus’s famous cliff path you will find numerous information boards about the abundant marine life. The information focuses mainly on the Marine 5 – whales, sharks, dolphins, seals and penguins.

Hermanus is renowned as the best place for land-based whale watching in the world. And Birkenhead House is privileged to enjoy the best vantage point in Hermanus – standing proud on the clifftop above Voelklip beach.

From the main deck at Birkenhead House you’ll see pods of dolphins splashing playfully past the front deck as well as Southern Right and Humpback Whales. On rare occasions you might even see a Bryde’s Whale.

There is a telescope in the main sitting room as well as numerous sets of binoculars for our guests to get a good look at these fascinating and calming creatures. The best time for whale watching is from July to December but the optimum time seems to change a little each year.

ABOUT SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES
Southern Right Whales may reach between 14-16m in length and can weigh between 40-70 tons. These whales lack a dorsal fin, unlike most large whales. One of the most distinguishing features of the southern right whales is the scattering of “callosities” on their head.

These callosities are simply rough patches of skin on which barnacles and whale lice live. Each whale has a unique pattern of these callosities on their head, and the patterns prove useful as mechanisms for individual identification.

The whales have large square -shaped black flippers and a large tail fin that can reach 5m in width. Approximately 4% of Southern right whales are born mostly white in colour – this colour typically becomes a grey/brindle colour in adults.

When southern right whales are sighted, either at sea or from the coast, their identity is often facilitated by their ” V” shaped blow, due to the positioning of their two blowholes.

These whales got their name historically from early whalers, who determined that these were the “right whales” to hunt, both for commercial value, but also for their ease of hunting.

Southern right whales have a relatively slow average swim speed (4-6km/hour), they tend to spend a significant amount of their time at the surface of the water, they would float when dead and many of their calving and mating grounds are close to the coastlines.

Now they are considered the “right” whales to watch, again due to their fondness of the coastlines, and for their slow swimming speeds. Southern Right Whales can live to 50 years and sometimes significantly longer.

ABOUT HUMPBACK WHALES
Humpback Whales are known for their magical songs, which travel for great distances through the world’s oceans. These sequences of moans, howls, cries, and other noises are quite complex and often continue for hours on end.

Scientists are studying these sounds to decipher their meaning. It is most likely that humpbacks sing to communicate with others and to attract potential mates.

These whales are found near coastlines, feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton, and small fish. Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the Equator.

Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appear to be gestures of affection. Females nurse their calves for almost a year, though it takes far longer than that for a humpback whale to reach full adulthood.

Calves do not stop growing until they are ten years old. Humpbacks are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke, to propel themselves through the water and sometimes completely out of it.

These whales, like others, regularly leap from the water, landing with a tremendous splash. Scientists aren’t sure if this breaching behavior serves some purpose, such as cleaning pests from the whale’s skin, or whether whales simply do it for fun.

SURFING

Join General Manager Shane Brummer for a surfing lesson on the beach below Birkenhead House – we even have our own Birkenhead House surf boards and wet suits.

MUSSEL PICKING

Our chefs will show you how to safely pick these delicious marine treats from the mussel clad rocks below Birkenhead House before preparing them for you with a little garlic, cream and white wine. Please note that Mussel Picking is seasonal.

WINE TASTING
Over the last few years, Food & Beverage Manager Ricardo Roux has carefully crafted the award winning wine list at Birkenhead House. The wine list at Birkenhead House celebrates the best of South Africa’s wine from each of the main wine producing regions in the Western Cape.

There is however a particular emphasis on the surrounding cool climate regions of Elgin, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Stanford and Elim which produce superb Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs. Our wine list recently received a Diamond Award from Diner’s Club International.

There is a small wine cellar at Birkenhead House where our wine experts conduct bespoke wine tastings to suit our guests’ interests and palates. From a vertical tasting of Hamilton Russel’s finest to a comparative Pinot Noir tasting from the surrounding regions.

Our house wines are included in the rate at Birkenhead House and can be enjoyed by the glass or by the bottle. We also have an extensive Reserve Wine list.

HONEYMOONS
Romance is in the air at Birkenhead House – an intimate and chic beach house on the cliffs of Hermanus, high above two pristine beaches.

All of the hotel’s 11 luxury suites are individually designed with touches such as gold-framed headboards, freestanding Victorian baths, 18th-century French gold armchairs, English antique four-poster beds, and more.

Hermanus is best known as a whale-watching destination, which you can do from the cliff path, or out on the water, or from the comfort of the front deck. There is no better place in the world to sit with a glass of wine or a cup of tea, curled up on a cushy sofa, reading a book and staring out at the surf.

WEDDINGS
Birkenhead House offers one of the most exclusive and intimate beach wedding venues in Cape Town and Hermanus. Against the restless beauty of the Atlantic Ocean, Birkenhead House offers guests a stylish, yet relaxed celebration among spectacular natural beauty.

Feast on seafood and innovative fusion cuisine beside the pool; gather your guests on the sand for speeches or photographs; feel the ocean breeze dancing in attendance as you make your vows.

Let the champagne air add its heady charm to your day and the experienced Birkenhead House events team will do the rest.

BEACHES

Birkenhead House is located between two of Hermanus’s best swimming beaches – Voelklip and Nanny’s Beach. The mile long Grotto Beach is just a short drive or walk away. Ask a member of our staff to suggest the perfect beach for you!

SEA KAYAKING

Sea kayaking is a wonderful outdoor pursuit for the more adventurous. It will get you up close to some of Hermanus’s fascinating sea life and it’s also great exercise.

GOLF

Hermanus is a wonderful golfing destination. Hermanus Golf Club in the centre of town and Arabella golf club is just a short distance away and voted amongst the Top 5 golf courses in South Africa.

CYCLING AND HIKING

Hermanus is surrounded by natural wonder. There are two incredible nature reserves in close proximity – Fernkloof Nature Reserve and Walker Bay Nature Reserve.

HORSE RIDING

Whether you’re a first time rider or an experienced pro, Hermanus is the ideal destination to explore on horse back while savouring the champagne air.

FISHING

Embark on a one or two hour fishing expedition around Gansbaai, Bettie’s Bay or if the weather permits, on long beach also known as “Die Plaat” which is a semi-private beach, that forms part of the Walker Bay Nature Reserve.

SHARK CAGE DIVING
Diving with Great White Sharks is an exhilarating and fascinating experience. The team at Birkenhead House will gladly arrange a shark cage diving expedition for you in nearby Gansbaai.

We use a company called Marine Dynamics whose primary focus is on marine conservation and research ensuring that your shark cage diving experience will be undertaken responsibly and with minimum impact on the environment.

The team at Birkenhead House will gladly arrange a shark cage diving expedition for you in nearby Gansbaai. We use a company called Marine Dynamics whose primary focus is on marine conservation and research ensuring that your shark cage diving experience will be undertaken responsibly and with minimum impact on the environment.

At Marine Dynamics HQ, your dive master will give you a full briefing about the day’s procedures. You will learn all about these fascinating Apex predators as well as the rest of the Marine 5 which includes Sharks, Whales, Seals, Penguins and Dolphins.

You’ll then take a 20-minute boat trip out to sea and anchor off Dyer Island and Geyser Rock, which boasts a large Cape Fur Seal colony, the staple diet of the Great White Shark.

After slipping into your wetsuit, the crew will lower you into the cage which is attached to the side of the boat in the water. This is an incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with these amazing animals, from the safety of a cage.

Enjoy a picnic lunch on board, while waiting for the sharks or between dives, taking in the beautiful scenery. Even if you are not keen to dive, the shark viewing from the boat is still exhilarating providing some fantastic photo opportunities.

THE HEMEL EN AARDE VALLEY
It’s no coincidence that the Afrikaans name Hemel-en-Aarde translates directly to Heaven-and-Earth. This is one of the most wonderfully scenic destinations in South Africa.

Famous for its uninterrupted views over the valley and coastline, the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Route boasts a diverse array of wine farms and award-winning restaurants.

The entire valley is just a short drive from Birkenhead House in Hermanus.Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl tend to dominate the headlines when it comes to the Cape Winelands, but the Hemel-en-Aarde valley produces some of the most iconic wines in South Africa.

In this cool, coastal climate, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc thrive. To whet your palette, we have highlighted a few of our favourite wine farms along this stunning route:

HAMILTON RUSSELL
Hamilton Russell was founded by Tim Hamilton Russell in 1975, carving out a reputation as one of South Africa’s best known wines. It is now run by Anthony and Olive Hamilton-Russell and remains very much a family endeavour.

Their two varieties of wine are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as the vineyard chooses to focus on a more traditional approach by only producing fewer varieties rather than the “new style” approach of producing many variants on the same soil.

This approach has not only won the winery many awards but has also helped to set a very high standard for other wines produced and sold in the area.

Not surprisingly, quality is another big sticking point for Anthony Hamilton-Russell, who admits “the reason we became an estate was so that we could do stupid things financially in the name of quality.” Following that line of thinking, Hamilton-Russell does not believe in reserve wines.

“If you have a reserve, what does that say about the quality of your other wines? Why should you produce a lesser quality grape or a lesser vintage?”

Both wines are single varietal and can be tasted and enjoyed at the beautiful tasting room. The location is peaceful and picturesque, with weeping willows bordering their private damn, which the tasting room overlooks.

CREATION WINES
Founded in 2002 and situated high up on the scenic Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Creation Wines is a relatively new player in the world of South African wine-making. But Creation has experienced quick success, and the estate now buzzes with intrigue and innovation.

As well as standard wine tasting, Creation offers a number of exciting activities, designed specifically for wine lovers everywhere. Enjoy a lengthy, delectable tapas and wine pairing, with delicately-crafted goodies prepared by their team of talented chefs.

Winner of Klink’s Yin and Yang Award for Best Food and Wine Pairing at the Cellar Door, this by arguably Creation’s most popular offering. The winery also offers a Wine and Chocolate Pairing, a 10AM Brunch Pairing, a non-alcoholic pairing, a three course pairing menu, and the intriguing ‘Secret Wine and Food Pairing’.

Alternatively, discover the estate on foot, with a mini-safari of sorts. Explore the incredible biodiversity of the land, which includes lush fynbos, verdant slopes, and lively birdlife. Space is limited, and this is an extremely popular destination, so make sure to book beforehand.

BOUCHARD FINLAYSON
Bouchard Finlayson is a stunning boutique winery best known for their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Established in 1989, the winery began as a collaboration between acclaimed Burgundian winemaker Paul Bouchard, and award-winning local winemaker, Peter Finlayson.

Ever since the release of their initial vintage, the Bouchard Finlayson name has been synonymous with excellence. More than half of the 22 hectares of vines on this 120 hectare property are dedicated to Pinot Noir.

With awards such as the ‘Top Cultivar’ award for the Galpin Peak Pinot Noir in the 2013 and 2014 South African Wine index and Gold Medal for the Galpin Peak Téte De Cuvée Pinot Noir in the 2013 Decanter World Wine Awards, Bouchard Finlayson are renowned for producing some of the best expressions of Pinot Noir in the country.

The winemaker himself, Peter Finlayson, is committed to the creation of truly fine wines. He’s widely regarded as the ‘Pioneer of Pinot Noir’ in South Africa and was the first winemaker in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley.

The Bouchard Finlayson cellars are open daily for wine tastings from 09h00 to 17h00, Monday – Friday, and Saturdays from 10h00 – 13h00. The cellar and tasting rooms are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.

NEWTON JOHNSON
Another established favourite in the valley is the family-owned and managed Newton Johnson Vineyards. Their story dates back to 1995, as Cape Wine Master Dave Newton Johnson and his wife Felicity moved to the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, built a cellar, and began to plant vines.

A true family business, Dave’s enthusiasm for wine was passed on to his two sons, Bevan and Gordon. Bevan is now the Managing Director, and in charge of marketing, while Gordon and his wife Nadia are the estate’s winemaking team.

Known for their high-quality Pinot Noir, the winery features three ranges: the Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Range, The Newton Johnson Range, and the Felicite Range. They produce 9 different wines.

Previously known as Heaven, The Restaurant at Newton Johnson is overseen by experienced Chef Eric Bulpitt and is rated in South Africa’s Top 10 by Eat Out magazine. Creativity flows unbounded in this contemporary South African eatery, which serves up outstanding dishes from a continually changing menu.

The tasting room at Newton Johnson Vineyards is open Monday to Friday from 09h00 to 17h00, and Saturdays from 10h00 to 14h00.

LA VIERGE
The lovingly tended vineyards of La Vierge are situated along the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, and the estate, which includes a tasting room, cellar, restaurant, and a wedding and functions venue, has been designed to signify the pristine beauty of the valley.

This goes hand-in-hand with their branding, which utilizes the Garden of Eden theme, and suggests a leafy paradise encompassing the purity, and simplicity of life’s beginnings.

La Vierge celebrates what they like to call “wines of desire”, from their 2015 Wiesser Riesling – Last Temptation, to their 2013 Pinor Noir – Seduction, and Original Sin – their 2015 Sauvignon Blanc.

The La Vierge Restaurant & Venue is led by the Season 3 Ultimate Braai Master Champions – the Tikka Boys. Both owners and chefs, Yusuf Sujee and Stephen Mandes ensure that this eatery is the perfect complement to the entire La Vierge experience.

The La Vierge tasting room is open daily from 9h00 to 17h00.

DAY TOURS
For those who have an extended itinerary in Hermanus, Birkenhead House can gladly organise day tours which encompass a wide range of experiences, from encounters with Africa’s big cats to deep sea fishing tours – there is something for everyone to enjoy.

DEEP SEA FISHING

Going out from Hermanus New Harbour, you are almost guaranteed to catch some exciting fish off our reefs. Our guides have been fishing these waters for many years, and will be on hand to offer their expert advice.

LE BONHEUR CROCODILE FARM

The farm has over 1000 crocodiles. They provide guided pond tours every 45minutes and visitors might have the opportunity to hold a baby crocodile.

THE FRANSCHHOEK MOTOR MUSEUM

Take a look back at more than 100 years of motoring history with this collection of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and memorabilia.

GIRAFFE HOUSE

The Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre provides easy access to some of Africa’s wonderful wildlife and bird species.

DRAKENSTEIN LION PARK

The park was established to provide lions in distress with sanctuary. They also opened Chimp Haven which is a lifetime home to Chimpanzees and other small animals.

BUTTERFLY WORLD

This unique attraction has a tropical garden in a 1000m² green house where visitors have the opportunity to see exotic butterflies, reptiles, spiders, meerkats and lots more.

MONKEY TOWN

This is a wildlife centre for monkeys and apes with more than 230 animals and 28 different exotic species. There are also koi ponds, many bird species and small antelope on the premises.

HAROLD PORTER BOTANICAL GARDENS

Take a relaxing hike through this stunning indigenous forest. The more adventurous could take a hike up to the waterfalls. Definitely a must do for nature lovers.

STONY POINT PENGUIN COLONY

This is one of only 2 mainland-based penguin colonies in South Africa. A fun experience to see these odd birds in their natural environment.

CHEETAH OUTREACH

This is an education and community based programme created to raise awareness of the plight of the cheetah and to campaign for its survival.

CORNELLSKOP ANIMAL TRAINING FARM

Walk among the cheetahs or play with the lions. They also have a host of different animals, some of which have been used in adverts as well as some big Hollywood films.

Website: www.theroyalportfolio.com

Rooms: 11

Price: from 650 EUR per night