Travelbuddies at Godon's Bay
5
(1)
[pvc_stats postid="" increase="1" show_views_today="1"]

185 on Beach Boutique Suites & Apartments in Gordon's Bay

Travelbuddieslifestyle at Verified

Gordon’s Bay is known as the mini-Monte Carlo, with the ocean framed by a beautiful mountain backdrop. 185 on Beach Boutique Suites & Apartments is a luxurious ocean-side self-catering guest house in Gordon’s Bay.

Gordon’s Bay is a coastal town nestled at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains and the False Bay Coast of South Africa. It is renowned for spectacular sunsets, its blue flag (an International quality rating of the higher order) Bikini Beach with warm water and two fully operational harbours. I (Bernie) have a strong connection with this beautiful naval town as we spent many holidays here as kids, and my dad reminisced over his days as an officer in training at the South African Naval College (the reason for the giant anchor and GB emblem above the harbour on the mountainside of Gordon’s Bay) and the many times he had to run up the mountain to paint the anchor. Although many believe the GB is the abbreviation for Gordon’s Bay, it is, in fact, short for General Botha, which was the original name of the Naval station.

In this review, Petra and I will share with you our experiences of our stay at 185 on Beach and the guest house’s most noteworthy features and facilities. We’ll also suggest a wonderful place to enjoy a lovely Mediterranean meal if you don’t feel like preparing food for yourself and things to do in the area.

Travelbuddies at Gordon's Bay
Street side view of the guesthouse
Travelbuddies at Gordon's bay
The mountain view with the GB anchor emblem
Travelbuddieslifestyle at Gordon's Bay
The pool deck
Travelbuddies at Gordon's Bay
The view of the guesthouse from the pool deck

Overview of 185 on Beach in Gordon's Bay

Richard Loring and his wife Jeannette created seven en-suite rooms in what was once a double-story family home. The guesthouse provides a relaxed experience for holidaymakers who enjoy self-catering and mingling with other guests.

The style and character of the hotel are modern yet intimate and personal. The guesthouse has a lovely rim-flow pool with pool loungers and comfortable outdoor seating areas providing spectacular ocean views.

185 on Beach received several accolades from travel review councils, the latest being the Travelers’ Choice award from TripAdvisor in 2020.

Travelbuddies at Gordon's bay
Travelbuddieslifestyle enjoying the pool deck

Who will enjoy the apartments in Gordon's Bay?

This guesthouse is ideal for business people who need remote working facilities, young adults looking for a relaxed and fun setting to share with friends or couples who want a romantic getaway. 

The Starlight Premier Suite

Travelbuddies at Gordon's Bay
Our King-size bed in the Premier Suite with lovely kitchenette behind the Plexiglass wall

We stayed in the Starlight premier suite, a fair-sized suite, which is the first suite upstairs to the right of the pool.

Our King-size bed was super comfortable (facing the ocean). Our suite opened with a large sliding door onto a small balcony with a gas barbeque or grill and seating area.

The massive, closed bathroom had a shower and spa bath (with beautiful ocean views), double vanities and a large dressing room.

Behind our headboard was a well-equipped kitchenette with every thinkable kitchen tool or utensil you might need.

Although some people may find the kitchenette helpful, we both agreed that this is not something we like very much in our bedroom.

Our room had a sleeper couch, a café table with two chairs and an extra occasional chair.

An excellent feature for people who enjoy watching movies on those rainy days is the flat-screen television with Netflix+, premium DSTV and a CD and DVD player.

Travelbuddies at Gordon's Bay
Our spa bath with spectacular False Bay views
The view from
Petra enjoying the morning views from our room

Where is 185 on Beach located?

185 on Beach is conveniently located 200m from Bikini Beach and less than 50km from Cape Town and the Stellenbosch Winelands. There is a magnificent hiking route known as The Danie Miller Hiking Trail, which provides stunning views of Gordon’s Bay, False Bay, Helderberg Area, and the harbour.

What facilities are available at 185 on Beach in Gordon's Bay?

There is a communal lounge with a pool table, a stunning rim-flow pool with a few sun loungers, a small bar area, and an 8-seater dining table. There is good Wi-Fi throughout the premises. 

They provide beach towels, and secure off-road parking is available.

Travelbuddieslifestyle at Gordon's Bay
The rim-flow pool with fabulous evening ocean views (185 on Beach)
Travelbuddieslifestyle at Gordon's Bay
The best seat in the house for sun-downers
Travelbuddieslifestyle at Gordon's Bay
The reception area
Travelbuddies at Gordon's Bay
The stairs leading to our Starlight Premier suite

What we most enjoyed about 185 on Beach in Gordon's Bay

We loved waking up to the sound of the ocean and having the most magnificent view from our bedroom. The best part about staying on the sea is being able to stroll into town or walk to the harbour, restaurants and best swimming beach. All aspects of the guesthouse are very well maintained.

The staff of 185 on Beach in Gordon's bay

The staff is super friendly and helpful. They know the area extremely well and can assist you to plan great day trips around Gordon’s Bay.

The guesthouse staff is very attentive and will do anything to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Dining options at 185 on Beach in Gordon's Bay

As this is a self-catering establishment, you can bring your food and prepare it in your suite or the pool area.

However, they provide breakfast if you require it in your suite, the pool deck or the dining room.

We were delighted with their in-room breakfast experience, comprising a fruit parfait, cheese board with pickles and cold meats. They have a good selection from the night before (charged at R140 per person or 8.40€). 

Travelbuddieslifestyle at Gordon's Bay
The in-room breakfast
Travelbuddieslifestyle at Gordon's Bay
The fabulous fruit parfait we enjoyed for breakfast

The review is intended to assist you in planning a trip to 185 on Beach in Gordon’s Bay. 

We enjoyed this guesthouse for its warm hospitality and superb location (close to Bikini Beach and within walking distance of the old harbour).

We loved our massive bathroom with spa bath and spectacular ocean views and the fabulous rim-flow pool with ocean views.

Travelbuddieslifestyle at Verified
Tried and tested Seal of approval travelbuddieslifestyle

Best Features

  • Ocean-view suites with sounds of the ocean that rock you to sleep at night
  • Great location, near the harbour and within walking distance of restaurants and Bikini beach
  • Helpful and friendly staff

Best nearby attractions

Value for money

185 on Beach offers relatively good value for money when you consider it is a self-catering guesthouse. The Starlight Premier Suite we stayed in started from R950 (57€) per person per night (May)

Where to enjoy the best dinner in Gordon's Bay?

Our review will not be complete without mentioning our fabulous dinner in town at Zest Café. The owner, Hermien, invited us to this magnificent restaurant she runs with her chef son, Ruben. This Mediterranean-style restaurant is on the beachfront and has spectacular views over False Bay. Petra had their Grilled line fish and prawns in a coconut curry sauce with coriander (R205 or 12€), while I had the best Beer battered hake with homemade tartar sauce (R130 or 7.80€). We could taste this mother-and-son duo’s passion for food and their restaurant. Next time you’re in Gordon’s Bay, visit this fabulous mom-and-son team…you will not be disappointed.

Travelbuddieslifestye at Gordon's Bay
Travelbuddies with owner Hermien of Café Zest
Travelbuddieslifestye at Gordon's Bay
Petra enjoying the setting at Café Zest
Travelbuddieslifestye at Gordon's Bay
The magnificent menu of Café Zest

Our reviews truly reflect our experiences during our stay at 185 on Beach. This ensures we comply with strong ethical publishing practices to ensure our reviews are fair and trustworthy. We only do reviews of hotels and guesthouses that we have personally visited. Although this was a hosted review, we were not influenced by any person/s in our opinions, views or experiences of the guesthouse.

Article last updated: 06/05/2023

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

How useful was this article to you?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 1

Be the first to rate this post.

About the Author

As a freelance travel journalist and seasoned business professional, Bernie van der Linde has made it her mission to explore the world's most unique and luxurious destinations. With a PhD in business studies from the University of South Africa, Bernie has channeled her passion for travel, web design, and writing into founding the travel blog Travel Buddies Lifestyle. Here, she shares her adventures alongside her best friend and travel business partner, Petra, who seamlessly translate and compile articles relevant to their German and European audience.

Bernie's love for exploring new places has taken her to some of the world's most exotic locations. Whether gazing out at the glittering skyline of Dubai or enjoying the tranquillity of a private beach in Mauritius, Bernie is always looking for unique experiences that will inspire and entice her readers to travel.

Through her thoughtful writing and unparalleled passion for travel, Bernie van der Linde has made a name for herself in the world of travel writing. Her knack for uncovering hidden gems and sharing her experiences with her readers has made her a trusted source of inspiration for those looking to explore the world in style.

You may also find these blogs interesting