Cornerstone Guesthouse – Rolling out the red carpet

by Marita van Rooyen

“There’s a lavender perfume in the air,” says one of the guests at Cornerstone Guesthouse in Swakopmund. Lavender happens to be the theme at Cornerstone Guesthouse, which opened its doors in July 2008, and is located in a renovated 1950s English-style house. This bed-and-breakfast establishment has five en-suite double or twin rooms, each with a private entrance, and a patio where guests can enjoy a beer, write a few postcards or read a book.

The spacious garden, where guests can soak up the sun or do meditation, is a popular spot for relaxation. “This is a place where guests park their cars when they arrive and don’t start them up again until they leave Swakopmund. This is how conveniently our guesthouse is located,” says Peter Bassingthwaighte, who owns and manages the guesthouse with his wife, Margo. “Management is a very important aspect of business. We roll out the red carpet for all our guests,” says Peter.

Cornerstone Guesthouse is located in Hendrik Witbooi Street and within a five-minute walk from the central shopping area and the beach. Cornerstone gets its name from the traditional cornerstone that represents the strongest part of the building and which was historically used to mark the starting place of construction of a new building. And, as rumour has it, “Once you touch the cornerstone, you will return a second, third, and even a fourth time.”

Catering specifically for self-drivers and small groups of travellers, Cornerstone Guesthouse is popular amongst overseas visitors. Other facilities and services include a same-day laundry service, secure off-street parking, and a booking service for activities in and around Swakopmund. In addition to the guesthouse, the Bassingthwaightes also own a self-catering apartment, An der Mole, situated 50 metres from the beach. The apartment has three bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, laundry, large balcony facing the beach, a double garage and DStv.

This article appeared in the April/May ‘09 edition of Travel News Namibia.