A hidden gem in the Klein Karoo, just outside Montagu

360on62 is situated in the Klein Karoo, just off the R62 nestled between the Majestic Langeberg & Swartberg Mountain Ranges. Being there gives you that ‘in the middle of nowhere’ feeling, with 360 degree moutainviews all around, yet it is only 8km from Montagu. Having stayed at the 360on62 Farm Cottages three times now, it is no surprise to me that they were voted Best Guesthouse in the Cape by locals in 2022.

And as if that’s not enough, you can now even host your wedding at 360on62 as they’ve recently opened a wedding venue: the Avery. Who doesn’t want to get married in the Klein Karoo with uninterrupted views, starry nightskeis and beautiful accommodation at a stone’s throw from the venue? Have a look here to find out more about the wedding venue.

The First Time we Stayed at 360on62

The first time we stayed there with with our extended family over the Easter weekend of 2021. Aiden was three, Liv had just turned one and our third child Harvey was not even a thought on our mind yet…

It was April 2021, a year before I won MasterChef and did not yet have even the slightest suspicion of what was ahead of me. We stayed at 360on62 for the first time with our extended family for the long weekend over Easter. My sister and I had prepared an elaborate Easter egg hunt with a map, for our children to follow to find the eggs! This was the start of an annual tradition. Lianne and I still do an elaborate Easter Egg Hunt with a map for our children! Have a look at this video when we did the Easter Egg hunt at an awesome glamping accommodation close to Langebaan in 2024.

The 360on62 Easter weekend was one for the books, as the children also got to go into the chicken coup and learn that real eggs aren’t left behind by the Easter Bunny, but laid by chickens instead! This caused some confusion with Aiden, who after that thought that chickens lay chocolate eggs and he kept wanting to go back to see if the chickens had laid any more!

After recognising me on MasterChef, the 360on62 owners reached out:

When MasterChef South Africa aired in February / March 2022, the owners from 360on62 recognised me and reached out. At this stage I already knew I had won the competition, as the MasterChef episodes were all filmed at the end of 2021, but only aired on national television at the beginning of 2022. Of course I couldn’t tell them that…

The Second Time we Stayed at 360on62

In June 2022, we came back to stay at 360on62. On the way, we stopped at Ou Meul Du Toitskloof, which is close to Rawsonville and roughly half way when driving from Cape Town. With the great cappuccinos and awesome jungle gym it is the perfect pit stop when travelling with kids!

The first thing to do upon arrival was to start the fire to warm up the hot tub. Lianne and I love accommodations that include a hot tub - the kids love playing in it (a great replacement for the usual bath time routine) and once they’re off to bed, it is in the hot tub where we end our day on a relaxing note too.

We stayed at Fish Eagle Farm Cottage, which also has a bath-with-a-view, so you are really spoilt for choice here. Another great feature is the boma. We also ended up making pizzas in the pizza oven that is accessible to all of the guests during their stay. Another family who also had three children, joined us.

Coffee Shops in Montagu

When in Montagu, we always need to go to the Barn on 62 too. Again, great (Trebodore) coffee and a an awesome jungle gym for the kids.

The Third Time we Stayed at 360 on 62

In November 2022, we hosted a MasterChef Cook-off at 360on62. It was a beautiful summer’s evening and I cooked a six-course meal outdoors for all the guests in the different cottages. The dishes were made up of some of my favourite ingredients, including typical South African ones such as fynbos and ostrich but also lamb and mussels and even risotto!

This definitely deserves its own blog post, so subscribe to the Roasted Dad newsletter to be the first to hear when I have added the details about that event. Sneak peek below:

About the 360on62 Mountain View Self-Catering Farm Cottages

360on62 houses five different Farm Cottages (Fish Eagle, Bokmakierie, Nonnetjie, and James’ Honeymoon Cottage), each with their unique charm and features. All but Nonnetjie Cottage have their own outdoor wood-fired hot-tub, and there is one at the dam for any of the guests to use.

All cottages have fully equipped kitchens as well as outdoor braai (barbecue) facilities on the stoep (patio). All Farm Cottages are well-equipped with all utensils needed including a headlamp and a starter pack of firelighters and ample wood (more available from the Pizza Bar area at no extra charge). The friendly staff is also always willing to bring more wood to your cottage.

Each cottage also has gas burners for stove-top cooking, and includes the basics like salt and pepper.

Tea (regular and rooibos), coffee (already ground and beans for grinding fresh), sugar and even some home made biscuits are also supplied. A real nice surprise is the freshly baked steamed bread (and butter), which is always a real treat! Filtered rain water is provided in containers on the kitchen counter and in the fridge, but the tap water is from a borehole and also safe to drink.

The extra touches such as mosquite repellant and plug-ins with tabs help repel the mosquitos.

There are no TVs, but instead you can look at the panoramic views from sunrise to sunset and listen to the birds throughout the day. The star-studded skies are a real treat in the Karoo and if you’re lucky, you’ll hear the owls and jackals at night. You don’t need a TV anyway as there are hot tubs, a communal swimming pool area (with long dining table and lapa. Bath towels are provided and if you’re feeling energetic, there are even exercise mats and weights.

You can go for beautiful hikes from your doorstep. The Khaya Karoo Pizza Bar in between the cottages and swimming pool is another communal area where you can find not just a pizza oven but also board games for any of the guests to use. The fridge in the Pizza Bar includes wines from the area, beer and soft drinks available to purchase through an Honesty system.

Wifi is available at the cottages and pool areas. The cottages are off-grid and so loadshedding is non-existent.

Pets are welcome upon arrangement.

KFM Best of the Cape Awards

360on62 Farm Cottages has won Best Weekend Stay in the KFM Best of the Cape Awards three years in a row!

But that is not all. Recently, Dale and Brendan added a Wedding and Function Venue:

Klein Karoo Wedding Venue: The Avery

You can now book out the 360on62 cottages for a wedding in the Klein Karoo. Who doesn’t want to get married in the Klein Karoo with uninterrupted views, starry nightskeis and beautiful accommodation at a stone’s throw from the venue?

Wedding Venue Details:

• Space for up to 100 Guests

• Variety of Vintage Silver Cutlery & Porcelain Crockery

• Tables & Assorted Vintage Chairs

• Fully Catered Kitchen

• 3x2 Cooler Room

• Cash Bar

• Outdoor Ceremony Area with unspoilt views 

• Accommodation for up 24 people on the farm 

Booking to stay at 360 on 62

If you also want to stay at 360 on 62, you can check availability and book through nightsbridge.

If you are looking for an exclusive getaway for two I strongly recommend Huizen Living, which is in the Overberg Mountains just two and a half hours’ drive from Cape Town.

About Shawn Godfrey

Shawn Godfrey is an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw his business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep him sane. To keep track of his recipes, and encourage friends and families to join him, he starts his instagram account The Roasted Dad.

Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim Shawn (encouraged by his wife Lianne) enters MasterChef South Africa. It is a crazy time of life: running a 200 people business and struggling to keep it profitable, two small children with a third on the way, and about to move into a new house. But when Shawn gets selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, he decides to go all in. Leaving his 7-month-pregnant wife to look after their then three and one-year-old children, he battles it out and comes back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in his pocket.

It all started with an Instagram account, but The Roasted Dad is so much more now. Shawn has stayed his entrepreneurial self and whilst he hosts Private Dinner Parties and Cook-with-Me Demos, does Restaurant Take-Overs, he still runs the lighting company and several other businesses.

On his blog, Shawn shares Restaurant Reviews and Accommodation Reviews, and gives an insight into the wild and wonderful life he leads together with his wife Lianne, and their three children Aiden (6), Olivia (4) and Harvey (2).

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