Morukuru Ocean House

OVERVIEW:

Morukuru Ocean House is owned and operated by Morukuru Family De Hoop. Morukuru is a member of the highly esteemed Relais & Châteaux group, which is made up of luxury hotels and restaurants. Ocean House prides itself on providing very exclusive experiences within a spectacular coastal reserve! The property is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, the majority of activities, parking, and Wi-Fi. There’s a reduced rate for children, and youngsters aged under 2 years stay for free!

ACCESS & LOCATION:

Ocean House can be accessed from Cape Town, via air or road. Private charter flights are available from the Mother City’s international airport and the journey time is approximately 45 minutes. Helicopter flights can be arranged too! Guests driving from Cape Town enjoy a three-hour trip along South Africa’s gorgeous Garden Route, with the Winelands and Plettenberg Bay just two of the scenic spots along the way. Please note, a 2WD with higher ground clearance is advised for the approach to the house, due to gravel roads. The house is a contemporary building made out of stone, wood, and glass, and with beautiful views down to the ocean.

ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT MORUKURU OCEAN HOUSE:

In total, the house boasts 900 square metres of floor space, with the bedrooms covering about 52 sq m each. There are four bedrooms, all with modern furnishings and capacity for two adults and one child. Each room includes comfy beds, bedside tables and lighting, lounge furniture, a cosy corner stove, and, through glass doors, amazing views over De Hoop! The en-suite facilities comprise flush toilet, twin washbasins, shower, and bathtub. Children can also be accommodated in the study room, which forms part of the extensive living space.

Communal areas of Ocean House feature a pleasant lounge-cum-library, which has sumptuous seating around a coffee table, a selection of reading material, and a large fireplace. The dining room contains a long table flanked by smart upright chairs in colours inspired by the natural surroundings, such as ocean hues. You can also relax and tuck in to meals on the house’s charming patio, which is set with additional lounge and dining furniture. The house chefs are happy to serve up anything you desire, being well trained in the preparation of all sorts of snacks and meals. A great range of drinks is available in the funky little upstairs bar, or you can select a bottle of wine from the property’s own cellar. Entirely al fresco dining is also possible here, on a wooden deck within the exceedingly well-kept gardens! The grounds contain a swimming pool too, with sunloungers and parasols alongside. And throughout your stay, a private butler will be on hand to see to your every need.

ACTIVITIES AT MORUKURU OCEAN HOUSE:

Ocean House offers a thrilling variety of things to do. Guests set the schedule throughout their stay as per the Morukuru Freedom Concept, which includes deciding on mealtimes.

• With over 50 kilometres of pristine white-sand beach close by, you can enjoy activities such as sunbathing, swimming, volleyball, cricket, and croquet.
• Marine walks are also popular – lasting 1–3 hours, these take place in the company of a guide, who can tell you all about the discoveries you make in De Hoop’s many rock pools!
• You can snorkel in the rock pools too, if you’re interested in close encounters with marine life.
• The reserve is also a dream destination for birders, as over 260 types of feathery friend have been spotted – specials include fish eagle, great white pelican, flamingo, and sacred ibis.
• From June to October, you might spot immense southern right whale off the coast, while seal, dolphin, and porpoise can be seen throughout the year. Sports fans can have a go at sandboarding on the dunes, and De Hoop’s sprawling fields of fynbos can be explored via walks, hikes, drives, and bike rides.
• You can play tennis at De Opstal Country Lodge, which is just half an hour away.
• At extra cost, there’s whale watching from a helicopter, other scenic flights, boat trips, spa treatments, and yoga.
• And there’s plenty to entertain children too, as they are allowed to participate in most of the activities and are kept happily occupied by house staff while parents are busy – among pursuits available for young travellers are baking, making and flying kites, and shell hunting!

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.