Before you even look at what Travel & Things experienced during our stay at 185 on Beach, the owner is running a very special EXTRA 10% discount for anyone who books directly after having read this Blog post.
That is over and above the hefty discount already on offer to those who book directly!
As you will see, this offer is too good to miss. With only 8 suites on offer, you DO NOT want to miss out.
Read this post and then WhatsApp Jeanette on: +27(0)836251905
Or email her at: info@185onbeach.co.za
This statement says it all…
These South African flags fly proudly outside 185 on Beach, and are a testament to the iconic local hospitality that you will find when you check in.
Situated at the end of a cul-de-sac, and with only the sea in front of the building, this is an ideal place to spend some quiet time. Just relaxing and watching the Atlantic Ocean.
This is the reception area.
Warm and welcoming in colours that mirror the sand and sea across the road.
And the staff are a delight to interact with.
The ambience of tranquillity seems to almost beg the question from arriving guests, ” Why did I not book a longer stay?”
Although the accommodation is self-contained, there are public areas that can be accessed by all the guests.
This lounge can be found to the left of the reception area.
The views through the large picture windows are spectacular and seem almost surreal.
There is a full-size pool table for those who get bored with looking at the view.
Yet I saw NO ONE using this facility. Does that mean that the view trumps a game of pool?
The walls are filled with memorabilia that spans co-owner Richard Loring’s decades-long career in the entertainment industry.
There’s something strangely captivating about a spiral staircase. At first glance, it’s simply a clever way to get from one level to the next. But the more you climb, the more you realise it’s a metaphor for life itself. Unlike the straight staircase at the other end of the reception, where you can see the top from the start, a spiral keeps its secrets tucked neatly around the bend. Each step offers only a glimpse of what’s to come, and you have to trust that the climb is worth it.
Medieval castles built them for defence, winding clockwise so the right-handed defender had an advantage over an ascending foe. Yet beyond the battlefield, spiral staircases have become symbols of growth and discovery. They whisper of journeys — of moving upward, but never in a straight line. Progress is circular, sometimes dizzying, but always leading you higher.
Walking up a spiral staircase is a reminder that we don’t need to know the whole path in advance. Life asks us only to take the next step, even when the destination is hidden from view. Each turn teaches patience, each rise rewards persistence. And when we finally look back from the top, we realise the twists and turns weren’t detours at all — they were the very shape of our journey.
Both bespoke staircases were made by local craftsmen, and they were designed to be the dual centrepieces of the property.
It is heart-warming to know that there are still craftsmen who are proud of the work that they produce. And 185 on Beach is a testimony to that.
Most of the cabinetry in the public spaces and in the suites is hand-crafted, and the attention to detail is impeccable.
Visiting guests who go ‘ooh and aah’ have co-owner Jeanette Loring to thank for that. She had gathered a list of tradespeople whom she trusts, and they have converted her ideas into reality.
The reverse view, looking back towards the front door.
The table and the bench seats are handcrafted and add to the ambience of the public space.
These glass-fronted doors lead to the small, well-equipped kitchen.
185 on Beach does offer both hot and cold breakfasts.
A quiet place to sit and ponder as the sun sets over the Atlantic Ocean.
Just part of the aforementioned breakfast offering.
Looking from the patio out towards the Gordon’s Bay harbour.
This looks like a brochure shot for a Hollywood property. You almost expect a well-known actor to step out onto the grass.
Almost time to say good night.
There’s a quiet magic in standing at the edge of the sea at night. The rocks, washed in silver and bronze by the reflection of distant lights, seem to glow with their own secret fire. The water moves in a hushed rhythm, lapping against the shoreline as though whispering to the stones that have held its secrets for centuries. And out on the horizon, the faint glimmer of a town reminds me that while life hums busily elsewhere, here the world slows down to something timeless and still.
It’s in moments like this that the ocean becomes more than water and waves. It becomes a mirror — reflecting not only the lights of a distant city, but also the stillness we long for within ourselves. The night air carries a weight of mystery, a reminder that beauty doesn’t always roar with drama; sometimes, it hums quietly in the space between dark water, glowing rock, and the endless horizon.
The waves wash in, and the waves wash out.
185 on Beach at night.
The property takes on an almost magical ambience.
To find out more about this property, click on the image above.
Don’t take my word about our experience at 185. See what the TripAdvisor “reviewers” have said about theirs.
More importantly, see how the owner responds to negative criticism. To me, the owner’s non-defensive tone says volumes. Interestingly, those who made negative critiques never come back to respond to the owner’s reply!
To find out about the accommodation, use this link: https://travelandthings.co.za/2025/08/hollywood-in-gordons-bay-185-on-beach/
Travel & Things is the proud winner of these prestigious awards from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife.
The awards are in the categories:
Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa
Best African Game Reserves & Lodges Travel Review Site 2025.
Best African Resorts and Retreats Award 2025.
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