The Gate House, Hideaway Estate

The Gate House is a small, free standing two bed-roomed house in a 4,500 sq ft private condominium, set back on a grassy hill overlooking the lake .The house is 15 metres from the road and the lake but still has a nice view over the water. The traffic is steady. We have some of the better restaurants and good food shops in the neighborhood. We are also conveniently located for lagoa, Itacorubi, the North and the South of the island and of course the city (centro).not too The space The Gate house is a free standing, two bedroom house in a gated compound. The house overlooks the Lake of Conception, it's shady green coves and forested hills. The house is surrounded by lush garden and is very private. It is situated about 20 metres from the road, so you can hear moderate traffic passing throughout the day. The Canto da lagoa is a largely residential neighborhood but does havevery good restaurants, shops and cafes. The canto is self sufficient as far as food goes. We have a good cheese shop/deli, a Hipperbom supermarket and a fantastic fresh produce stand all within a few minutes. A bus stop is located conveniently on the road outside the house with fast access to lagoa and the main bus terminal. Buses come every 15 minutes. From there connections can be made to the rest of the Island. The Canto is part of Lagoa but is on the outskirts of the town. During average days it is a 7 minute drive to Centrinho, the centre of lagoa. During summer if you are not aware of rush hours you can get stuck in Lagoa traffic and jammed as people are trying to get to and from some of the more popular beaches such as Pria Mole. If you are obsessed with Pria Mole and its the height of summer you might be well to stay out there instead. The main drag of lagoa is lined with cafes, restaurants, bars and boutiques and they are always full and happening during the holidays. It is great to be next to where it is all at on the south of the island but not to be in it. The Gate House is a place to lie on the hammock and chill out with head phones on. By all means invite friends and have a BBQ, that is what I built it for. Plan your day so that you are not driving at maximum beach going times. If you ever need a launcher which carries up to 8 people, then this can be employed for the day as a way of getting around, traffic free. It comes with a captain. Imagine this scenario, you want to go to pria Mole or come back from there and the traffic is snaking slowly around the island, faster to walk, except i tis too damned hot. But who wants to do that when they can go by launcher. Website to follow. Once away from the property there are so many beaches, lakes and beauty spots to choose from, you will not have time to go to them all, you are totally spoiled for choice in Florianopolis. However if you want to do stand up paddle then the lake in front of the house is a perfect location. I enjoy going out before sun down on a summers evening for a paddle. As you glide silently past the white herons fishing for their supper enjoy the back yards of some of the most exclusive estates on the island. The sun rises for us and goes down in the west but the colours bleed out over the dunes; being on the lake at this time is just divine. Guest access Swimming Pool At Top of the Hill (with discretion) BBQ Area (With notification) There is a bbq area by the gate house that we have just built. However if you would like to use the one up the hill by the pool then please let me know which day and time at least 6 hours in advance so we can book that in for your use. Please leave the BBQ the way you found it, clean and orderly. There are receptacles for all your reycled cans and bottles, crush and bag them, ready to be taken away. If a container has had milk or some perishable item in it then please be considerate of the garbage men and riinse your container before your throw it away, All food items need to be put away in the fridge and be removed by the noon next day at the latest. ( If you are using the BBQ at the top of the property). There is a basket for the recyclables so fill and tie up ready for disposal the next day. There will be a $R 75 charge for clean up if the bbq has not been cleaned and the place is dirty and littered. Also put away your dishes once they have been washed and dried. leave the place as you would like to find it. Dont put hot pans straight onto the tables. use the pan rests provided. Also please use chopping boards for cutting on, not the surfaces in the kitchen. Lemons and limes eat into marble and granite so make sure that pieces are on plates and not sitting directly on the counters. Loud parties must stop by 10.00pm at either of the BBQ areas. As we are in a nieghborhood we have to respect the families that live here. After thistime if you are the BBQ area by the Gatehouse then the party is best taken to the front of the house where you can sit on the deck and talk and laugh. But still please keep it moderate as you might be on holiday but the neighbours are not and it is imperative to keep good relations with them. Other things to note Whilst leaving the property, you will see a mirror on the opposite wall; this helps you see if there is anything coming from the left. Please make sure for security reasons to shut the gate before you pull out so that it is closing as you drive away. Same thing when you enter the property as the gate has a 45 second delay before it closes, enough time for a car or person to enter. Florianopolis is traditionally a safe place but due to more people coming to the island now than ever before, things are changing so please watch your bags, your change and any suspicious person watching you or the property. Don't flash your cameras, video equipment, drones, etc around. Be discreet and alert when you are traveling.