Cape Town - Here’s the thing. Capetonians love their dogs. And Capetonians love to get out and about. Unfortunately, the two actions are not always compatible.
This is where Beatrix comes in. She’s a two-year-old Boston Terrier who is super keen to explore Cape Town. From beaches to forests, from restaurants to holiday accommodation, Beatrix wants it all. But she needs to know where she’ll be welcome. So every month Beatrix will scout out pet-friendly places where you and your dogs can visit. She’ll even rate them, according to her own Beatrix-o-Meter. And she’ll be very happy to hear your suggestions and feedback – you can contact her at beatrixboston@gmail.com
Some things you may need to know about Beatrix before we start – she’s very friendly, loves people, is a bit shy of big boisterous dogs, obsessive about playing ball, and is very well socialised and house-trained, but needs a watchful eye around busy road traffic. Oh, and she’s a heavy snorer...
PET-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION
We started out by visiting two self-catering guest houses.
Aloe Cottage, Darling
Overlooking fields of rolling renosterveld, Aloe Cottage is situated in a small estate just three minutes outside Darling. It’s a cute, stylish cottage with a clean, open-plan feel and eye-soothing views from a park-off-and-relax patio. Downstairs there’s a comfy lounge, well-equipped kitchen, and two en-suite bedrooms, while upstairs is a large loft with another en-suite bedroom and lounge. So six people could stay here – with their pets, of course.
The patio (with braai area) leads into the small garden – which is fully fenced all around, making it a completely safe play area for Beatrix. She loved it, and was delighted to roll on the grass and sniff the foliage. No doubt other canine visitors had left olfactory messages – although the house itself is remarkably non-doggy-smelling.
So the garden is a big plus, being fully enclosed. It means that if you’re staying here with your hound, you can completely relax without worrying where your dog has wandered off to. Personally, I find it’s very nice to be able to curl up with a glass of wine and a book, and not have to keep checking on Beatrix. From her side, she’s completely happy to womble – which is kind of like strolling, but with no fixed directional plan and lots of snuffling sounds.
Another huge plus is that the cottage has tiled floors throughout, which makes mopping up accidents very easy. And also sweeping up excess hairs, which more hirsute dogs tend to shed. Beatrix herself is short-haired, which makes her quite a tidy guest. She’s a bit smug about this.
The cottage is ideal for lazing around and doing nothing – but there are great walks in the area. Darling has a number of restaurants and, of course, Evita se Perron where Pieter-Dirk Uys plays host. And there are loads of wine farms to do tastings. The point is, having a pet-friendly base means you can safely leave your dog at the cottage if you want to do an adult/ human activity like catch a cabaret at the Perron. And then you can enjoy your pooch being around when you get back. A win-win for both sides, we reckon.
Beatrix-o-Meter:
HHHH Small safe garden. Might not be enough for large dogs who are used to exercise – they may require a walk in the renosterveld as a workout.
HHHH Nice cool patio to lie on during the heat of the day.
HHHH Safety-conscious – the upstairs loft has child-friendly railings and a little gate, so kids and small dogs can’t fall down the stairs.
HHHH Styling design – although we are not sure if dogs are supposed to lounge on the funky furniture ...
H Bring own dogs’ bedding: 083 400 1666, www.aloedarling.co.za
De Stal, Riebeek West
We’d heard that all the interesting people had moved out of Observatory and into the Swartland (and Muizenberg, but that’s another story). Certainly the area can boast its fair share of artists, writers, organic chefs and leather sandal makers. And Riebeek West is no exception. Here we found the quirky De Stal Garden Cottage, which is attached to the sprawling home of former architect and now web designer Johann Human and his four dogs.
The cottage used to be part of the original stables and cow shed dating from 1892, and has a rustic, comfortable feel. Wooden furniture and original art works make for a warm setting, while a four-poster double-bed invites morning sleep-ins. A long stoep with a braai is made for lingering lunches or dinners. And, more importantly, because this is a pet review not a feature for Perfect Hideaways, there is a shady, enclosed garden.
Beatrix took to it immediately, partly because it was big enough so she could chase her ball around, and also because of her new neighbours. Linka, Vito, Bisto and Wolf are Johann’s furry family, ranging in size from an aging sausage dog to a sprightly Great Dane, and they’re super friendly. They’re kept in a separate section of the property, but can come and play if your dogs feel like it. Beatrix was a bit intimated by Vito the Dane, but fell in love with Linka the Ridgeback puppy and they had a jolly good romp.
Johann described his space as “unpretentious and a bit offbeat”. He also said that word of mouth had clearly spread about his cottage being pet friendly, because a lot of his visitors brought their own. And not only dogs. “There’s a guy who brought his parrot. It sat in its cage in the sun on the stoep and the dogs thought it was a talking chicken,” he said. There was also a woman who brought several cats, and kept them inside the cottage for the weekend. “They were clearly very relaxed,” smiled Johann.
The cottage has a sleeper couch plus extra mattress, so can sleep five, and there is a separate veranda room (an en-suite bedroom) attached to the main house that can also be hired if one wants to add to one’s party.
This is also wine-tasting country, and there are several excellent restaurants in the area (we were allowed to bring Beatrix into the al fresco dining area at Cafe Felix, so can vouch for a pet-friendly meal there). Just strolling around the village is peaceful. Overall, there’s a rustig, laid-back atmosphere, which Beatrix clearly enjoyed. In between going manic with her ball and Linka.
Beatrix-o-Meter:
HHHH Enclosed garden with shade. Not so much grass, but fine for ball play.
HHHH Four new friends! Optional, of course. The Great Dane was a tad intimidating. But the chance to frolic with a puppy was priceless.
HHHH Water feature on the stoep. Very useful for dunking over-heated Boston Terriers who don’t know when to stop playing ball.
HHHH Laid-back vibe. The sort of place even non-hirsute Boston Terriers can let their hair down.
H Bring own dogs’ bedding: 083 654 3200, www.destal-riebeek.co.za
Cape Times