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The Cock House - Accommodation in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, 
South Africa

The Cock House Accommodation in Eastern Cape offers a warm and friendly welcome and fine dining in the setting of a historic old house in downtown Grahamstown. Nelson Mandela has stayed three times and current President Thabo Mbeki has also been a guest (their visits are recorded in photos on the walls of the bar). The recent death of Peter Tudge has been a huge blow to the whole staff, but they have pulled together and it is clear that they enjoy working here. Belinda has taken Peter’s place behind the delightful yellowwood bar, a favourite with the locals, and there’s always an opportunity to strike up a conversation.

Price: 5

Bed and breakfast

6 doubles 3 twins

The house dates back to 1826 and was one of the first built in Grahamstown. The rooms are named after previous owners, most recently South African author André Brink. A stone-floored verandah stretches along the front of the house (mirrored by a wooden balcony upstairs) and the interior is full of yellowwood beams and broad planked floors. I can recommend the restaurant, which offers an international cuisine with a South African flavour and has its own herb garden, using local and seasonal ingredients wherever possible. The home-made bread is a particular treat. The two large rooms in the main house have glass doors opening onto the balcony and the six converted stables open onto the garden.

The Cock House is centrally located to explore historic Grahamstown, heart of frontier country.  A variety of tours can be booked through The Cock House, including walking and township tours, Addo Elephant Park and a private game reserve (one hours drive) or the beautiful beaches of Port Alfred and Kenton (45 minutes drive) "on the Sunshine Coast".

To help you plan your tour, Grahamstown is exactly half way between Durban (800 km) and Cape Town (800 km), an ideal stopover en route from the Wild Coast to the Garden Route or vice versa..