Coot Club

Coot Club opened in 2019 on a 464-hectare private nature reserve on the southern bank of the Klein River Lagoon, two hours east of Cape Town. The property sits between the Maanschynkop mountains and the Walker Bay Nature Reserve, a 17-kilometre stretch of coastline where Southern Right whales calve from July to November. Stanford village lies a short drive inland. Ten units occupy the site: three contemporary Boathouses named Port, Starboard and Stern face the lagoon with vaulted ceilings and sunken wood-fired hot tubs on broad decks; the three-bedroom Lawns villa includes a loft sleeping area and double-volume living space; two Leeward Large cottages and two Leeward Suites sit within milkwood forest and fynbos gardens, each with outdoor showers or baths and private terraces overlooking the lagoon or mountains.

All accommodation includes breakfast and dinner served at the Clubhouse, a central building with restaurant seating, a bar, and a children's play area upstairs. An outdoor pool and lawn games occupy the grounds. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, fat bikes, and two sailboats are available without charge. Guided activities include motorised boat trips for water skiing and wakeboarding, quad-bike tours, and beach excursions into Walker Bay Nature Reserve with sandboarding and picnics. Hiking and bird-watching trails cross the reserve. The Spookhuis, a limestone building constructed in 1892, hosts private events and weddings for up to 40 guests on site.