Finding a place to stay in Knysna is not difficult. The N2 road as you enter the town is lined with guest houses, B&Bs, backpacker hostels and the occasional luxury hotel. But accommodation options tend to come and go, so it’s nice to find a place that has been around for a while.

Starting life as a craft village in the 1990s and later becoming a guest house, cozy Inyathi Lodge is well-positioned at the western edge of town. From here you can easily walk to many of Knysna’s shops, restaurants and bars, and the waters of the lagoon are not far away.

The lodge itself is a welcoming place, its comfortable log cabin rooms decked out with African trimmings. Rooms vary from compact versions suitable for one or two people looking for an affordable overnight stay, to family cabins with space for the kids, and a fabulous honeymoon tree house. All are nestled around the central courtyard and garden, which creates a kind of village feel, though some rooms can be a little noisy. There’s no air conditioning, so in the summer months indoor temperatures can get somewhat stifling. but each chalet has a small outdoor seating area overlooking Inyathi’s rambling indigenous garden.

If you need a little extra help cooling down, join jovial owners Helen and Riaan at the small bar to chat about your trip or listen to insider tips on what to do and where to eat on the Garden Route. Continue the conversation over breakfast – a hot and cold affair that sees the hands-on owners again rubbing shoulders with guests, making a stay at Inyathi feel a little like a reunion with old friends or a distant family member.

Look out for Helen and Riaan’s new self-catering accommodation, opening in late 2015 close to the Knysna Waterfront.