Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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4.5
#4 of 26 cottages in Knysna
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Nestled amidst leafy Milkwood trees, on the edge of the Knysna Lagoon, The Milkwood Collection offers a variety of self-catering accommodation to suit everyone’s taste. Our waterfront villas, Milkwood Bay and Number Eleven offer five-star luxury with private swimming pools. For more affordable options, choose between Paquita – a villa perfectly situated on the water's edge – Horizon – a spacious family villa overlooking the bay – or one of Under Milkwood's 16 cosy two-bedroom timber chalets. Our properties are a short amble away from the famous Knysna Heads - the two impressive sandstone peaks guarding the Knysna Lagoon entrance which opens into the Indian Ocean. The Milkwood Collection is one of the few establishments in the area with direct access to the beach. The lagoon's calm and shallow shores allow safe swimming for kids and endless opportunities for water sports. The only challenge every morning is to decide between paddling a complimentary kayak or SUP board or enjoying a casual stroll across the wide stretch of beach during low tide.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to TGCSA - Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Ocean View
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans
Location
13 George Rex Drive The Heads, Knysna 6571 South Africa
The Milkwood Collection
628 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
We absolutely loved our stay at Under Milkwood! The chalet was so comfortable and had absolutely everything we needed with every detail considered. We were there over Easter and loved the special touch of Easter treats and a card left for us after our chalet was cleaned on Easter morning. We were in one of the middle chalets and it was perfect for us with two young kids - no stairs and a 30 second walk to the beach. The beach is heaven for kids with shallow water during the day and kayaks and SUPs to play on. Clear, clean water to swim in and a lovely spot to relax on loungers away from the sand.
The location is ideal to walk to East Head Cafe' for breakfast and lunch or across the lagoon when the tide is out for a visit to Leisure Isle. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: April 2021
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Illana Dillon, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 16 Apr 2021
Wow, Tammy! Thank you for a wonderful review. We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and we hope to see you again soon.
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We had a fabulous stay at Under Milkwood Chalets in Knysna. The last time we had been there was for our honeymoon 34 years ago! The chalets are fabulous, the ones we stayed in had 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. They are very spacious and comfortable. The second bathroom has a heated towel rail and the linen and curtains are all a crisp white. We particularly enjoyed the kitchens which are beautifully equipped with Le Crueuset crockery. The location cannot be beaten as it is on the shores of the Knysna lagoon.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Illana Dillon, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 26 Oct 2020
Thank you so much for your kind words! We really appreciate you taking the time out to share your experience with us. It's heartwarming to hear that our chalets and location on the lagoon were so appreciated. We are looking forward to your next visit, hopefully much sooner than another 34 years!
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The perfect spot to unwind after too many months attending to commercial activities. Daily swims in the lagoon refreshed body and mind. While the rooms have clearly done some service over time the unit was well presented and well stocked with the necessary items. Having visited before made a difference
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Milkwood Collection, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 17 Mar 2022
Thank you for your lovely Trip Advisor review! We are pleased you chose to visit again and enjoyed your stay. We hope to welcome you back many times in the future.
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Under Milkwood Chalets have been around for a very long time. Their position directly on the Knysna Lagoon, so close to the iconic Knysna Heads cannot be beaten. They are family friendly, comfortable and the kitchens are all equipped with beautiful Le Creuset crockery and cutlery. The staff attention to detail is amazing, one look at my husband when we arrived, (he is rather large) and the housekeeping staff went back inside the chalet and gave us much larger towels. We were so thrilled by this as hotel/guest towels are almost always too small for my husband. We hired 3 chalets for friends and family and had the most wonderful weekend, we just wished it could have been 3 nights or longer, not just the weekend.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Milkwood Collection, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 07 Mar 2022
Dear Fiona, many thanks for your wonderful review and all the lovely feedback. We are pleased you had a special weekend celebrating your birthday and we thank you for choosing to spend it with us at Under Milkwood. We always look forward to welcoming you back for a visit!
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My family, including two young teens, stayed in a waterfront cabin for one night on our way through the garden route. Check-in was easy. Our host was pleasant. The cabin is compact with beautiful views out onto the estuary. It's clean and comfortable and had everything we needed for a night's stay. The main bedroom is very pretty, with a large comfy bed, doors opening out onto the beach and a tree trunk growing through it. Just idyllic. There are two bathrooms which were lovely and clean. Personally, we would have preferred just one, with more space in the living area and kitchen instead, which were a little cramped, with limited comfy seating for four. We swam in the estuary, which was fresh on a winter's day, and used the kayaks, which was fun. We chose this location for the beach and it didn't disappoint on that. Throughout our stay, we felt safe and secure. If we come to Kynsna again, we'd probably stay in town, as there's not much happening at the heads. All in all, it was a pleasant stay. Thank you.
On the downside, not much privacy outside as close to other cabins and opens out onto shared pathway. There are out of date signs up in the cabin about water and power usage, perhaps time to update? The main back door key was broken, and as we'd already called reception to fix a non-functioning safe, we left it and used the door in the bedroom instead. The parking space is VERY tight, with nowhere to turn and a steep incline to navigate. We had a standard sized car, but when everyone else was also parked, it was tricky. I'm sure we woke everyone doing a 10 point turn early in the morning to get out, slightly fraught in a hire car. Perhaps offer secure parking up the hill as well?
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Parking is tight, bring a modest vehicle.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Milkwood Collection, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 27 Sept 2023
Dear Andyjanec, thank you so much for your detailed feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to send us your review and we hope to continue improving so we can offer the best experience to our guests. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
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Nestled in a bird-filled Milkwood grove with stunning views of Knysna lagoon, the roomy wooden chalets are well-designed and equipped with le Creuset kitchen gear and a BBQ deck. We were very happy there for 12 nights... The waterfront chalets have the best views, but are slightly more public. The beach area is gorgeous, though you don’t have to get sandy if you don’t want to. Beach towels not provided, but fresh linens every day. Nice sun beds & kayaks/paddle boards. Pied kingfishers to watch!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from IllanaD, Marketing Manager at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 19 Mar 2020
Thank you for sharing your experience with others here on TripAdvisor! We are so pleased that you enjoyed your stay with us. It's heartwarming to hear that our accommodation and facilities were so appreciated. We are looking forward to your next visit, please come again soon.
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The place was recommended by a friend of a friend. It really lived up to the high recommendation it got. Had an amazing time. The beautiful chalets (maybe more like cabins) are very comfortable and very light and airy, while maintaining privacy from one another. The chalets are located a comfortable distance out of Knysna town so it is secluded while not being inconveniently far. Would love to go again.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2020
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from IllanaD, Marketing Manager at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 15 Apr 2020
Thank you for the great review! We are delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us. We work hard to meet expectations like yours, and we’re happy to hear we hit the mark for you. Please do come back and see us soon.
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We spent a lovely stay at the Under Milkwood Chalets. The view is magnificent, there is a nice beach just outside the chalet where you can safely swim with kids, try standing paddle or explore the lagoon with one of the kayaks. The staff is very nice and helpful. Tip for foreign people like us, don't look where the funny (unpleasant) smell comes from, it comes from the Milkwood trees all around! You eventually get used to it! The place is well equipped and wood is brought up every day if you want to do a braai. When we stayed at Under Milkwood chalets, there were daily power cuts (several per day) unrelated to the resort (government power cuts) but it was annoying as the fans stopped working during the night and it got a bit hot in the cabin.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from IllanaD, Marketing Manager at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 17 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking the time to share a lovely review! We are delighted to hear that our customer service, accommodation, and views were so appreciated. The fact that you mention our staff means a lot to us! It is very unfortunate that we must endure these power cuts. We hope that it won’t take long before it is all back up and running as it should. We are looking forward to your next visit, please come again soon.
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Under Milkwood’s perfectly picturesque location makes the setting for a great family holiday. As a base on the Knysna Heads, right on the lagoon and within walking distance from the ‘must visit’ East Head Cafe, Under Milkwood has so much to offer. Regularly serviced rooms, braai facilities and water sport equipment, means you don’t even have to leave the lodge some days. We had a lovely time here and will definitely be back.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2021
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nicci Brand, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 04 Aug 2021
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay with us especially our services, facilities and location! Not to mention our neighbour : East Head Cafe. We hope to welcome you and your family back in the near future.
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Spent a wonderful two days at the Under Milkwood Chalets. Even the odd four hour load shed did not spoil our experience. The chalet we had (one of the middle chalets) was well presented with a great view and secluded but still a stones throw from the private beach. The beach is very safe for children and shallow even at high tide. Kayaks and SUP boards are available at no cost and the shallow waters helped a lot when attempting to learn how to SUP. A short walk takes you to the base of The Heads and there is a scenic pathway running along the lagoon. I would recommend this establishment to couples wanting a quite getaway and families with younger children.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Parking at the lower chalets can be a bit confined and large 4x4’s may struggle to negotiate the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from The Milkwood Collection, Marketing at The Milkwood Collection
Responded 02 May 2023
Dear Mike, we love your feedback. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience at Under Milkwood...we are delighted you all had a great stay and we hope to welcome you back again soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi, Litho. Thank you for your interest in Under Milkwood! Unfortunately, none of our chalets is isolated.
I hope you find accommodation that suits your needs.
"For dinner, go-to Blend Restaurant about 500 meters back before the Thesen Island turnoff. Amazing restaurant with a huge diverse menu and excellent service."
There are more places to choose from in the Knysna area.
PRICE RANGE
R 1,643 - R 2,220 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
South AfricaWestern CapeKnysna
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect average nightly room rates, including taxes and fees that are fixed, known to our partners, and due at time of booking. Please see our partners for more details.
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