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Let's start planningWhere to stay in the Cape Winelands
When looking for the top luxury Cape Winelands hotels, boutique hotels, and luxury guest houses, you have your work cut out for you because there are so many excellent options to choose from! This scenic area features dramatic mountain ranges and endless carpets of vineyards, with some of the best wineries and restaurants, making it a must on every traveller's itinerary. But before you get overwhelmed by the many options, here is a quick list of our favourites to stay at when adventuring and wine touring through the scenic Cape Winelands.
Delaire Graff Estate – "Jewel of the Cape Winelands", with diamond boutique, award-winning winery, and views of Stellenbosch.
Mont Rochelle – Historic Huguenot legacy in Franschhoek with a stamp of approval from Sir Richard Branson.
The Cellars-Hohenort – Antique luxury masterpiece rich in history located in Cape Town’s evergreen suburb Constantia.
Grand Roche Hotel – Luxury farmhouse-style hotel at the foot of Paarl Rock and overlooking the vineyards.
The Robertson Small Hotel – Tranquil luxury hideout on Route 62, with easy access to plenty of wine farms.
Welcome to the food and wine paradise of the luxury Cape Winelands hotels
The Cape Winelands is found in the Western Cape of South Africa and is made up of different regions stretching from the West Coast to the Overberg Coast, and includes various areas such as the Langeberg Winelands, Breede River Valley, Witzenberg, Somerset West, Stellenbosch and Drakenstein. The Cape Winelands includes the Route 62 Wine Route, the world's longest wine route.
The most popular Cape Winelands regions are Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington, Robertson and Constantia, as these are the biggest wine-producing regions.
The Cape wine regions are home to some of the oldest wine farms, such as Groot Constantia. Dating back to 1685, it's officially South Africa's oldest producing wine farm. It's also closest to the city centre, and these Cape Town vineyards can be found on the steep eastern valley of Table Mountain in the Cape Peninsula overlooking False Bay.
When looking for luxury Cape Winelands hotels to stay at, we suggest you find one in each region to explore the beauty each wine-producing region has to offer.
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch has over 150 wine farms and was the very first region to turn their many wine farms into a route. Today, this is one of South Africa's biggest tourist attractions, with excellent wines and cuisine in a picturesque setting.
As South Africa's second-oldest town (after Cape Town), Stellenbosch is a historical and cultural hub featuring cobblestoned alleyways and Cape Dutch architecture. It's a university town packed with art galleries, restaurants, high-end boutiques and museums.
Spier Hotel – Set on the working Spier wine farm, with Cape Dutch-style buildings, expansive lawns, and mountain views.
River Manor Boutique Hotel – Centrally located in the heart of Stellenbosch, offering easy access to the town’s attractions.
Delaire Graff Estate – Destination on its own, offering the pinnacle of opulence with views over the Stellenbosch valley.
Franschhoek
Franschhoek is often referred to as "The Gourmet Capital" of South Africa because it's home to a never-ending array of award-winning restaurants. And, of course, being located in the Cape Winelands, it's renowned for its many wineries!
With over 50 working wine farms to choose from, of which 18 of these wineries produce South Africa's own version of bubbly, Méthode Cap Classique. Abbreviated as MCC, it's made in the traditional champagne-way, so if you're a fan, you'll be in bubbly heaven! Franschhoek is also well-known for its Franschhoek Wine Tram, which invites you to go on a hop-on, hop-off wine tour.
Babylonstoren – Luxurious country-style accommodation set on one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms.
Le Quartier Francais – Sophistication, art, wine and fine dining combine at this French-inspired Cape Winelands hotel.
Mont Rochelle – Historically-rich hotel located on a 300-year-old farm, once owned by one of Franschhoek’s founding fathers.
Constantia
The closest wine region to Cape Town's city centre, as well as home to the oldest wine-producing farm, Groot Constantia, this is the most accessible wine region to visit upon arriving in Cape Town.
Constantia is also Cape Town's oldest suburb, with the Constantia Valley dating back over 300 years and known as the birthplace of South Africa's thriving wine industry. In fact, this area's wine has even graced the pages of novels by Jane Austen and was both Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles Dickens had their taste.
The Alphen Boutique Hotel – 5-star boutique hotel with past patrons including Lord Charles Somerset, Cecil John Rhodes and Mark Twain.
The Cellars-Hohenort – Luxury Cape Winelands hotel and a Relais & Châteaux property set on Table Mountain’s slopes.
The Last Word Constantia – 5-star boutique hotel with a relaxed country charm and flourishing gardens.
Paarl and Wellington
The towns of Paarl and Wellington are located a 45-minute drive from the city centre. Often referred to as the '“pearl of the Cape Winelands'”, these towns are a bit more off-the-beaten-track experience with plenty of cultural and historical treasures. It's also a beautiful area to explore on foot, mountain bike or even horseback, with fynbos-carpeted mountains and plenty of vineyards.
The wine farms here are renowned for their excellent red wine cultivars, in particular cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. Brandy lovers will also enjoy going for a tour at the South African brandy distillery, KWV.
Grand Roche – Member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and located conveniently in the heart of Paarl.
Grand Dédale Country House – Luxury Ccountry Hhouse set on working wine farm Doolhof among the Wellington vineyards and mountains.
Robertson
Robertson is the furthest from Cape Town on this list, yet it's absolutely worth the trip. Located roughly a two-hour drive from Cape Town and on the famous Route 62, this small town has over 50 wine estates for you to visit.
The area's most famous tipples include dessert wines like hanepoot and muscadel, but its red and wine cultivars are also very popular among locals and tourists alike.
The Robertson Small Hotel – Luxury in the heart of the small town of Robertson on the Route 62.
Orange Grove Farm – 5-star luxury in a 200-year old manor house surrounded by valleys and vineyards.
The Cape Winelands regions mentioned above are only a handful of those you should visit. There are plenty of wine regions within easy access from Cape Town city, making them the ideal weekend getaway destination. For example, the Hemel-en-Aarde valley outside of Hermanus, Overberg, Cederberg, Tulbagh and the West Coast.
Stay at one, and hop on over to the others, and enjoy everything each area has to offer!
Book the best luxury Cape Winelands hotels with Rhino Africa
The luxury Cape Winelands hotels are destinations in their own right, so ensure that you set aside enough time to explore everything it and its surrounding wine farms has to offer. Now that you've read this, you're more than likely considering adding a couple more days to your African itinerary, and we don't blame you – in fact, we highly recommend you do.
