Beletage

Beletage sits on Church Square looking distinctly Mediterranean, with a terracotta roof, lavender and bougainvillea crowding the windows, and a courtyard that comes into its own after dark.

A garden path leads up to the gate. The building runs to three storeys with balconies down one side, and there are usually bicycles parked in the courtyard below. Parking is on the street. Pets are allowed, which is less common here than you might expect.

The seat in the bay window

The living space is open plan and bright: a slipcovered daybed sofa, a grey sofa with a patterned armchair, a bookshelf nook and a round dining table. The best seat in the place is the dining nook built into a curved bay window. The kitchen is white and fitted, the garden visible through the window above the sink.

Sage green and olive

Two bedrooms sleep four between them. One has a sage-green headboard with lamps either side; the other is arranged as a studio, a floral headboard at one end and a kitchenette corner at the other. Fitted wardrobes line the wall by the lounge doorway. The en-suite has a vessel sink and a glass shower, and a second bathroom is more compact, with a corner basin.

Fairy lights and a kettle braai

The courtyard deck is the real argument for this place: garden lighting threaded through bougainvillea, a kettle braai, a table outside the French doors, umbrellas over the patio seating. A balcony above has a table for two with nothing but green beyond the rail. There is another dining table under a tree in the garden.

Boats at the end of the day

Cruise boats and sailboats work the estuary at sunset and the marina fills with moored boats in the evening light. The island’s shops and eating places are grouped around Kings Park. Our island guide covers what is actually worth doing.

Good for

A couple or a small family, and anyone bringing a dog who wants a courtyard to sit out in.