Birch Cabin is a one-of-a-kind. A perfectly romantic delight... Part tiny house, part lakeside cabin, part tree house - lovingly crafted Birch Cabin stands aloft in a domain all its own: Overlooking both the Tweerivier creek and its own, tree-lined water expanse, this shingle-roofed hideaway offers unexpected refinement. The cabin's delightful, jewel-box quality lends from finely finished, authentic craftsmanship, massive timbering, a piano, a fireplace, a private jetty, library and much more...

Birch Cabin's location is at once wonderfully secluded, yet secure. It is luxuriously seated within the boundaries of the extensive, park-like landscape gardens of the private, rural campus of The South African Institute for Heritage Science, an institution of higher learning.

Context, setting, limitations, policies & other things to note. Please read this ENTIRE section before booking:

Birch Cabin was conceived as an intimate hide-away, suitable for honeymoons, anniversary stays, and the like... Accordingly, it is not equipped for food preparation or cooking, nor is this permitted. It also follows that no food storage or plating will/can be undertaken at the cabin. Additionally, outdoor flames and/or cooking are not permitted on campus.

INSTEAD, this remarkable cabin is complemented by the culinary gem, The Belfry Kitchen - located on the same grounds. This restaurant / bakery / coffee shop (a 3-minute walk across the grounds) happily provisions all meals and refreshments to the guests of Birch Cabin, whether it may be a sit-down dinner at candle light in the restaurant, breakfast or lunch under the Belfry's vine pergola (or near the hearth, in winter), or delivered to the cabin.

All menu ingredients are produced, picked, reared and processed on the grounds. A rare opportunity to experience true food. (Even grains are stone-milled directly on site, resulting in exquisite bread and pastries - being drawn from the wood-fired oven!)

In addition, all refreshments and menu items are meaningfully subsidized by the Institute (primarily for the benefit of faculty and post-grad students), and guests share in this perk. (Cappuccino = R18 ; Suppers = R45 etc, etc....)

The campus of this institution of postgraduate higher learning is not a camping destination, nor is Birch Cabin. Kindly note that camping gear, packaged food, ice, cooler boxes and any equipment of camping miscellany by which to expand on or "enhance" the use and possibilities of Birch Cabin may not be brought to the cabin. The objective is to preserve the exceptional character of the cabin, and fidelity to its designed intent, primarily as a honeymoon or anniversary destination.

From the initial arrivals & check-in point, guests' vehicles are escorted to a parking spot inside the actual campus grounds, 150m from the cabin. From this second location, guests and their luggage are routinely transferred and shuttled to Birch Cabin, as vehicles in general are prohibited from following there.

Despite the privacy offered by Birch Cabin's lovely secluded setting, appearing unclothed (outdoors) is not compatible with the campus' policies. Guests are kindly asked to remain discreet and mindful of this limitation.

Please note that Birch Cabin can not be booked in combination with any of the other campus cottages. The Cabin is uniquely situated with the campus landscape and grounds, and operational considerations firmly preclude the possibility of such "twinning" with guests in cottages elsewhere on the grounds.

This a rural, agricultural area, bounded by fruit orchards. Agricultural equipment noises may seasonally occur from the vicinity of neighbouring fruit orchards - perhaps even at night. Rare, but possible.

Kindly also be sure to view the grounds policies via the following link: Grounds Policies

A good match, or not? Guests intending to bring any camping or recreational gear (chairs, bicycles, umbrella, water sports equipment, braai grid, fishing gear, cooler box etc) should NOT attempt a booking. The campus setting is not resort-like or recreational, and will accordingly not prove a good match for such hopes. Here, the contented guest will find use for little more than their clothes, swimming trunks, some books and perhaps a pair of binoculars...

The piano, you'll notice, is already there. :)

Rate & how to book:

The rate for Birch Cabin is R1 350.00 per evening, plus a once-off cleaning fee of R150.00. A booking at the cabin may be secured via one of the following methods: