Just after six at the Point. The sun comes out of the sea, and up at Cape St Blaize the lighthouse has just switched off. Below, three surfers paddle out, the tidal pool is still empty, and from the balcony it smells of salt and of the first coffee next door. That is how the day starts when you live at the Point. In Mossel Bay the area decides more about your holiday than the number of stars.
The town has few large hotels and a great many holiday flats. Self-catering dominates, making up most of the listings on the booking platforms, and alongside it there are guest houses with four to eight rooms in the old town and at the Point, a handful of resorts and the caravan parks on the beach. What your choice hangs on: whether you have a car, whether you want to walk to the beach, and whether you need surf in the morning or silence at night. The Point gives you both. But it is tight there.
- Summer holidays
- 12 Dec to 12 JanSouth African school holidays 2026/27, August 2026
- Winter discount
- 10 to 40 %on booking platforms, May to September, August 2026
- Hartenbos
- 100,000 visitorsat the December peak
- Diaz Hotel
- 90 roomsthe resort on Diaz Beach, August 2026
- July night
- 8 to 11 degreesask about heating first
Which area suits whom
The centre and Santos, if you want to manage without a car or are only staying one night. The old town around Marsh Street has the restaurants, the Dias Museum, the Post Office Tree and the harbour with Kaai 4, all within ten minutes on foot. Santos Beach and De Bakke lie just below. This puts you closest to everything that makes Mossel Bay, though not to the quiet.
The Point, if you surf, like eating out or simply want to see the sea. The headland below the lighthouse has the tidal pool, the wave, the restaurants along Point Road from Delfino’s to Big Blu, and the Point Hotel right on the rocks. The wind hits the houses here with nothing in the way. And the centre is twenty minutes on foot.
Diaz Beach, if you want a resort. The Diaz Hotel stands with 90 rooms ten metres from the high water mark on the long beach north of town, with pools, a water park and self-catering units for families (August 2026). Around it lie apartments in Voorbaai. For anything other than the beach you need the car.
Hartenbos, if you want a family holiday the way South Africans take one. The town seven kilometres north lives off the ATKV holiday resort, running since 1936, off holiday houses and self-catering flats, and in December around 100,000 visitors arrive from inland (August 2026). In winter it is silent. The beach carries the Blue Flag, and the lagoon of the Klein Brak River is next door.
Dana Bay and Pinnacle Point, if you want quiet and golf. Residential streets between fynbos and cliffs, houses looking out over the bay, the Pinnacle Point golf course up on the cliffs above the caves of the first humans. Restaurants are scarce. The centre is ten minutes away by car.
The game reserves, if you want to build a safari night into the Garden Route. Botlierskop and Gondwana lie half an hour inland, with lodges, tented camps and game drives before breakfast. One night covers two drives. Anyone staying longer usually stays put and drives into town for the beach.
Great Brak River, if you want a garden and the lagoon. The village lies twenty minutes towards George, the houses stand on the water or in the green, and in the morning you hear more birds than cars. The beaches at Glentana or Reebok are a few minutes away.
Town centre, Santos, De Bakke21 properties
Walking distance to the Dias Museum, the harbour and Santos Beach; in the evening you stroll down Marsh Street to eat.
The Point and Cape St Blaize8 properties
On the headland below the lighthouse, with the tidal pool, the surfers and the restaurants on your doorstep; twenty minutes on foot into the centre.
Diaz Beach and Voorbaai7 properties
The hotels and apartments on the long beach north of town, with resort pools and a view over the bay; for everything else you need the car.
Hartenbos and Klein Brak13 properties
The family beach seven kilometres north, with holiday houses, guest houses on the water and the lagoon of the Klein Brak River.
Dana Bay and Pinnacle Point6 properties
Quiet residential streets between fynbos and cliffs to the west, with the golf course and the Pinnacle Point caves; ten minutes by car into the centre.
Out in the game reserves5 properties
Lodges and tented camps at Botlierskop and Gondwana, half an hour inland, with game drives before breakfast.
Great Brak River and Glentana6 properties
The coastal villages towards George, with a lagoon, long beaches and houses that have more garden than neighbours; twenty minutes on the N2.
The houses compared
The list shows places to stay in Mossel Bay and in the towns around it, from Hartenbos to Dana Bay and Great Brak River, that you can compare through trivago. The price on each card is the cheapest offer at trivago for the night named on it, and on other days it can be higher or lower. You enter your own dates after the click, and then you see what the booking sites offer for exactly your nights. The rating is the trivago guest average on a scale up to 10.
AdThe links to the accommodation are affiliate links to our partner trivago. If you book through one of them, we earn a commission. The price you pay does not change, and the figure that counts is always the one the booking site shows you.
Garden Route Safari Camp
Farm 358 Brandwag
A tented camp on the farm Brandwag, 18 kilometres inland, with a pool, a restaurant and a fireplace; one of the highest ratings on the list and far cheaper than the lodges.
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Fireplace
from €47per night on 27 October 2026
Check prices at trivago
Amelia's by the Sea
14 Eekhoring Street Outenique strand
In Outeniqua Strand, 19 kilometres north, a few steps from the beach; plain, with parking and one of the highest ratings on the list.
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €65per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivago
The Secret Garden Hideaway
81 21st Avenue
In 21st Avenue west of the centre, with a spa and a garden, pets allowed; one of the highest ratings on the list.
- Spa
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
from €79per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Cape St. Blaize
1 Saint Blaize
A house in Saint Blaize Street with a kitchen and parking, pets allowed; one of the highest ratings on the list.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
from €127per night on 24 March 2027
Check prices at trivago
25 On Rooiels
25 Rooiels Ave
In Hartenbos Heuwels on the slope above the town, with a pool and a kitchen; five minutes by car to the beach, and the highest rating in Hartenbos.
- Pool
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €46per night on 18 November 2026
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Lilla-bett Pet-friendly Accommodation Mossel Bay
74 Bruns Road Linkside
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
from €85per night on 23 February 2027
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Aqua Marina Guest House
74 Hill Street
In Hill Street above the harbour, with breakfast and air conditioning; the guest ratings are among the best in town.
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Wi-Fi
from €117per night on 23 February 2027
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Botlierskop Tented Lodge
Gonnakraal Road
Tented suites by the river in the Botlierskop reserve, 17 kilometres inland, with a pool, a spa and a restaurant; the game drives start at the door.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €656per night on 23 February 2027
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Solas on Santos
29 5th Avenue
In 5th Avenue above Santos Beach, a quiet residential street; five minutes on foot to the sand.
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €68per night on 23 February 2027
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Avenues Guesthouse
23 21st Avenue
In 21st Avenue above the old town, with a pool and breakfast; ten minutes downhill into the centre.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €72per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivago
Betty's Boutique Hotel
3 Duke St
In Duke Street in the old town, with a pool, a spa and air conditioning; two minutes to Marsh Street.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Parking
from €82per night on 24 March 2027
Check prices at trivago
Julsie's Home
6 Duiker Avenue
A holiday house on Duiker Avenue in Reebok, between Klein Brak and Great Brak, with air conditioning and parking; quiet, and you need a car.
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Wi-Fi
from €103per night on 23 February 2027
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Melkhoutkloof Guest House
3 Gans lane, Outeniqua Strand
In Gans Lane in Outeniqua Strand, with breakfast and parking; two minutes on foot to the beach.
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €60per night on 23 February 2027
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Gondwana Game Reserve
R327 Heuningklip Farm
A Big Five reserve in the fynbos on the R327, 24 kilometres inland, five stars, with a pool, a spa and a restaurant.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €855per night on 7 December 2026
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Villa Palmera
86 Bruns Street Villa Palmera
In Bruns Street above the old town, with a pool, breakfast and its own power supply for the evenings the lights go out in town; pets allowed.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Fireplace
from €52per night on 23 February 2027
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Aviators Paradise Guest House
4 10th Avenue
- Pool
- Spa
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €86per night on 23 February 2027
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Hartenbos Private Game Lodge
Farm Goedemoed 166
A private reserve on the farm Goedemoed, a quarter of an hour from Mossel Bay, with villas and glamping tents with kitchens and pools; rhino, giraffe and lion live on the property.
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €236per night on 18 November 2026
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At Whale-Phin Guest House
8 Grysbok Avenue, Reebok
In Reebok, eleven kilometres north, with a pool, breakfast and a kitchen; the beach at Reebok is a few streets away.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €68per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivago
Lavandula Manor Self-Catering
121 Marsh Street
In Marsh Street with a pool, kitchens in the rooms and breakfast on request; you live in the middle of the old town.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €81per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Seeplaas Guesthouse
Plot 60 Ottosrust, Groot Brakrivier
On a property near Great Brak River, 14 kilometres north, with a pool and a restaurant; quiet, and you need a car.
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €117per night on 26 November 2026
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Marine Manor
15 Bob Bouwer Cres
On Bob Bouwer Crescent at the beach, four stars, with a pool, breakfast and air conditioning.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €127per night on 12 November 2026
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African Oceans Manor on the Beach
7 Bob Bouwer Crescent
On Bob Bouwer Crescent with the beach outside the door, five stars, with a pool, a fireplace and breakfast; one of the most expensive houses on the water.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €173per night on 12 November 2026
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Bush Villas Botlierskop
Amy Searl Road
Self-catering villas with their own pools on the northern edge of the Botlierskop reserve, reached through Great Brak River; for families and groups.
- Pool
- Spa
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €583per night on 23 February 2027
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Amzee Bokmakierie Guest House
83 Nerina Road
On Nerina Road in Dana Bay, four stars, with a pool and breakfast; five minutes by car to the Pinnacle Point golf course.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €53per night on 18 November 2026
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Eden Guesthouse B&B
4 P Aristata Street
In Aristata Street in Dana Bay, a quiet residential street in the fynbos, with breakfast and parking.
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €81per night on 7 December 2026
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Withuis Hartenbos
2 Paardekraal Ave Hartenbos
On Paardekraal Avenue in the middle of Hartenbos, with a kitchen and parking; five minutes on foot to the beach.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €54per night on 18 November 2026
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80 On Rodger
80 Rodger Street
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
from €65per night on 23 February 2027
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The Lookout Apartment
7 Saint Sebastian Street
In Saint Sebastian Street on the way to the Point, with a kitchen and a fireplace, pets allowed; the centre is ten minutes away.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Fireplace
- Pets allowed
from €65per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Bar-t-nique Guest House
82 Rodger Street
In Rodger Street in the old town, four stars, with a pool, a restaurant and air conditioning; five minutes on foot to the harbour.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €71per night on 28 November 2026
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Aquamarine Guest House
113 Marsh St
In Marsh Street, the restaurant street of the old town, with a pool, a fireplace and breakfast.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Fireplace
from €76per night on 18 November 2026
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Fly Me To The Moon Guesthouse
182 Aalwyn Way
In Aalwyndal in the hinterland, eight kilometres northwest of the centre, with a restaurant, a spa and a fireplace, pets allowed; ten minutes by car to the beach.
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
from €77per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Bay Lodge on the Beach
29 Bob Bouwer
On Bob Bouwer Crescent right on the beach between Diaz Beach and Hartenbos, with a pool, a spa and a kitchen, pets allowed.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
from €135per night on 24 March 2027
Check prices at trivago
MeTime Guesthouse & Self catering
10 Boland Way
On Boland Way in Hartenbos, with rooms and self-catering units with kitchen and fireplace; ten minutes on foot to the beach.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Fireplace
- Wi-Fi
from €47per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Ilita Lodge
19 Hoogtepad South
On Hoogtepad above Great Brak River, four stars, with a pool, a restaurant and air conditioning, pets allowed; from up there you look out over the lagoon and the sea.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €86per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Pinnacle Point Beach & Golf, Penthouse & Villa
1 Pinnacle Road
A penthouse and a villa on the Pinnacle Point golf course above the cliffs, with a kitchen, a pool, a spa and the clubhouse restaurant.
- Pool
- Spa
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
from €124per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Perna Perna
4 Upper Cross Street
A holiday complex in Upper Cross Street with a pool, a spa and apartments with kitchens, built for families; five minutes to the Point.
- Pool
- Spa
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €176per night on 23 February 2027
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Suidersee Hartenbos
1 Magersfontein Road
On Magersfontein Road near the beach at Hartenbos, apartments with kitchens, four stars.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €58per night on 18 November 2026
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Protea Hotel Mossel Bay
Corner of Church & Market St
On the corner of Church and Market Street, right next to the Dias Museum, with a pool, air conditioning and the Café Gannet in the building; nowhere puts you closer to the old town.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €108per night on 11 October 2026
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Villa Dubaai
20 Cynaroides Street 1
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Fireplace
- Pets allowed
from €39per night on 18 November 2026
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7 At Nautica
1 Bakke Road 007 Nautica Complex
- Pool
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €43per night on 18 November 2026
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Diaz Hotel and Resort
Beach Boulevard
The big resort on Diaz Beach, ten metres from the high water mark, with pools, a water park, a spa and the Bahia Bleu restaurant; built for families.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €149per night on 11 October 2026
Check prices at trivago
At 29 Columba
29 Columba Circle, Southern Cross, Great Brak River
In Southern Cross near Great Brak River, with breakfast and a kitchen; the lagoon is a few streets away.
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €68per night on 23 February 2027
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Mile Crunchers Backpackers & Hostelling
7 Church Street
A hostel in Church Street, two minutes on foot from the museum and the harbour, with a shared kitchen and breakfast; the cheapest place on the list.
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Fireplace
from €38per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Garden Route Hotel
1 Pinnacle Point Road
On the road to Dana Bay at the entrance to Pinnacle Point, three stars, with a pool, a restaurant and air conditioning; five kilometres into the centre.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €103per night on 18 November 2026
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Waterfront Accommodation De Bakke
23 Lang St, De Bakke
In Lang Street in De Bakke, a few steps from Santos Beach and the caravan park; plain, with parking.
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €104per night on 24 March 2027
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Point Village Hotel
5 Point Rd
In Point Village near the lighthouse, with a restaurant, a spa and balconies facing the sea; the tidal pool and the restaurants are right outside.
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €77per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Bay Vista Guesthouse
92 Montagu Street
In Montagu Street at the edge of the old town, plain rooms, some with a kitchen, and parking at the house; five minutes down to the harbour.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €44per night on 18 November 2026
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The Backpack Shack
Alhof Drive
A hostel on Alhof Drive above Diaz Beach, with a pool and a restaurant; three kilometres into the centre.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €48per night on 23 February 2027
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Oceans Hotel & Self Catering
Die voor Baai, Louis Fourie Rd
On the Louis Fourie Road in Voorbaai, the main road to Hartenbos, with rooms and self-catering units, a pool and a restaurant; you drive to the beach.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €55per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
The Point Hotel & Spa
Point Rd
Right below the lighthouse on the rocks of the Point, with a pool, a spa and a restaurant above the surf; the ratings are weaker than those of its neighbours.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €103per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivago
Hotel Portao Diaz
Alhof Drive
On Alhof Drive above Diaz Beach, three stars, with a pool, a restaurant and a fireplace; the ratings are weaker than those of its neighbours.
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €49per night on 24 March 2027
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Baylight Accommodation Room 2
8 JB Muller Street
from €46per night on 24 March 2027
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Aloe Ridge Self Catering Cottages
22 Etienne Street
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €51per night on 7 December 2026
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Garden Route Self-Catering
413 Flora Way
On Flora Way at the western edge of Dana Bay, with a kitchen and parking; nothing works here without a car.
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €59per night on 7 December 2026
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Treklaer Lodge
Spioenkop Avenue
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €59per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivago
Hartenbos Breakaway
1 Winburg Avenue
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €60per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivago
Alive@4
4 Bob Bouwer Crescent
- Pool
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €76per night on 23 February 2027
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Diaz Guesthouse
69 Karveel Cresent
In Karveel Crescent behind Diaz Beach, with a pool and air conditioning; five minutes on foot to the sand.
- Pool
- Air conditioning
- Wi-Fi
from €89per night on 24 March 2027
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Sea View Charming Stone House
87 Hill Street
A stone house in Hill Street with a view over the bay, pets allowed; the Marsh Street restaurants are around the corner.
- Parking
- Pets allowed
- Wi-Fi
from €89per night on 24 March 2027
Check prices at trivago
Point Village, Sean’s House
9 Uppercross Street
The same owners’ second house, in Upper Cross Street at the Point, with a kitchen and breakfast.
- Breakfast
- Kitchen
- Parking
from €111per night on 23 February 2027
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View @ The Bay Apartments
Da Gama Street Bay View Centre
- Spa
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €111per night on 18 November 2026
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Tranquillo
Silene Street 257
- Pool
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Fireplace
from €114per night on 24 March 2027
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Point Village, Linky’s House
Point Village
A holiday house in Point Village below the lighthouse, with parking; you walk to the tidal pool and the restaurants.
- Parking
from €118per night on 23 February 2027
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Yadah Guest House
10 St Sebastiaan Street
In St Sebastiaan Street, three stars, with a pool, a spa and a restaurant; a quarter of an hour to the tidal pool at the Point.
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €130per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices at trivago
Villa Vista Apartment
24 6th Avenue
- Kitchen
- Parking
- Fireplace
- Wi-Fi
from €208per night on 23 February 2027
Check prices at trivagoNo house is listed in this area right now. Pick another filter.
Guest house, self-catering or resort
The guest house is the classic form: four to eight rooms, breakfast at one big table, and a host who knows where you park and which beach has the wind today. Most of them stand in the old town, in Hill Street and Marsh Street, and at the Point. Cheap they rarely are. But the advice comes included.
Holiday flats and houses make up the bulk. Self-catering is the rule in Mossel Bay, not the exception: apartments with a sea view in Voorbaai and De Bakke, houses with a pool and a braai in Hartenbos, villas on the golf estate at Pinnacle Point. Bed linen and towels are there, breakfast is not. For that you shop at the Langeberg Mall or the Mossel Bay Mall, both on the Louis Fourie Road.
Hotels are few, and three of them define an area each. The Diaz Hotel on Diaz Beach is the family resort with 90 rooms, a water park and a penthouse on the twelfth floor (August 2026). The Point Hotel stands at the end of Point Road directly below the lighthouse, with the waves breaking in front of the windows. The Protea Hotel on Market Street is the house for the old town, with the Dias Museum as a neighbour and Café Gannet inside.
And then camping. The parks sit right on the beach, at Santos, at De Bakke and at Diaz Beach, plus the ATKV resort site in Hartenbos. In December they are the heart of the South African summer, caravan next to caravan, braai next to braai. Rates and booking are with the municipality and the ATKV, and worth checking before you travel, because they change every year.
When to book
The peak is summer, or more precisely the South African school holidays. From 12 December 2026 to 12 January 2027, Mossel Bay is as full as it ever gets (August 2026). Families move from inland to the sea, Hartenbos alone counts around 100,000 visitors in those weeks, and the beachfront holiday houses go months in advance. If you want those weeks, book as early as you can. If you only want summer, take February or March: same water, empty beaches.
The second wave comes at Easter. In 2026 the school holidays run from 28 March to 7 April, with winter holidays from 27 June to 20 July and a short break from 24 September to 5 October (August 2026). Those dates fill Hartenbos and the beach resorts. The guest houses in the old town feel it less.
Between May and September you barely need notice. Two weeks is enough, often less, and the platforms advertise winter discounts of 10 to 40 per cent (August 2026). This is the season of whales, of long stay visitors and of clear days. If you can be flexible, go then.
What to check before you book
- Sea view is not always sea view. It can mean a strip of blue between two roofs, and in the old town almost every house stands on the slope behind another. Ask for sea facing and for a terrace, or look at the photos taken from the terrace rather than the ones from the room.
- Wind. In summer the southeaster blows, often for days at a time, and at the Point it hits the house with nothing in the way. A terrace facing north or west stays usable. Santos sits sheltered inside the bay.
- Heating. The houses are built for summer, and in July and August the night drops to eight or eleven degrees. A fan heater or air conditioning with a heating function makes the difference between a winter holiday and a winter.
- Power. Eskom has not load shed since May 2025 (August 2026), yet many houses still have solar or an inverter. Ask about it if you need to work or are travelling with small children.
- Stairs. The Point and the old town lie on a slope, and in many houses the sea view room is on the second floor with no lift. With a pushchair or bad knees, ask first.
- Parking. In the old town the car stands on the street or in the yard, in Hartenbos and Dana Bay in the driveway behind the gate. Leave nothing inside it, which goes for all of South Africa.
- Breakfast. Usually included in guest houses, never in a holiday flat. In the old town a café replaces it; in Voorbaai and Dana Bay you drive for it.
Spending a winter: a flat for weeks or months
From May to September the long stay visitors arrive. The town has advertised the second mildest climate in the world since 1992, and even in July the afternoon reaches around 20 degrees. For a month or more you rent a holiday flat at a monthly rate, not hotel nights. Owners give a discount in winter, because otherwise the flat stands empty.
Look on LekkeSlaap and Airbnb for holiday flats, and on Property24 and Private Property for furnished long term rentals. What a month costs depends on the area, the sea view and the season, and the range is wide. Ask the owner directly for a price for four or eight weeks. Check heating, Wi-Fi and solar while you are at it, because those are the three things a southern winter tends to founder on.
A rental car for the whole stay pays off if you play golf, want to see Oudtshoorn or live in Dana Bay. In the old town you manage without. The banks, the post office and the pharmacies are on Marsh Street and in the malls, the hospital in Hill Street.
And without a car?
Then you stay in the old town, in Santos or at the Point. From there you reach the Dias Museum, the harbour, Marsh Street and Santos Beach on foot, and the Point in twenty minutes from the centre. The Baz Bus drops you at the hostel door, the long distance coaches stop in Voorbaai on the N2, and from there you take a taxi. Uber and Bolt have operated in Mossel Bay since 2021, which also gets you to Diaz Beach, Hartenbos or the golf course. For the game reserves and Oudtshoorn, book a tour or hire a car for one day.
Our tipSplit the stay if you have four nights or more: two nights at the Point or in the old town for the beach, the restaurants and the museum, one night in a game reserve with a drive in the morning, the last in Great Brak River with the lagoon and a garden. None of the drives in between takes longer than an hour.
Frequently asked questions about staying here
Which part of Mossel Bay should I stay in?
Without a car, the old town, Santos or the Point, because from there you reach the Dias Museum, the harbour, the beach and the restaurants on foot. Surfers and diners take the Point, families the resort on Diaz Beach or a holiday house in Hartenbos, and anyone after quiet or golf takes Dana Bay and Pinnacle Point. For a safari night, Botlierskop and Gondwana lie half an hour inland.
When is Mossel Bay fully booked?
In the South African summer holidays from 12 December 2026 to 12 January 2027 (August 2026). That is when families come from inland; Hartenbos alone counts around 100,000 visitors in those weeks, and the beachfront holiday houses go months in advance. Easter and the July winter holidays mainly fill Hartenbos and the resorts, and the guest houses in the old town feel it less.
When is accommodation in Mossel Bay cheapest?
Between May and September. The booking platforms advertise winter discounts of 10 to 40 per cent then (August 2026), two weeks of notice is enough, and in Mossel Bay that is also the season of whales and mild, clear days.
Do places in Mossel Bay have heating?
Not all of them. Houses in Mossel Bay are built for summer, and in July and August the night drops to eight or eleven degrees. Ask before you book about a fan heater or air conditioning with a heating function, and about solar or an inverter in case the power goes.
What does the price on the cards mean?
The cheapest offer at trivago for the night printed on the card. On other days it can be higher or lower; you enter your own dates after the click. The rating is the trivago guest average on a scale up to 10.
Can I spend a winter in Mossel Bay, and where do I find a flat?
Yes, from May to September people come from Europe to spend the winter in Mossel Bay, where afternoons sit around 20 degrees. For a month or more you rent a holiday flat at a monthly rate, listed on LekkeSlaap or Airbnb, or a furnished flat through Property24 and Private Property. Ask the owner directly for a price for four or eight weeks, because there is a discount in winter.