Outdoor pool, pool umbrellas, pool loungers
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Reviews of Villa Paradisa Guest House

5 out of 5
Villa Paradisa Guest House
9 Watsonia Drive Paradise, Knysna, Western Cape

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 39 out of 48 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 7 out of 48 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 48 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 48 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 48 reviews" "

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

7.6/10

Amenities

9.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Views of the lagoon and Knysna heads were spectacular. The property was beautiful and the hosts were great. Highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Response from Marilyn on 7 Mar 2024
Thank you for your great review Paul. We are so pleased you chose to stay at Villa Paradisa. It was a pleasure hosting you both and we would love you to return sometime in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Allexandra

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We absolutely loved it here! From the second we got there we were so welcomed, our room and view were incredible, we had a lovely breakfast and stay and highly recommend this to everyone!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from Marilyn on 9 Mar 2023
Thank you so much for staying at Villa Paradisa, Allexandra! It was a pleasure to meet and host such a lovely couple. Your great review is much appreciated!

10/10 Excellent

Mrs A E Locker

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Exceptional with Exceptional Hosts
Amazing, Marilyn & Martin are the perfect hosts, nothing too much trouble from inviting us to join them for dinner and booking lunch for us the next day. Villa Paradisa is of the highest standard throughout its exceptionally decorated. If I could give 10* II would.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 30 Nov 2022
Thanks so much for your awesome review! We enjoyed the evening with you and especially hearing about your experiences in Malawi. Hope to see you again sometime.

10/10 Excellent

Mahomed

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous
Absolutely fabulous stay. Excellent Service of staff, beautifull scenery, and the most amazing scrumptious breakfast personally prepared by our mist amazing host. Love the intimacy n the personal touch. Definitely the place to stay when in Knysna
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020
Response from Martin & Marilyn on 5 Jan 2021
Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa and for writing your awesome review! We enjoyed hosting such a lovely couple and are so pleased that you had a great experience during your stay. We would love to have you back again. Until then...take care.

10/10 Excellent

Anton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stay
Great views over Knysna! Friendly hosts who helped with any questions and queries we had. Secure parking available in a gated car park. Driving is required to get to the waterfront but taxis are available at a reasonable price.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 28 Feb 2020
Dear Anton Many thanks for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your great review. We appreciate your positive feedback. It was a pleasure to host you and Bethany and we hope to see you back again!

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the service and location. Owners went out of their way to assist us. Carpets, cushions, hot tub all need updating. Office in middle of house unsightly. All easy fixes.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019
Response from Marilyn on 19 Oct 2019
Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa - it was lovely meeting you. Your constructive feedback is appreciated aspects of which are being attended to.

10/10 Excellent

Darla, Corpus Christi

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Marilyn was a fabulous hostess and Martin was a wonderful cook. The room was larger than we expected with flower petals on the bed...nice touch! The view was amazing!! We plan to stay there again if we make it back to that area.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Response from Marilyn on 14 Oct 2019
Thank you Darla for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your super review! It was lovely meeting and hosting you. We are so pleased you enjoyed your time with us and would be delighted to have you return.

8/10 Good

Will, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Accommodation and views were fantastic and a great location. Breakfast with the personal touch was very nice indeed. Martin is quite a cook! The TV channels and WiFi in the room were a bit unreliable and it was disappointing that the hot tub wasn't available until the day we left considering it was in the advertisement. Overall a very nice place, thanks for having us and for your fantastic tips!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from Marilyn and Martin on 10 Apr 2019
Thank you Will for your review which is much appreciated. We regret the Jacuzzi did not warm up in time for you to enjoy it. Thank you for staying with us. It was a pleasure hosting you and we hope to see you again sometime in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Panoramic views of Knysna from your balcony/infinity pool and lovely hosts who cook a fantastic breakfast too.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
Response from Marilyn on 8 Jan 2019
Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your great review - your kind comments are much appreciated!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
In a stunning position in the hills overlooking the Knysna lagoon, Villa Paradisa is the perfect choice for seeing all that this area has to offer. Very spacious, comfortable and beautifully appointed with a fabulous breakfast (cooked by Martin the owner) served overlooking the town and lagoon - a great start to any day! The owners go out of their way to give their guests a good time. Highly recommended.
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2018
Response from Marilyn and Martin on 23 Dec 2018
Dear Guest We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay and most appreciative of your wonderful detailed comments - thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
Response from Marilyn on 18 Dec 2018
Dear Guest Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your positive feedback which is much appreciated. We hope you will return in the future. With best regards

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 27 Nov 2018
Dear Guest Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your positive input. We hope you will return in the future!

10/10 Excellent

Helena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great views over Knysna
Villa is high up the hill ( drive way is a challenge ) but then it provides great views over Knysna. Rooms are nice, well appointed and lovely bathroom. Friendly owners and good breakfast.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018
Response from Marilyn on 7 Nov 2018
Dear Helena We appreciate you taking the time to write your lovely detailed review. Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa - it was a pleasure hosting you!

8/10 Good

Jessica

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Response from Marilyn on 10 Oct 2018
Dear Jessica Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa and for taking the time to post a review. It was a pleasure to host you for your short stay. With warm greetings from Knysna Marilyn & Martin

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Spectacular
Lovely stay here, wonderful welcome, spectacular views, beautiful room and a photo-worthy breakfast. We wish we could have stayed longer ...
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 12 Sept 2018
Dear Guest Your lovely, descriptive review is much appreciated. Thank you for choosing Villa Paradisa. We are so pleased you enjoyed your stay and hope you will return in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Susan, Cowes Isle of Wight

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our trip to Knysna
Only stayed two nights, we should have stayed longer. Host and hostess made us so welcome , helpful with where to go and what to do. Our balcony was fabulous, sofa and table and chairs, sadly it was a cool time while we there and could not sit outside. The view was brilliant across the bay especially at night. the host cooks the most amazing breakfast. This would be the only place we would stay if we returned to Knysna

10/10 Excellent

kevin, Mottram Hyde cheshire

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Absolute Heaven
Pleasant for the whole week.made at home from the word go .staff more than helpful. Beautiful,beautiful house loved it.

10/10 Excellent

Charlotte, Surrey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing stay
Fantastic relaxing 2 night stay. Marilyn and Martin are amazing hosts and the accommodation is first class. If you like cats they have the most gorgeous ginger one! Breakfast was delicious both mornings and Marilyn's suggestions of how to spend our time out and about were perfect. The room was so well thought out with attention to detail including balcony furniture, toiletries, beach bag and beach towels and the views over the waterfront got better each day. Huge thank you to all at Villa Paradisa for a perfect visit.

10/10 Excellent

Marc, Edinburgh

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly Recommend
2nd time at Villa Paradisa and it lived up to our high expectations from last time. A little bit of heaven in Knysna. Great hosts, great breakfasts, great views. Wonderful.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great views, great service, great stay!

10/10 Excellent

Stephen, Houston, TX

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Home away from home...
Marilyn and Martin helped make our 3 night stay very enjoyable, from restaurant reservations to recommendations of places to go and see in the Knysna area. Martin's breakfast creations are true culinary works of art. The view from our room (Sea Urchin) of the Knysna Heads was beautiful. I heartily recommend Villa Paradisa as a place to stay in Knysna and look forward to another stay on our next trip to South Africa. It truly was like a home away from home.

10/10 Excellent

M&M, Edinburgh

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful luxurious property at Villa Paradisa
What a beautiful property this is. Lovely friendly staff as well. Bedroom comfort, décor, cleanliness and amenities all 5 star. Amazingly beautiful views overlooking the stunning bay area. Lovely outdoor area with bbq and pool. The place is spotless and so comfortable, we had the best night's sleep here of our entire holiday, very peaceful location. Our bedroom which was beautifully decorated and very stylish had a lovely big comfy bed with good quality bed linen, plenty of wardrobe and cupboard space, a TV, hairdryer; the bathroom had both shower and bath with comp toiletries and candles. Nice touches are the fluffy bathrobes and slippers, Tea tray, minibar, comp water, an honesty bar. Breakfast, you can have whatever you want, the owner will cook it in front of you! Breakfast is by the pool overlooking the bay - idyllic.

10/10 Excellent

Marsha, Madison, AL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best view in Knysna
My husband & I spent 4 nights at Villa Paradisa with Marilyn and Martin. We could not have asked for better hosts. Marilyn was very knowledgable about local attractions and Martin was a fabulous chef in the kitchen each morning. One afternoon after touring the Western Head, we ran into our hosts at a local coffee shop. Marilyn noticed after returning home that our rental car was at the house. It was beginning to rain so she called the owner of the coffee shop to have him offer to call a taxi for us. I was very moved by her kind gesture! Fortunately the shower past quickly & we were able to walk back from the villa. Great Location! Great View! Beautiful Villa and Wonderful hosts!

8/10 Good

Anouck, Québec

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Superb guest house in Knysna, for a too short stay. Warm welcome et impeccable service from the hosts. The rooms are clean and more than comfortable, the view from the house is just amazing. The only negative point is the internet access which was quite slow in our room. For the rest, I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to discover the garden route.

8/10 Good

Yong Chong Dennis, Singapore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Truly a Villa in Paradise
The Martin couple were fantastic host and we had lovely conversations on their beautiful porch, balcony, whatever you wanna call it :-) which had the most amazing view of Knysna. We appreciated their hospitality and kindness... Just one more comment to make, the room we had was on the ground floor/basement, which only had floor heating... wished it had a normal heater as the wife gets cold easily, so you might want to get other rooms during colder seasons, but highlight anything to this couple and I'm certain they will do their best to accommodate.

10/10 Excellent

Mik & Cel, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Magnificent view.
Overnight stay, golden view of Knysna from room, breakfast and spa (with a few reds) Helped to have a car, but could walk to the waterfront. Rooms very nice, best to get a higher room if possible, but lower room still OK. Great spot to stay.

10/10 Excellent

irene, london

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Knysna top quality guesthouse stay
Martin and Marilyn are very friendly hosts who cannot do enough to help you. Spotless and with great views, Martin cooks a mean breakfast in a spacious and high quality communal area. Views are amazing.

10/10 Excellent

diane, southampton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great bed and breakfast
When we arrived was at the top of a hill and we thought too far from town. But when we got to our room the view was amazing. The hosts were very helpful and recommend places to visit. When we went out in the evening we just got a taxi so cheap. The breakfasts were the best we've ever had Martin is a great chef. It w as spotless and every thing we could hope for. We would definitely stay again and would highly recommend it.

10/10 Excellent

Brian B, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing views and breakfasts
Thoroughly enjoyed our two-night stay in Knysna with Marilyn and Martin. Booked the coral room, which has a fantastic view of the lagoon over the pool from the balcony. Martin is a true gourmet chef and although the breakfast may not be ready in a snap, it is worth the wait. Best we had in the Western Cape. The location is on a hilltop five minutes from the waterfront shopping and restaurants. Safe neighborhood but don't expect to be able to walk anywhere. If we ever make it back to the Garden Route, we will go back to Villa Paradisa for sure.

10/10 Excellent

Suzette and Paul, Pretoria

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic view
We had a wonderful stay - Marilyn and Martin are axcellent hosts! The special breakfast is worth mentioning! We will return to this specific guest house whenever the opportunity comes again! Loved every minute!

10/10 Excellent

Robbo, Brisbane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise in Kynsna
The hosts Marilyn & Martin were most welcoming and nothing was too much trouble. They assisted by guiding us in having some wonderful experiences. The residence is outstanding with amazing views over the lagoon. We had the Oyster room which was stunning. Martin prepares the most delicious breakfasts. In our opinion this is the only place to stay in Knysna.

10/10 Excellent

Maria Carolina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
La villa tiene una una vista increíble de la ciudad y el servicio fue impecable, Martín y Marilyn hacen que la estadía se sienta como estar en casa. El desayuno es delicioso
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Marilyn on 27 Sept 2023
Thank you so much for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your wonderful review!We enjoyed hosting you and chatting with you.We would love you to visit us again.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Bellissimo albergo con vista strepitosa
I proprietari e il personale sono super gentili e disponibili. La stanza spaziosa, luminosa, con ampie vetrate e con una splendida vista su tutta la baia e città. Il letto grande e comodissimo, bagno ampio e tutto pulito e in ordine. Tutto curato in ogni dettaglio. La colazione sublime, preparato dal proprietario, ogni giorno diverso. Inoltre abbiamo ricevuto consigli su cosa visitare, ristoranti ecc. Ci siamo trovati benissimo.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 18 Aug 2022
Thank you so much for staying at Villa Paradisa and for your wonderful detailed review. It was a great pleasure hosting you and we hope to see you back again when next you visit Knysna.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Einfach wunderschön, Aussicht unschlagbar, Frühstück fabelhaft, bis jetzt die beste Unterkunft, die wir hatten.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020
Response from Marilyn and Martin on 12 Feb 2020
Thank you so much for your great review. Your kind comments are much appreciated. We are pleased you enjoyed your stay. It was a pleasure hosting you and seeing your happy faces every day. We would love to welcome you back in the future.

8/10 Good

JEAN PIERRE

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from Martin & Marilyn on 14 Aug 2019
Dear Jean Pierre Thank you for staying at Villa Paradisa. We appreciate you taking time to review your stay. It was lovely meeting you both and we wish you all the best for the remainder of your vacation. With kind regards

10/10 Excellent

Joakim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastisk villa där ägarparet också bor. Makalös utsikt och troligen världens bästa äggfrukostar som ägaren tillagar.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019
Response from Marilyn and Martin on 10 Jan 2019
Thank you for your wonderful comments - we are so pleased you enjoyed the view and your time at Villa Paradisa. Thank you for staying! We would love to see you return.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Wir wurden sehr herzlich empfangen und man hat uns alles sehr gut erklärt und gezeigt. Die Besitzerin hat und im Voraus kontaktiert und für uns an beide Abende in wirklich excellenten Restaurants einen Tisch reservieren lassen. Das Guesthouse bietet alles was man sich wünscht. Das beste am Guesthouse ist der augezeichnete Service und die wunderbare Aussicht über die Lagune von Knysna! Diese kann man auch direkt vom herrlichen Pool geniessen!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2018
Response from Marilyn and Martin on 27 Nov 2018
Thank you dear guest for your truly wonderful review. It was a great pleasure hosting you and we are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay at Villa Paradisa. We would love to see you back again in the future.

8/10 Good

Flavio, CWB

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Guest house
Depois de algum desacertos no check-in a pousada se tornou muito agradável. Café da manhã primoroso.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2018
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 30 Mar 2018
Thank you for your positive response. We enjoyed our conversation with you and are pleased that your stay was to your satisfaction.

10/10 Excellent

Matt

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Marilyn & Martin on 19 Mar 2018
Dear Matt Thank you for your positive feedback and for staying at Villa Paradisa. It was a pleasure to host you and we hope to see you again!

10/10 Excellent

tina, ulm

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Aussicht fantastisch!
Sehr nette Gastgeber, bekamen automatisch ein Upgrade aufs Zimmer! Zimmer, Pool, Aussicht hervorragend, sehr zu empfehlen!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2017

10/10 Excellent

Gerald

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Tolle Aussicht, freundliche Betreuung
Eine Oase in Knysna, sehr familiär !

10/10 Excellent

Bo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort
Sehr enttäuscht - so nicht zu empfehlen
4 Tage gebucht und ohne Kommentar das Zimmer im Untergeschoss direkt am Parkplatz erhalten. Man konnte wählen, ob man im Dunkeln sitzt (Vorhänge zu) oder ob jeder in das Zimmer / aufs Bett schaut der ankommt oder das Haus verlässt. Nicht zumutbar. Zimmer ist auch im Vergleich zu den anderen 30 m2 statt 50 m2 - wohlgemerkt bei gleichem Preis. Das 'limited Bukequet TV' das dort auf der Internetseite angekündigt wird, besteht aus 4 Sendern ohne richtigen Empfang - im Unterschied zu SAT TV in den anderen Zimmern. Frühstück ist nicht jedermanns Sache, da es zur Auswahl gibt: Obst, Toast und/oder Eigenkreation mit Ei und Gemüse/Zwiebel/Chilli - es gibt ausdrücklich kein Büffet (insb. kein Kontinental Frühstück oder Müsli etc.) wie auf der Seite angekündigt. Zimmer sind sauber. Der Blick vom Poolbereich und den Zimmern in den Obergeschossen ist sehr gut.

10/10 Excellent

Bruno, Curitiba

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
ein traum
traumhafte Lage und Aussicht, sehr nette Gastgeber...

10/10 Excellent

René

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sehr schöner Ausblick über die Lagune von Knynsa
Sehr nettes und unkompliziertes Gastgeber-Ehepaar. Ruhige und sehr schöne Lage mit wunderbarer Aussicht auf die Lagune von Knysna.

2/10 Terrible

Marcel W

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Preis-Leistung
Die Aussicht auf Knysna war das tollste in der sogenannten 5-Star-Lodge. Das Frühstück war, auch wenn wir nur zu weit anwesend waren, weniger als mässig. Die Unterkunft als ganzes ist leider ungepflegt und weisst viele Mängel auf, die den Preis in der oberen Klasse nicht standhält.. Wir haben festgestellt, das die Lodge zum Verkauf ausgeschrieben ist und das wiederspielgelt auch das Interesse, das mit dem Management in verbindung steht.