Overview
Facilities
Nieuwewerf has three exclusive 5 Star graded, self-catering guesthouses situated next to each other in Prince Albert.
Nieuwewerf is perfectly located in Nieuwe Street, two streets up from Prince Albert's main road, Church Street.
Nieuwewerf is within easy walking distance of the ‘main strip’ with excellent restaurants, galleries, arts-and-crafts and many other amenities.
Experience
Park and leave your vehicle at Nieuwewerf and enjoy Prince Albert on foot.
Your only concern is to pace yourself – have a light breakfast | brunch at one spot, proceed to the next for coffee and cake and then enjoy a refreshing drink or two on the patio | stoep of the Swartberg Hotel.
Treat yourself with dinner at any of our fine restaurants and eateries.
Retreat
Nieuwewerf was specifically designed to accommodate families, couples or single guests in need of an exclusive retreat and wanting to unwind in a very private setting – a home away from home in the true sense of the word.
Live in the moment and thoroughly enjoy everything Nieuwewerf and Prince Albert has to offer!
Experience the unparalleled beauty of Prince Albert and its surrounds - mountain biking, walking, breathing fresh air, gazing at stars ...
Nieuwewerf is a portfolio of exclusive Karoo-style guesthouses with three separate fully self-contained luxury dwellings located in the picturesque town of Prince Albert, Western Cape Province.
The first cottage, named Nieuwehuyz, was completed in 2012. After Nieuwehuyz's success, Nieuwerust, the second cottage was constructed in 2017 which caters for longer family visits. Nieuweschuur was completed in 2022 and is ideal for a single person or couple wanting to enjoy a loft experience with exquisite views of the Swartberg Mountains.
The celebrated “brakdak” architecture, characteristic of the town and Karoo, was interpreted in a modern way to enhance the boutique tourist experience while responding to the harsh semi-desert climatic conditions using traditional design principles. Sun-baked mud bricks were substituted by thick clay brick cavity walls retaining the old rough-cast plaster finish to minimize glare. White powder-coated clip-lok roof sheeting, 150mm thick glass fibre roof insulation blankets and skimmed ceiling boards reproduce the effective clay “brakdak” insulation qualities. The slick aluminium sash windows and shutters allow effective climate control.
Additional sustainable technologies concealed in the design include a dual photo-voltaic solar | grid-power electrical system. The water-harvesting capacity is also ideally calculated for an annual rainfall of less than 200 mm per annum and used for the drought-tolerant garden.
While similar in proportion, the parapets were used to distinguish the two cottages. The characteristic symmetrical façade with central entrance door dictated the contemporary open-plan layouts. Joinery was largely avoided by casting shelves and counters as extensions to the thick exterior walls.
Nieuwewerf includes universally accessible design elements. Being wheelchair bound, the master builder of the cottages contributed to the design which include accessible levels with space under work tops, environmental controls levels, roll-in showers with required door handles and grab rails.
The perimeter walls create private and secure interior courtyards which extend the entertainment areas. Water features were introduced for the evaporative cooling effect. To the architect’s alarm, the client insisted on a tongue and cheek play on kitsch and after countless positive reviews and leaves allot to be said on the matter.