The Cape Wine Route has a wide variety of beautiful country house hotels, guesthouses and Bed & Breakfast establishments. Staying in the Cape Winelands allows you to relax and unwind and take the time to explore this spectacular area.
The hotels and guesthouses of the Cape Wine Route all seem to have a country feel about them. Many of them have been built in converted original Cape Dutch buildings and therefore seem to fittingly blend into the landscape. Smaller and more intimate than many of the hotels in Cape Town, they are frequently privately owned and managed by the owners. With the exception of a few ‘ out of town’ hotels, many of the guesthouses are within walking distance of the centre of Franschhoek, Paarl and Stellenbosch allowing you to explore the towns on foot.
Nothing beats speaking to your Rhino Africa consultant and allowing them to guide you on where best to stay when in the Cape Wine Route. With an in depth local knowledge of the areas they are well trained to offer all manner of advise.
The following are a few pointers that are well worth considering.
Are you hiring a Car?
One of the first things to establish is whether you intend to hire a Car and self drive around the Cape Wine Route. If you are hiring a car this really does open you up any of the hotels and guesthouses within the Winelands, however if your not, then we’d suggest that you look at staying at guesthouses and hotels that are close to the town centres and therefore completely negating the need for a car in the evenings. These might include : Summerwood Guesthouse, River Manor, The Franschhoek and Le Quartier Francais.
Which restaurants do you want to visit?
The Cape Winelands are full of so many fantastic restaurants that planning a stay in the Winelands is oftentimes as much about planning where to eat as it is about planning where to stay. As a general rule of thumb Franschhoek is considered the culinary capital of the Winelands. Staying at guesthouses and hotels in the Franschhoek Valley puts you within a stones throw of restaurants such as Le Quartier Francais Tasting Room, Ruebens, Grande Province, Bouillabaisse and Haute Cabriere. Prebooking is absolutely essential. Read more about the
Cape Wineland Restaurants.
Everything is close !
The most important thing to remember when choosing your hotel accommodation in the Cape Wine Route, is how relatively close each of the major towns are to each other. Franschhoek is arguably the quaintest of the towns, but does have a sleepy hollow feel attached to it. Stellenbosch is more vibrant, larger and being home to a university the students ensure that the town has a lively and young feel about it. Paarl is probably the least scenic of the Cape Winelands, the town is less contrived than the other two, the town still very much being the centre of the local agriculture area.
What activities are you looking to do?
Talk to your Rhino Africa consultant about what it is that you want to do when your in the Cape Wine Route. If wine tasting is a real focus for you, then avoid staying in the Winelands over the weekend when many of the wine estates are shut, or with limited opening. If your looking to spend time at a Spa then choose a hotel such as the Lanzerac or Le Franschhoek which has wonderful spa facilities. If your looking to relax and unwind and spend time around the pool, then these are the sought of things we need to know about so that we can recommend guesthouses and Cape Wine Route hotels with the facilities you require.
