EDGEWATER VILLAS is an upmarket complex of eight separate prestigious townhouses situated on Piers Road directly opposite Sam Levy’s Village in Borrowdale. The Village offers just about everything that sophisticated, modern city dwellers could possibly want, including a wide range of upmarket stores, supermarkets, home décor and garden experts, medical practitioners, gyms and fitness centres, banks and travel agents, restaurants and cafes, and for entertainment there are bars, nightclubs and cinemas. All of these facilities are presented in a smart, safe environment that’s within easy walking distance from the Villas.

There are good schools nearby as well as churches and community centres and easy access to the Borrowdale Office Parks and the central business district, making it one of the most sought after locations in Harare. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of Edgewater Villas is that once you pass through the front security gate it’s quiet, peaceful and totally secluded. Each Villa has private access to a landscaped 3 acre communal park with an all-weather tennis court and a large pond stocked with Koi fish. Unlike other townhouse complexes pets are allowed, so the park is ideal for taking the dogs for an evening stroll around the pond. In addition Number 8 Edgewater is at the end of the complex and furthest away from the gate, so it’s the most private and the quietest Villa of all.

The Villas have a distinct Mediterranean flavour with large covered verandahs, outdoor entertaining spaces and an open plan, airy interior layout of generous proportions. The front covered verandah of the townhouse looks out over a private, walled garden with a swimming pool, and an access gate to the park. (The pool is heated so it can still be enjoyed in cooler weather and there’s a pool cover if the owners want to reduce maintenance in winter or cover the pool when they’re away).

The private gardens are fairly spacious, approximately 20 x 30 metres, but still of an easily manageable size. There are two communal gardeners to maintain the complex and each resident has a private gardener. The garden at Villa 8 has a generous lawn and established low-maintenance shrubs and beds, as well as a large, old indigenous shade tree which blends into the ‘borrowed scenery’ from the park beyond. The garden has been beautifully maintained and developed and is an ideal space for entertaining or just relaxing and enjoying the peaceful, tranquil atmosphere. There’s also good lighting outside in both the garden and park for both accent lighting and general ambience.

Entrance to the villa is through a private electric gate leading off the main access road. There’s a paved driveway/courtyard with covered parking for two cars, plus a double garage with a covered walkway to the front door. The courtyard measures approximately 12 x 13 metres, so it’s a generous space. All the windows of the main house facing onto the courtyard have awnings or sun shades to control the afternoon sun. The single domestic quarters are situated behind the garage and fitted with a private kitchenette and shower and with convenient access to the laundry room and storeroom. There’s also a self-contained guest cottage with an open plan kitchenette and an en suite shower room which was a conversion done fairly recently by the current owners.

There’s a small walkway down the side of the house opposite the garages and guest suite. Discreetly hidden away are 2 x 1,000 litre water storage tanks, which are in addition to the 80,000 litre water tanks which service the whole complex. The complex has a large 165 Kva generator, which services all the villas when required and runs for a few a few hours in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evenings. There’s also a 20 Kva generator which can be used to run essential services when the main complex generator is off. There’s also a 1,400 W inverter system that is connected to the water pumps and the internal power points as no generators are used after 10.00 pm. These facilities make the home completely self reliant in terms of both water and power supply.

The main front door is sheltered by a small arched portico and opens directly to an imposing double volume entrance hall with a beautiful staircase sweeping up to the first floor. To the left is a study area which is ideal as a home office or could be converted to a second cosy lounge or even an additional bedroom. To the right behind the staircase is a small guest bathroom. Directly in front is the large open plan reception area with views out to the verandah and the garden beyond through big aluminium and glass sliding doors.

Clean and simple pale grey ceramic floor tiles link the foyer, the lounge and the adjacent open plan dining room – also with doors opening out to the verandah. Both the lounge and the dining room have working fireplaces to warm up the spaces during chilly winter evenings. The modern kitchen leads directly off the dining room and is fitted out with Caesarstone countertops and all the modern appliances including a gas range (convenient for power cuts) a dishwasher and loads of storage space. There’s also a pantry and a scullery. The kitchen has the potential to be opened up to the dining room and lounge to make the downstairs completely open plan.

Upstairs there’s the master suite with a large walk in dressing and en suite bathroom decorated with Italian tiles. The master suite also has a private balcony overlooking the garden and park – ideal for a leisurely breakfast or romantic sundowners. There are two other bedrooms – both en suite – one with a shower and one with bath and shower. The upstairs bedrooms and the staircase all have new fitted carpets with a luxurious pile. The entire complex is walled, has electric fencing with excellent 24 hour security and the villa has its own security system.

The home has ZOL fibre internet connection as well as DStv access in the lounge, study, bedrooms, the verandah, the guest cottage and even the kitchen. If you’re looking for a convenient location, an elegant lifestyle, good security, and uninterrupted power and water supplies, then Edgewater Villas is the best Harare has to offer. The home is on the market for $990,000. Contact Juliet Harris 0772 307 645

Text by Michael Nott

Photography by Michele Fortmann