What happiness looks like

What happiness looks like

Idyllically positioned facing the warm Indian Ocean, overlooking the popular Selections beach on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, four-star Fairlight Beach House is an iconic landmark in the vibrant seaside village of Umdloti. It’s no surprise that visitors from far and wide keep returning to this magnificent guest house located in this slice of paradise.

WORDS: HUNT PR :: PHOTOS: CHRIS ALLAN PHOTOGRAPHY

One thing that is abundantly clear about Fairlight, is that it instantly feels like home for anyone who has ever stepped foot into the exquisite home. It’s the destination you never knew existed and the breakaway you never knew you needed. Perhaps it’s the years and layers of memories and history that lie between the walls of the Deeb family home turned B&B. Or it’s the warmth that you get from Colin Deeb and his outstanding hospitality team, who guarantee that you are always relaxed and looked after.

Touching briefly on the history of Fairlight, in 1896 Squire Samuel Bacon, Bruce Deeb’s late great uncle, looked down at a map of Umdloti and purchased a piece of land in Umdloti for a total of three pounds off a rudimentary plan. Years later, he and his wife Margaret boarded a train and travelled from Kimberly to Verulam and by ox-wagon over rugged terrain, eventually reached their site and built the very first home in Umdloti. The little wooden cottage was named Fairlight and acted as a beacon at night to seafarers and ships making their way to Durban harbour. It sounds like something out of an old movie when you consider what Fairlight Beach House is today, standing proud, on the corner of Margaret Bacon Avenue.

From under the shade of a spiky palm, Bruce points to South Beach Road and explains: “I remember coming here as a little boy walking along the beachfront and there was absolutely nothing here. No power, no water, no sewerage. I can still remember clearly how they made a fridge out of chicken wire into a box with a door and double skinned walls. In the skin, they put small little black pebbles and hung it in the shade from the milkwood tree underneath a bottle with a rag that would drip cold water on the stones – and this essentially kept their milk, butter, fish and fresh produce cool for a week. It was incredible!” Bruce recalls.

With the original Fairlight cottage remaining in the Deeb family, and eventually after living in Johannesburg for many years, the call of the coast and the warmth of the sun lulled Bruce and his young, growing family back to Umdloti. Here, the family of seven lived in the cottage until it was “practically falling down and we were literally falling out of the cottage,” Bruce quips. It was in the ‘80s that he rebuilt the home to what we know and love it to be today. Bruce reminisces on how Fairlight was always known to be a family entertainment home and saw many friends and family always visiting the house for braais, functions and special occasions. Michele, his wife, was and is the queen of all hospitality ensuring that all of their guests were always looked after, fed and comfortable.

It was when Kevin, the last of Bruce and Michele’s five children had left the nest; it was time for a new adventure. Taking inspiration from exotic travel and being entrepreneurial in spirit, it was Michele’s brainchild to convert the home into a guest house, and a place that she and Bruce could share with the world. Together the couple designed and tweaked the interior, furnished and finished it, transforming it into the thriving B&B. Now 25 years on, Bruce may pop in for a chat and share a humorous anecdote and you’re likely to spot Michele with her grandchildren in the lush back garden, but it’s their 3rd son Colin (or fondly known as Col, and literally greeted by literally every local in town) who has taken over the reins and meticulous management of this special place.

Spending just five minutes with Colin, you best believe you’ll have made a friend for life. His accommodating nature and down-to-earth style is charming. With an eye for detail and a substantial property to oversee, Colin, together with Nkule his handsome and witty right-hand man, is always on the go with maintaining Fairlight’s legendary standards, with the quality to be found, enjoyed and experienced here, his priority.

It’s true when they say mornings don’t get much better than waking up to the sound of waves crashing on the shore, and getting to enjoy your morning coffee overlooking the sea, quietly observing nature and community awakening from your room or the terrace at Fairlight. And just wait until you tuck into the breakfast – prepared with joy and care by the delightful Milo and Gloria. Follow this with putting your toes in the sand or taking a refreshing dip in the sea, “It’s easy to see why we say this is what happiness looks like,” says Colin.

Sticking to their family motto, “keep it simple, simply the best!” – Colin encourages his visitors to leave their worries at the door, and enjoy the comforts of the guest house and all that the magical town of Umdloti has to offer. Only a 15-minute drive from King Shaka International Airport, and within walking distance of world-class restaurants and local boutiques, guests can truly enjoy the good life when visiting, and the local community are just as welcoming too.

According to Colin, a consistent thread is that once you’ve stayed at Fairlight, you’ll never want to leave. This comes as no surprise. And if you haven’t had a chance to stay, but have walked along South Beach Road, chances are you’d have likely spotted Colin, and his business partner Giordano Bellusci serving coffee and catching up with the locals over a coffee and croissant from their quintessential Doloras Coffee hut on Fairlight’s southern boundary. The coffee here is insanely good, and the story behind the name is well worth the visit too. Word on the street is even for those not staying at guest house, a visit to Fairlight is well worth it.

For all these reasons and more, Fairlight has seen a regular flow of guests, both new and returning to enjoy her unique and beautiful quality. And one thing that’s unmistakable is that this B&B is fully deserving of its four-star rating. But if truth be told – we’d give it six stars. With its extraordinary team on hand, beautifully appointed and luxurious, scrumptious and thoughtfully prepared breakfasts, and absolutely spectacular locations that are exceptional from almost every corner of the home, it’s easy to fall, and fall hard. We certainly did because it feels just like home.

Get connected
For more information visit:
www.fairlight.co.za