The Green Acorn Guesthouse in Ficksburg, South Africa is a privately owned bed and breakfast about an hour and a half away from the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.
Ficksburg celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017 – General Johan Fick founded the place in 1867 after winning the territory in the Basotho Wars.
Ficksburg is in the Eastern Free State between the Maluti Mountains. Ficksburg is the closest town to the Lesotho border, offering excellent opportunities for day trips to this mystical country.
In fact, Sandra, the owner is happy to organize tours across the border which I would have done had I had a bit more time.
Related: Read My Full, One Week South African Road Trip Itinerary Here
There are plenty of things to do in Ficksburg, including game hunting as well as attending the annual Cherry Festival, which is the longest running festival in South Africa every November!
Finding the Green Acorn Guesthouse in Ficksburg
The Green Acorn Guesthouse is on Fontein Street in a quiet suburban street surrounded by other houses, making for a super relaxing stay. The guesthouse has private parking behind a wall and gate, so the property feels safe and secure.
Entering The Guesthouse
Pull up to the gate and press the buzzer to enter. If they don’t answer just call one of the numbers displayed on the gate – Sandra will answer and open the gate or come to meet you at the entrance.
First Impressions
I really loved the place at first sight! The trees and garden furniture made it look like I just come home from a long journey. Even though it was pouring rain when we arrived it made for a warm welcome!
The Lobby Area
The Green Acorn Guesthouse is a complex of various buildings, with the main structure being Sanda’s house. It is here where you will find the lobby and reception as well as the breakfast area. Once you have parked up just follow the signs to the reception to get your keys.
They will then show you to your room and ask what time you want to have breakfast. They offer continental and cooked breakfast in a swanky breakfast room so I would totally recommend it for the experience.
Checking In
The check-in process was super quick even though we only booked the room a few hours prior to our arrival. It was the fifth room we booked on Booking.com while in South Africa and everything went smooth. With this booking we also received 5% off as part of a Genius Discount, so in the end the room came to 684 Rands, including breakfast.
Green Acorn Guesthouse Lobby
The entire complex had a very personal touch thanks to the skilled design of Sandra who seems to be the heart and soul of the place. There were lots of little tid-bits everywhere plus thick curtains as well as smaller and larger pine furniture adding to the rustic feel of the place. I especially loved the wooden doors and the breakfast room furniture with the yellow metal cups and green serviettes on the table.
Inside the Room
Our room was in one of the outside buildings, in front of where I parked the car. This annex had a big door and large windows, letting in plenty of light in the morning, making the room feel bright and airy.
When I entered the room in front of me was a sofa and facing that was a big cupboard on top of which sat a TV. There were two beds, one single and one double so I guess even families can stay in this room.
The Bed at the Green Acorn Guest House
The bed was pretty big and comfortable and I slept like a log all night to be woken by the local birds chirping away in the morning. What better wake-up call?
If you start to feel a bit cold in the winter months there is even an electric blanket on the mattress so you can make it nice and toasty under the duvet if you like it that way.
The Rest of the Bedroom
There were plenty of plugs around the room with two bedside cabinets and a light on top of each.
There was also a desk in the room with a kettle, cups and glasses and a chair.
Wifi in the Room
I was too tired to test the wifi after more than 9 hours of driving but Sandra gave us the password and username when we checked in so there must have been internet connection in the room.
The Bathroom
The bathroom had a quirky feel to it with several antique furnishing and cast iron appliances. There was a bathtub, a shower, a cupboard, toilet and sink plus a medium size mirror and window in the bathroom.
The shower was hot almost instantly and the pressure was perfect so I enjoyed one of the best showers while in South Africa.
Overall Impressions
I really enjoyed my stay and I wish I could have stayed a little longer to visit Lesotho and the surrounding hills, but I had to go back to the airport to return to Europe. Perhaps the next time I visit I will come in November and even part take in the cherry picking festival!
Address: 7 Fontein St, Ficksburg, 9730, South Africa
Phone: 0027 51 933 2746
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