Guest Apartment | Private Stoep | Old-World Charm

A stay inside Philippolis history: This apartment offers you the opportunity to sleep in a beautifully restored piece of local history. The original wooden ceilings and floors dating from before the Anglo-Boer War. One of two private guest apartments in Die Groenhuis - meaning “the Green House” - this restored Karoo house is tucked away in peaceful Rowelsfontein, Philippolis. You’ll have the apartment entirely to yourselves, with a private entrance and small fenced garden. The space A house brought back to life! When restoration began in 2003, the owners must surely have wondered whether building anew would have been easier. Restoration takes money, time, artistry and, above all, tons of patience. After being used more for storage than accommodation for some 40 years, the house had neither running water nor electricity. The end result, however, justified every bit of the effort. The original wooden floors, ceilings and windows have been preserved wherever possible, creating the warmth and character that make Die Groenhuis special. The refurbished ceiling is backed with pages from 1940s Huisgenoot magazines, which now serve as insulation. Jens Friis sr. (my dad) insists that Die Groenhuis was never intended to be the American White House — although there are occasionally visitors’ cars in the driveway worth eight times the value of the house itself! All the amenities and necessities are provided, including innerspring mattresses and crisp, fresh linen. Old-fashioned flowers such as hollyhocks and roses add to the atmosphere, while a wooden bench on the stoep is the perfect place to sit and savour the view of the Karoo and its koppies. The only occasional interruption to the silence is the distant sound of a Boeing flying between Cape Town and Johannesburg. A pear tree and lemon tree flourish when the sporadic Karoo rain arrives. And when spring brings enough rain, the surrounding lands are ploughed by a 1956 Vaaljapie tractor — another little reminder that life here moves at a different pace. One visitor from Holland left these words: “Aangenaam verrast! Jij hoort de stilte. Jij siet de schoonheid. En jij voelt de warmte van die mensen. Bedank voor alle goede sorgen. Een aangename pauze tussen de drukte van twee steden. Wat ’n rust!” Loosely translated: “Pleasantly surprised! You hear the silence, see the beauty and feel the warmth of the people. Thank you for all your good care. A pleasant pause between the pressures of two cities. What a rest!” Guest access Guests have exclusive use of this entire apartment, including its private stoep and garden facing the street. They also have access to the swimming pool at the main Groenhuis property, approximately 40 m away. Other things to note With a double bedroom, a second bedroom with two single beds, a living area, kitchenette and bathroom, it comfortably accommodates up to four guests. The bathroom is accessed through the main bedroom and works well for a family.