Stone Cottage in Garden Paradise

Entire cottage in White River, South Africa

2 guests
1 bedroom
1 bed
1 bath

Rated 4.98 out of 5 stars.

105 reviews

Hosted by Tamar

Superhost
2 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 1% of homes

This home is one of the highest ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Amazing outdoor space

Guests mention the garden as a highlight.

Designed for staying cool

Beat the heat with the AC and portable fan.

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Take it easy at this unique tranquil off-grid, getaway.

The secluded and private Stone Cottage is nestled among lush indigenous trees and next to a irrigation canal. Thatched and built from stone the cottage offers stunning views into a verdant garden and over a farm dam. Everything on the property, from the food we grow to how we live, work and generate electricity is based on being environmentally sustainable. South Africa's leading lithography studio, The Artists' Press is also located here.

The space
The bedroom is upstairs and has a double bed with pure cotton linen, a feather duvet in winter and a light cotton quilt for summer. The generous windows offer views of the tree canopy and are ideal for birdwatching. Relax on the bed and watch kingfishers, paradise flycatchers and purple crested turacos in the branches. As the sun sets you may be lucky to spot our resident bushbabies.

Downstairs, there is a well-equipped kitchen, a calm working space, and a living area with a cosy wood fireplace and ample comfy seating. The bathroom is brightly mosaiced and includes a shower and a closable door.

- Fast, stable wifi
- dedicated worktable with an ergonomic chair
- stable electricity 24/7

Outside the cottage is an outdoor braai and seating area above a gently gurgling canal in the shade of banana and waterberry trees. The downstairs bathroom is brightly mosaiced and includes a shower.

Guest access
Guests can explore the four-hectare mostly indigenous sub-tropical food forest garden and have shared access to the secluded eco swimming pool (being eco there are tadpoles in the pool, depending on the season).

We established The Artists' Press in Johannesburg in 1991 and moved to the Lowveld in 2002. Mark Attwood is a master printer and has been printing since 1982. We print limited edition hand-printed prints (mostly lithographs) and collaborate with some of southern Africa's leading artists. Guests are welcome to pop into the studio to see what we do. If an artist is in residence you will get to meet them too.

In addition to the Stone Cottage and studio, there is our house, the Artists' House, Farm House and our daughter's apartment on the property. Please be respectful of each of the residential buildings' privacy and need for quiet.

Other things to note
Our entire property is off-grid. Our electricity is provided by solar and our micro-hydro system. We have ample electricity, including enough to charge our fully electric vehicle. This means that we never have load-shedding. Our water is provided by our borehole, it is treated with UV and is perfectly safe to drink. The trees in the garden provide us with loads of firewood for fireplaces and braai areas. We have four bee hives, so we are off-grid for honey too! All food waste is fed to our hens in their chicken tractor.

Rock Art Tour
Our son, Simon Attwood is an expert on rock art in the region and has assisted in recording rock art and furthering research in the area. He conducts tours of local rock art sites. Please contact us in advance to check availability and rates. Guests are to provide their own transport.

Local Indigenous Plant Tour
We are situated in a hot spot for plant endemism. Simon is a member of the local Plant Specialist Group and has found four new species of undescribed plants. He provides plant tours to view these local treasures. Please contact us in advance to check availability and rates. Guests are to provide their own transport.

We receive no municipal services; our trash is taken to a registered dump site by a private company. We ask you to help us by separating the recyclables from your trash. We have 24-hour security provided by a company that patrols the valley.

No wheelchair access.
No children under the age of 10 years old.
No pets (including dogs) allowed.
Access to the bedroom is via stairs.
The bedroom and the bathroom are not on the same level.
Not suitable for infirm elderly people or partially sighted people. Please look at the photos to have a better understanding.