All-inclusive means many things but at Birkenhead House, perched above the beach outside the coastal town of Hermanus, it stretches as far as whale-watching; time your visit right and you can watch majestic southern right whales cavort in the Atlantic below while you tuck into breakfast, or a cocktail, on the hotel’s terrace. But then this isn’t all-inclusive as you know it. There are no wristbands, no all-you-can-eat buffets. Instead you’re free to pour yourself a drink from the bar, crack open a bottle of fizz when you feel like it and order from an à la carte menu.
The hotel’s 11 rooms are beach house in style, luxurious but not in an over-the-top way. Many are sea-facing, (all have their own balconies) and room one has unparalleled ocean views, while five has a ‘honeymoon plunge pool’. Each one comes with a little bar laid out on a tray.