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The Glass Castle front elevation at dusk: dark charcoal corrugated cladding, a tall steel-framed gable-end wall of glass reflecting the mountains, timber deck and vineyard stakes in the foreground.

The main villa

The Glass Castle

A house made for gathering. Available only during South African school holidays.

Check availability

The stay

A house made for gathering

Only available during South African school holidays

The Glass Castle is the flagship of the estate, and you feel that the moment you arrive. Dark charcoal cladding rises against tall steel framed gables, and the courtyard shifts its character with the light, gold at sunrise, silver by dusk. Four bedrooms hold eight to ten guests in comfort, so the whole family arrives together and nobody draws the short straw.

The Entertainment building is the heart of the house. A pizza oven, a long dining table, and enough room for everyone to linger well past sunset, the kind of evening where the stories only get better with a second glass of wine. This is where reunions happen. Where milestone birthdays are marked properly. Where small celebrations finally get the space they deserve, far beyond anything a restaurant booking could hold.

This is our family residence, and we open it only during South African school holidays. A deliberate choice. It keeps the house feeling like home, not like a hotel.

Cape Town can offer four seasons in a single day, so the house was built to meet all of them. An indoor entertainment area of 260 square metres holds an entertainment kitchen, a commercial braai, and a pizza oven, alongside an indoor pool heated to 36 degrees. Step outside and the grass playground opens up, a children's play area and a zipline for children aged three to twelve, right there waiting.

Some houses are for staying in. This one is for gathering in.

Living room at The Glass Castle: tall pine ceiling with exposed trusses and Edison bulb chandeliers, cognac leather sofas facing a wall-mounted TV above a horizontal gas fireplace, Nguni-style bull artwork and an oversized roman-numeral clock on the polished plaster wall.
8 to 10
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
4
Bathrooms
~45 min
From CT airport

The gallery

Look around

Living room at The Glass Castle: pine cathedral ceiling with exposed trusses and Edison bulb chandeliers, cognac leather sofas facing a wall-mounted TV above a horizontal gas fireplace, longhorn artwork and an oversized roman-numeral clock on the polished plaster wall.
The living room
Main kitchen at The Glass Castle: mint-green shaker cabinets, marble splashback, professional gas range and stainless steel appliances, warm pine truss ceiling with LED beams, adjoining lounge visible beyond.
Main kitchen
The Glass Castle Food Studio: a stainless steel commercial gas range, a suspended fire braai with adjustable grill and an Avin wood-fired pizza oven, backed by black subway tile and topped by a full-width stainless extraction hood.
The food studio
Entertainment bar in The Glass Castle: high pine cathedral gable, black-framed steel window wall onto the Helderberg mountains, four black geometric pendant lights, timber slat bar front with wooden bar stools.
Entertainment bar
Indoor heated swimming pool at The Glass Castle: white subway-tiled walls under an exposed pine cathedral ceiling with black steel roof beams, blue mosaic border around the pool, bifold glass doors opening onto the grass playground.
Indoor heated pool
Rear deck at The Glass Castle: dark charcoal corrugated gable elevations, a patterned mosaic-tile outdoor fireplace, a timber deck with dining table and stone Easter Island-style sculptures either side of the steps.
Rear deck and fireplace
Guest bathroom at The Glass Castle: pine cathedral ceiling, tall gable-end steel-framed window onto the Helderberg mountains, freestanding matte-black tub on hexagonal charcoal tile with a black cast-iron wood stove.
Bathroom with mountain view
Guest bedroom at The Glass Castle: cobalt blue accent wall behind the bed, wooden world map artwork, king bed with grey linen, dark timber floors and sliding doors opening onto the garden with a distant mountain view.
Guest bedroom
Entrance to the indoor pool at The Glass Castle: two laser-cut black steel safety gates with a botanical leaf pattern, white subway-tile walls opening onto the tiled pool corridor beyond.
Pool entrance

What is here

Amenities

The home

  • Four en-suite bedrooms, two guest bathrooms
  • Sleeps eight to ten guests
  • Open-plan living and dining
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass with mountain views
  • Wood-burning fireplace and gas fireplace
  • 100-200Mb Fibre WiFi throughout
  • Airconditioning in every room and kitchen

Kitchen and outdoors

  • Full chef's kitchen with gas range
  • Stainless steel island and bar seating
  • Covered indoor entertainment building with pizza oven
  • Commercial braai and long dining table
  • Indoor heated swimming pool
  • Zipline and grass playground for children three to twelve
  • Secure off-street parking

Comfort

  • Fresh linen and towels
  • Backup power through loadshedding
  • Coffee and tea station
  • Smart TV with streaming in every room
  • Indoor pool heated to 36 degrees
  • Housekeeping on request

Good to know

  • Ideal for family reunions
  • Suits small events and milestones
  • Attached to The Glass Castle Retreat
  • About 45 minutes from Cape Town airport
  • Self-catering, well equipped
  • Minimum stay five nights
  • Rates on request

Availability

When we open

We open the house only during South African school holidays. Book direct with the BeeHive Keeper to enquire about any window. Minimum stay is five nights.

  • Spring break 2026

    to

    11 nights available

  • Summer 2026 / 27

    to

    28 nights available

  • Autumn break 2027

    to

    16 nights available

  • Winter break 2027

    to

    23 nights available

  • Spring break 2027

    to

    11 nights available

  • Summer 2027 / 28

    to

    28 nights available

Term dates verified against the South African Government Gazette No. 52178 (25 February 2025) and the Department of Basic Education 2027 school calendar. See the 2026 calendar and 2027 calendar. Summer windows are our own opening pattern (8 December to 5 January), which slightly extends the official school-holiday period at both ends.

Where you are

High Riding, Sir Lowry's Pass

The estate sits above Somerset West with the Helderberg on one side and False Bay below. Wine, beaches, and mountain trails are all a short drive away.

  • Cape Town International Airport45 min
  • Somerset West and the Waterstone Mall12 min
  • Vergelegen and Lourensford wine estates15 min
  • Strand and Gordon's Bay beaches20 min
  • Helderberg Nature Reserve trails10 min
  • Stellenbosch winelands35 min
  • Cape Town city centre and V&A Waterfront55 min

Ready when you are

Check availability for The Glass Castle

Pick your dates on the live calendar below. Checkout is handled securely by Hostaway.

Prefer to speak to a BeeHive Keeper?

More at High Riding

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