Parker Cottage is in fact two grand Victorian houses (Nos. 1 and 3 Carstens Street) designed by renowned Cape Town architect John Parker in 1895, now joined into one beautiful mansion.

Our goal at Parker Cottage is to combine luxurious hospitality and accommodation with active concern for the society and the environment. Our rooms are as distinctive as our goals: from Afro-Colonial to Provencale to Colonial South African, with Middle Eastern influences. So there is décor to suit any taste! 

We offer free WiFi, legendary breakfasts, free garaged parking on request, and free use of a PC.

Parker also has two gardens (one shady with a Koi pond) and one sunny. There are two guest lounges and a wonderful veranda for breakfasts and sundowner drinks (which are a special feature at Parker).

At Parker, we are striving to show that luxurious accommodation does not have to cost the resources of the earth: by 2015, Parker aims to be ‘off-grid’ for water heating, electricity, water and sewage and recycling 90% of our waste. 

All rooms are en suite with either bath or shower rooms.  Most rooms have television and two have air conditioning.  We offer free passes to the Virgin Active gym in town and free garaged parking for guests’ vehicles too.  (Please tell us if you’d like to use these services when you book as space is limited.)

Fantastic Rooms

ROOM 6 is one of our two larger rooms: it features a ‘Princess and the Pea’ style bed (remember the fairy tale?), purpose-made for the room, which is either a twin or a King-sized four poster.  There is a working fireplace and lots of room to spread out and relax.  It faces out on to the garden at the front of the house and is full of light and is situated away from the front door and breakfast room, making it quiet and secluded.  The bathroom has a ball-and-claw bath and a separate shower.  The whole room is decorated in a wonderfully decadent Victorian style, with the odd tongue-in-cheek touch to keep the atmosphere fun and light at the same time as luxurious. This is our flagship room for a special occasion or once-in-a-lifetime holiday.

ROOM 8 is one of our two most luxurious rooms.  Decorated in a high Victorian style with a Queen-sized bed and the original fireplace of No.1 Carstens, it features several antique pieces.  You access the room through double doors and will love the space and décor in the bathroom, which has a separate shower.  This is the kind of room where you can imagine yourself the star of some period drama, (remember Gone With The Wind?), because of its grand colonial feel.   There are two enormous armchairs for you to stretch out in too. There are several small touches to the room to keep it feeling homely and cosy despite its romance.

Beautiful Rooms

ROOM 3 works with greens and burgundies to create a distinguished and exclusive ambiance which feels homely and welcoming at the same time.  There’s a partial view of Table Mountain too. You have a full bathroom with a ball-and-claw freestanding bath with shower over and a large shuttered sash window opening onto a private courtyard at the back of Number 3 Carstens.

ROOM 4 is on the first floor towards the back of Number 3.  This room has an en suite shower room, air-conditioning and either a King size bed or twin singles.  It also has a partial view of Signal Hill.  It is rather more assertive: it’s decorated in a combination of deep reds and pinks to set a serious and chic mood.

ROOM 5 is situated right at the back of Number 3 on the first floor.  This room has views of Table Mountain and faces East. You access the room by a staircase shared with only one other room, so it has lots of privacy.  The room has an en suite shower room and air-conditioning, and is decorated in a calming light blue. A special touch are the twin beds, an antique pair from the old days of the Cape.

ROOM 7 has a distinctly Provencale feel: it’s decorated in mauves and features a wrought-iron and brass Queen sized bed.  The large sash window faces out through colonial shutters onto a private courtyard at the back of the house.   There is an en-suite bathroom with shower over and a stately 1930s mahogany wardrobe along with an armchair.

Family Suite

Our FAMILY SUITE is tucked away in Number 1 Carstens in the old servants’ quarters of the house.  There are two separate bedrooms, the main one being light and airy with either a King or twin single beds and a window onto a private courtyard with garden furniture where you can catch the sun most of the day.  The second has again twin singles or a King sized bed and delightful period features as well as a small lounge. The suite has its own private corridor for access and you can close the whole suite off from the rest of the house. The suite has one shower room between both bedrooms and is decorated in an Afro-Chic style with some kitsch elements.  One of the rooms has two double wardrobes and also cable TV with a wide range of international channels. We can also provide a single futon bed in the larger bedroom, thus making it possible to sleep five in comfort.

Cosy Rooms

ROOM 1 faces out on to the garden of Number 3 Carstens Street: the Koi carp pond is right below your window and you’re conveniently a step away from the lounge, veranda and front gate.  It features large double sash windows with shutters and one of the original fireplaces of the house as well as two armchairs. There’s a small shower room within the room and twin or a King-sized bed.

ROOM 2 is towards the front of Number 3, just opposite the lounge. Decorated in a chic style with hints of Afro Chic and muted tones, this room has more of a minimalist and modern feel to it.  The brass double bed and glimmering Oregon pine floor give a great textual contrast.  It has a small shower room behind a partition in the room.

ROOM 9 is tucked away in Number 1 Carstens in the old servants’ quarters of the house.  It’s a large room, with a light and airy shower room and has its own private corridor for access. The shower room is not completely en suite, but you’ve total privacy from other guests. This room has either a twin bed or a King, as you prefer.  (You can close both shower room and bedroom off from the rest of the guest house.) This room is decorated in more neutral tones in an Afro-Chic style with some kitsch elements.  It looks out onto a small private courtyard where you can catch the sun late afternoon.  It also has cable television.