The Hostelz.com Review
Owlhouse Backpackers is a quiet, peaceful place, where guests are left to do their own thing, although management is never very far away if they are needed. It is the perfect low-cost base from which to enjoy the friendly village of Nieu Bethesda and nearby hikes. Day trips by car to the picturesque town of Graaff-Reinet and Camdeboo National Park are perfectly feasible.
The Location
Owl House Backpackers is a pleasant, spotlessly clean, old single-story house located opposite Outsiders Bed and Breakfast establishment, which is under the same management and where the hostel reception may usually be found, on Martin Street. This is one of the main streets of Nieu Bethesda -- a remote, very picturesque mountain village in the Eastern Karoo, reached via a twisting, mountainous gravel road approximately thirty kilometers from Highway N9 between Middelburg and Graaff-Reinet. It is easy to find by private car, but otherwise access would be difficult, as there is no public transportation. There is ample free street parking. Self-catering guests are advised to purchase their groceries in a city supermarket before traveling to Nieu Bethesda.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The house contains a simple, six-bed, mixed-sex dorm and a double room that is accessible using its own door to the street and also via the dorm. At the back of the house there is a simple, four-bed, mixed-sex dorm and another double room each with a separate entrance. The rooms are not locked when in use apart from the double room at the back of the house at the discretion of the occupants, and indeed the house itself is never locked by day or night, as this is considered to be an ultra-safe area. Guests requiring secure storage of valuables would need to approach management in Outsiders B&B.
Also inside the house there is a bathroom containing a bath tub with a shower attachment and a toilet. There is space for one person to change in the bathroom, and there are hooks for clothes and soap dishes, but even during periods when there are few guests, some patience is necessary, as each guest waits his or her turn to use the bathroom. Tent camping is possible at the back of the house.
Common Spaces
There is a reasonably well equipped kitchen and dining area but no microwave oven. A separate refrigerator contains bottles of beer and other drinks which guests can purchase using an honesty system. A similar system applies to a limited stock of food items, T-shirts, and a larger selection is available at Outsiders B&B, where meals can also be ordered. There is a lounge with a wood-fired stove and book exchange in the house. Outside seating and tables are located on the veranda at the front of the house and at the back of the property. There could theoretically be a risk of annoyance from cigarette smoke in these areas.
Summary
This hostel is highly recommended to those who like it quiet and who are content with a pleasant chat with other guests over a meal or drink after a day’s hiking or sightseeing rather than loud music and partying. It has an appeal for all age groups and families.
The Location
Owl House Backpackers is a pleasant, spotlessly clean, old single-story house located opposite Outsiders Bed and Breakfast establishment, which is under the same management and where the hostel reception may usually be found, on Martin Street. This is one of the main streets of Nieu Bethesda -- a remote, very picturesque mountain village in the Eastern Karoo, reached via a twisting, mountainous gravel road approximately thirty kilometers from Highway N9 between Middelburg and Graaff-Reinet. It is easy to find by private car, but otherwise access would be difficult, as there is no public transportation. There is ample free street parking. Self-catering guests are advised to purchase their groceries in a city supermarket before traveling to Nieu Bethesda.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The house contains a simple, six-bed, mixed-sex dorm and a double room that is accessible using its own door to the street and also via the dorm. At the back of the house there is a simple, four-bed, mixed-sex dorm and another double room each with a separate entrance. The rooms are not locked when in use apart from the double room at the back of the house at the discretion of the occupants, and indeed the house itself is never locked by day or night, as this is considered to be an ultra-safe area. Guests requiring secure storage of valuables would need to approach management in Outsiders B&B.
Also inside the house there is a bathroom containing a bath tub with a shower attachment and a toilet. There is space for one person to change in the bathroom, and there are hooks for clothes and soap dishes, but even during periods when there are few guests, some patience is necessary, as each guest waits his or her turn to use the bathroom. Tent camping is possible at the back of the house.
Common Spaces
There is a reasonably well equipped kitchen and dining area but no microwave oven. A separate refrigerator contains bottles of beer and other drinks which guests can purchase using an honesty system. A similar system applies to a limited stock of food items, T-shirts, and a larger selection is available at Outsiders B&B, where meals can also be ordered. There is a lounge with a wood-fired stove and book exchange in the house. Outside seating and tables are located on the veranda at the front of the house and at the back of the property. There could theoretically be a risk of annoyance from cigarette smoke in these areas.
Summary
This hostel is highly recommended to those who like it quiet and who are content with a pleasant chat with other guests over a meal or drink after a day’s hiking or sightseeing rather than loud music and partying. It has an appeal for all age groups and families.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
April 2010
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