Beach Living at The Blyde

One of the things that let me know I’ve had a great getaway is when I feel like I’ve taken a break from reality and I’ve been immersed in a world that is completely different from my everyday life. My stay at The Blyde was exactly like this and I didn’t even have to go that far to get it. Curious? Let’s dive in.

The Blyde is a water-lover's paradise in Pretoria East, a one-of-a-kind lifestyle estate with a crystal-clear sustainable lagoon for swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The onsite Lifestyle Centre has something for everyone, including a laundromat, restaurant, gym, and spa. The apartments come standard with appliances, prepaid utilities, and quality finishes. All this, with state-of-the-art security that makes you feel safe and secure at all times.

I stayed at Apartment 1136, an Airbnb hosted by Charity ‘Cee’ Mungulu. A beautifully designed two bedroom, two bathroom apartment that is well taken care of and made me feel right at home. The check-in process was extremely smooth and the apartment uses a digital smart keypad with a unique code which means the stress of keys is a thing of the past.

The master bedroom and second bedroom including the respective bathrooms. Click on the arrow to see more.

The apartment is far more spacious than I had expected, with a kitchen and modest dining area followed by the lounge that leads to the balcony with a three burner gas braai stove, perfect for a braai day during your stay. There is a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom and a secondary room with a detached full bathroom, both are beautifully designed and the beds are extremely comfortable.

Shots of the kitchen, dining area lounge and balcony.

Once settled in the apartment, I made my way to the Lifestyle Centre which is the hub of the estate that is always buzzing with activity. I caught a quick bite at the restaurant called the Blyde Vista which was huge and had a wonderful beachy aesthetic encompassed in the light installations and lounge couches outside with the view of the massive lagoon, the star of the show. The food was tasty and the staff was very friendly and accommodating - the atmosphere was warm and welcoming.

CLUBHOUSE: Shots of the Lifestyle Centre, the Blyde Vista and the delicious lunch that I enjoyed. Click on the arrow to see more.

Who would’ve thought a beach day would be possible in the middle of Gauteng? Well, that's exactly what I had. The lagoon opens at 08:00 and is open to residents all day, free of charge. With actual sand between your toes, thatch canopies scattered around the lagoon and the sun shining on your face as you lounge in front of this beautiful blue body of water - one easily forgets where they are.

BEACH DAY: The star of the show, the beautiful lagoon in all its glory from all angles. Click on the arrow to see more.

As mentioned earlier, you can actually kayak and paddle board in the lagoon - it's that huge and that deep! It’s the perfect place for a vacation that won’t hurt your pocket but will still leave you with a tan and a relaxed mind. As mentioned earlier, the centre has a gym, a day spa as well as a games room and cinema room that can be booked out upon request for more than 10 people. How cool is that?

Shots of the work area, cinema room and games room at the Lifestyle Centre.

The best part is that your activities don’t have to be limited to the estate, there are numerous activities available in the area such as Boat Cruises on the Bronkhorstspruit Dam, quad bike riding at the Adventure Zone, exploring hiking trails or the Cullinan Diamond Mine and for my shopaholics: Menlyn Mall, the second largest shopping mall in South Africa, is only 15 mins away by car. As your host, Charity would answer every question and do his ultimate best to make sure all your needs are met. If there's a concert you're attending at Sun Bet Arena, this would be the perfect place to rest your head and make the most of the weekend.

I absolutely enjoyed my stay here and I’m already itching to get back to the dreamy Apartment 1136. If you’d like to experience all this beauty and treat yourself to a well-deserved break this summer, find the links to the Airbnb and Booking.com pages to view the rates.

If you want to see more pictures, click here or head over to my Instagram for more visuals. Thank you for reading and let’s go out again soon!