Having recently moved to Swellendam in the Western Cape, I have been commissioned to photograph two guesthouses in town in the last fortnight or so. Both are very different, but both are excellent choices if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Swellendam; Bloom Estate and Braeside.

Bloom Estate (www.bloomestate.com)

Bloom Estate is a five-star guest house on the edge of Swellendam. Owned by Maarten and Carla van der Ven, it is a haven of modern, clean-cut design with a healthy dose of ‘funky’. To quote their marketing, it is “cubist cool and colourful chic” through-and-through. Set in a large garden, every room has a different colour theme and every room displays Maarten and Carla’s acute attention to detail and custom design.

Braeside (www.braeside.co.za)

Braeside couldn’t be more different to Bloom Estate. This Cape Edwardian house is set in beautiful gardens and has probably the best views in Swellendam. Within spitting distance of the Marloth Nature Reserve in the Langeberg Mountains, Braeside’s breakfast patio offers a very comfortable retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. The rooms are decorated in keeping the building’s heritage yet they offer all the mod-cons.

Here is a very small selection of  images from both guesthouses: