Starry Nights Guesthouse  Verified Listing

Starry Nights Guest House is situated in the lovely and artistic Karoo town of Nieu-Bethesda, and is perfect for our guests to unwind and enjoy the iconic Compassberg mountain view and surrounds.

The Guest House offers guests a choice of self-catering units with verandahs and braai areas opening onto the lovely garden. Cottages 1 and 2 can accommodate 4 people each. Cottage 1 is furnished with a queen-size and a single bed, with an extra bed available on request, and Cottage 2 contains a queen-size bed and 2 single beds. Each open-plan cottage has a kitchen that is equipped with a microwave, a kettle, a toaster, a stove, a small fridge, cutlery and crockery, and the cottages have shower-only bathrooms.

Located adjacent to Cottage 1, Cottage 3 can be booked on its own or with Cottage 1 for a group or family. The cottage contains twin beds, an en-suite shower, and is equipped with a fridge and tea and coffee facilities. Cottage 1 and 3 share a verandah.

The spacious house offers 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a lounge. Two of the rooms each contain a queen-size bed, while the third is furnished with 2 single beds. Extra beds can also be provided on request, and the en-suite bathrooms are fitted with showers. The kitchen is fully equipped with a stove and oven, microwave, tea and coffee facilities, as well as a dining area, and the lounge has comfortable seating.

Starry Nights Guest House has a large garden with uninterrupted views of the Compassberg and the valley to the north of Nieu Bethesda. The garden is a birders’ paradise with a variety of Karoo species nesting in the trees and bushes. At night, guests can indulge in the starry skies above while enjoying a braai with friends and family.

The lovely Guest House is within walking distance of galleries, shops, restaurants, and The Owl House. It is the perfect base from which to explore the village. Your hosts will happily assist with planning and recommendations. Day trips to Graaff-Reinet and the Valley of Desolation or Cradock and the Mountain Zebra National Park are easy options and are located within driving distance.

Family Self-catering Cottage 1:
* 2-plate stove
* Bathroom amenities
* Wi-Fi
* Coffee/Tea maker
* Colour Television
* Complimentary high-speed internet in room
* Patio
* Oven
* Outdoor furniture
* Kitchenette
* Microwave
* Non-smoking
* Refrigerator
* Shower only
* Sitting area

Family Self-catering Cottage 2:
* 2-plate stove
* Bathroom amenities
* Wi-Fi
* Coffee/Tea maker
* Colour Television
* Complimentary high-speed internet in room
* Patio
* Oven
* Outdoor furniture
* Kitchenette
* Microwave
* Non-smoking
* Refrigerator
* Shower only
* Sitting area

Standard Self-catering Cottage 3:
* Bathroom amenities
* Wi-Fi
* Coffee/Tea maker
* Colour Television
* Complimentary high-speed internet in room
* Patio
* Outdoor furniture
* Non-smoking
* Refrigerator
* Shower only
* Sitting area

Standard Self-catering Home:
* Bathroom amenities
* Wi-Fi
* Coffee/Tea maker
* Colour Television
* Complimentary high-speed internet in room
* Full Kitchen
* Patio
* Oven
* Outdoor furniture
* Microwave
* Non-smoking
* Refrigerator
* Shower only
* Sitting area

Some 60 km from Graaff-Reinet, Nieu-Bethesda is in essence completely isolated, with only two roads in and out of the village. Established in 1875 and named by the preacher Andrew Murray, Nieu-Bethesda was eclipsed by larger towns during the 1930s and ‘40s and became quite impoverished. It lies in a narrow valley, has no street lights and is only about one mile wide and two miles long - home to less than a thousand people.

Nieu-Bethesda, New Bethesda or ‘Betesda’ to the locals in the Eastern Cape, has been set very firmly on the map in recent years, largely due to the Owl House and Helen Martin’s very special and unique artwork. Her intriguing sculpture in concrete and glass, assisted by Koos Malgas who became her hands in later years, the mythical and fantastic figurines and use of bright paint and multi-coloured panes of glass, fascinate visitors from all over the world and have been responsible for converting the sleepy hollow of Nieu-Bethesda into a tourist attraction. It was only after her death that the full implication of what ‘Miss Helen’ had been doing in her childhood home during the 1940s was discovered. Largely a recluse, she was regarded as an eccentric by the village and the true value of her contribution was misunderstood.

* Braai/Barbecue
* Secured Parking
* Garden
* Wi-Fi

* Stargazing
* Bird watching
* Owl House
* Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre
* Hiking
* Mountain biking