I’m at the till, paying for a small ceramic when I spot the sign behind the chatty cashier: “No photography.” I flush and glance at the offending object in my hand: my cellphone, on which sit probably 30 pictures I’ve just snapped as I wandered around the Art Shed, a huge warehouse-style space, both a gallery and a shop with ceramics, jewellery, textiles and paintings by local Paternoster artists.
It’s a chilly day in June and with no other visitors in the half hour I’ve been poking around, she definitely saw me. Loath to seem like one of those tourists, I confess, apologise and explain that I’m here for a story. She is unperturbed and gracious. “No probleeeeem,” she sings. “Are you staying at the Abalone?” In this town dotted with B&Bs and self-catering guest houses, she got it in one. “How did you know that?” I marvel.
“Influencers love the Abalone,” she says.
I laugh and wince at the same time, then flee with my sculpture and contraband camera-haul out into the pretty streets. Influencers, I ponder, must love all of Paternoster, a place at once wildly photogenic and weirdly schizophrenic since it’s part working fishing village, part bougie coastal escape.
Here, fishermen head out daily in colourful wooden boats — known locally as bakkies — to harvest snoek, hake and the much-prized West Coast rock lobster (kreef), while not far away, chefs pipe seaweed foam over angelfish ceviche and polish wine glasses for the night’s tasting menu. Local kids on go-karts dodge stray dogs down narrow lanes, while on the beach, girls in full makeup and flowing white dresses stage barefoot photoshoots. The dresses are white, naturally, because in Paternoster, often dubbed “South Africa’s little Greece”, it’s practically the law.
At least, it’s the law when it comes to architecture. All 2.5km2 of it is a jumble of whitewashed buildings, the only colour the occasional accent of a cobalt window frame. In one of the country’s oldest fishing villages, this tradition has practical roots. White reflects the harsh West Coast sun, and the limewash used as paint long ago was cheap, cooling and weather-resistant. Today, bylaws ensure that newcomers building holiday boltholes don’t break the spell with any pink palaces or tacky Tuscan nonsense. Now traditional fisherman’s cottages — often low-slung and simple, capped with thatched or tin roofs — sit alongside designer beachhouses, galleries, gourmet restaurants and gift shops, every one the bride in shimmering white.
Though guest house and lodging signs vie for attention on the main road, the Abalone Hotel and Villas is one of only three hotels. When it opened in the mid-2000s, it was something of a pioneer, helping with its bold, eclectic interiors and oversized art to reframe Paternoster as a destination for luxury and design-conscious travellers. It has since undergone various ownership and branding shifts, and today balances its heritage with reinvention — keeping the soul of the original boutique vision but with a contemporary polish.
Just last month, it reopened after a brief closure for some room revamps. The main hotel is a labyrinth of upstairs-downstairs rooms — some with sea views and private balconies — clustered around courtyards. Keeping up the whitewash, it’s all so true to the “woke up in Greece” aesthetic that I half expect Meryl Streep to appear on a landing, wielding a mop and belting out an Abba song.
Inside, it blends modern coastal minimalism with earthy, textured elements. Think stone, wood and woven details softened by pale linens, warm lighting and natural hues. Suites are serene and spacious with clean-lined furniture, while the public spaces invite lingering over organic ceramics, tactile throws and artworks that reference both marine life and Khoi iconography.
Besides the several two-sleeper rooms, there are two self-catering apartments and a penthouse, which sleep four.
Its latest hot addition, though, lies just across the road — a former private home, newly renovated and unveiled as the Oyster Villa Seaview Suites. A short staircase leads down to five sleek double en-suite rooms, each with sliding glass doors that open onto private patios. These patios line one long shared lap pool, which is bordered by a low stone wall on the other side. Just a wildflower field beyond that is the sea. And while the wall means you’ll need to stand up from that comfy sunbed to catch the vaunted view, the real visual drama awaits upstairs.
The Oyster Lounge, a chilled restaurant and bar, has the showstopper views — whether you're inside by the cosy, contemporary fireplace or out on the wide sundeck.
It’s no surprise that the lounge lives up to its name with dressed-to-impress oysters and a bubbly selection to match, but the Nikkei-style sushi was a first for me — a fusion of Japanese techniques and Peruvian flavours, where sushi as you know it gets a Latin American twist with things like smoked chipotle dressing and pickled jalapeño. It’s unexpected, flavour-packed and ready for its close-up.
South American influences also surface on the menu at Blues, the in-house restaurant at the main hotel, where global flavours are layered into local seafood. Starters like the Patagonian calamari (with miso aioli and togarashi spice), Korean chilli chicken and bitterballen nod to the kitchen’s pan-continental leanings, while the West Coast mussels arrive steeped in a fragrant lemongrass and coconut broth.
The mains take you on a similar world tour — from green Thai seafood curry and teriyaki pork belly to more local heroes like the day’s line fish or, for full-throttle indulgence, the Paternoster Crayfish Thermidor in all its rich, retro glory. Breakfast, included for hotel guests and chosen from a set menu, is also served here.
All guests have access to the main hotel’s jacuzzi, sauna, two heated swimming pools and spa. The Oyster Villa Suites amenities include Nespresso machines, a stocked minibar, extra-length king-size beds, a Smart TV with Netflix, and air conditioning. Oyster Villa guests also have exclusive access to a wellness area, with a sauna and cold bath, also with sea views.
Paternoster’s compactness and charm makes it eminently walkable. A scenic path next to the villas leads directly to the beach, which, stretching for roughly 6km, is one of the longer uninterrupted beaches on the West Coast.
Besides the myriad treasures at the Art Shed, browsers will find clothes and keepsakes at shops around the Waterfront, and at several local galleries including handmade ceramics and a little indigenous nursery at Stone Fish Studio.
Nature lovers can go kayaking, horse-riding, birding and whalewatching or take a short drive to the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve to see South Africa’s last manually operated lighthouse. It’s a spectacular spot for coastal walks, spring flowers and sundowners among the granite boulders at Tietiesbaai.
It also has its very own theatre, Die Koelkamers, housed in a converted fish factory, whose programming is impressively diverse.
Back in my Oyster Suite at bedtime, the blue-lit heated pool invites a dip even on a windy night, followed by a full-blast rainshower and a bout of Netflix on the smart TV. Propped up in the giant bed, I scroll through my camera roll: an indecent number of naughty ceramics, sushi close-ups and silver-grey skies. I may not be an influencer, but Paternoster, it turns out, is hard not to post.
Plan your trip
Rates range from R1,880.10 per couple, including breakfast, in the main hotel. The Oyster Villa Suites are from R4,751.10 per couple per night, including breakfast.
WINTER SPECIAL:
From R4,850 per couple: Get two nights in all room types (except classic) plus:
- Daily breakfast;
- A 60-minute Swedish couples massage with a glass of bubbly each;
- Your choice of a Sushi or Oyster Tasting Experience, each paired with a glass of wine or sparkling wine.
Available until the end of August.
Sleith was a guest of the Abalone Hotel and Villas. This article was first published in Sunday Times Lifestyle.
