Cape Town and the Winelands have always offered impressive variety when it comes to the different ways you can experience the scenic region. Now more than ever, though, there’s something for every type of traveller and taste – no matter how niche.
7 Koppies
An eclectic countryside sanctuary
The culmination of a dream to recreate childhood memories of Italy, dining alfresco and surrounded by nature, 7 Koppies was created by its owners to celebrate its location. Built with reverence for the magnificent Winelands site, this intimate and personal guesthouse sits within 50 hectares of fynbos within a working farm where the owners have rehabilitated much of the indigenous vegetation and cultivated an abundant vegetable garden, with plentiful fruit trees supplying the kitchen.
It’s worth booking based on the location alone – with sweeping views across Franschhoek – but it has much more than its outward-looking scenery to offer. The rooms of 7 Koppies channel myriad influences, bringing the couple’s British and Sri Lankan heritage together with the house’s Cape Dutch and Arts and Crafts roots in the form of natural motifs and eclectic touches – such as pressed flowers on the walls and copper vessels arranged en masse.
It’s a fresh take on a traditional ”farmhouse” that retains the charm you want from a country escape. The pool is undoubtedly the piece de resistance – with panoramic views, a beautiful fireplace and outdoor pavilions to either side inspired by Sri Lankan temple architecture.
7koppies.co.za
Alphen Boutique Hotel & Spa – Constantia, Cape Town
A contemporary classic
The Alphen Boutique Hotel & Spa, part of the impressive portfolio of hospitality destinations under the Kove Collection umbrella, is a familiar player on the Winelands scene. It’s been part of the fabric of this historical valley since the 1700s and has been a wine estate and working farm throughout its many incarnations.
But even classics sometimes need a reinvention. New life has been breathed into it via an interior revamp and the addition of leisure amenities and elevated dining venues. Alphen now offers the group’s signature lifestyle experience within the original storied settings.
The upshot is that now the charm of the original buildings, doors and fireplaces is complemented by updated five-star touches – modern art, a crisp palette and contemporary furniture, and a heated swimming pool and onsite spa. And with no less than three onsite eateries and 11.5 acres of magnificent grounds peppered with enormous trees and abundant hydrangeas, it’s the kind of space you can spend all day in, despite the multitude of attractions the area has to offer.
Alphen.co.za
Home Suite Hotels Sea Point, Cape Town
A cool, low-key bolthole
One of the new-breed executive stays that streamlines systems for travellers who place accessibility and convenience above all-out luxury, Home Suite is a brand that cleverly foregrounded ease from the word go. Cleverly though, they made sure the design was similarly prioritised. By appointing one of South Africa’s best-known and most revered studios – Tonic – it ensured a destination hotel that, while focused on the needs of the working traveller, didn’t skimp on aesthetics. Located in Sea Point, this is the fourth in Home Suite’s portfolio of well-positioned, convenient and connected spaces. Details like contactless check-in, workstations and a gym partnership offer a seamless home-travel transition for executive guests.
At the same time, local art, covetable South African design and coffee table books and a contemporary colour palette come together in a space that’s engaging and cleverly thought through (the existing shell was adapted to hotel use rather than a new build, so the rooms had to be designed intelligently). The dining spaces are social and unconventional – there’s no in-house restaurant for dinner; only breakfast is served, but guests have a dedicated refrigerator so they can cook for themselves should they desire. As the name suggests, it’s conceived as a home-from-home.
homesuitehotels.com/sea-point
Camp Canoe –Boschendal Estate, Franschhoek
A ‘light on the earth’ escape
Wes Anderson inspired Camp Canoe – proving that a close-to-nature adventure needn’t sacrifice great design. Owner Amy Kropman enlisted MR Design Studio (made up of Megan Bond and Rotem Schachar) and gave them an open brief – the only stipulation being a fresh take on a tented camp. The resulting seven suites (and central ”clubhouse’) have a generous dose of fantasy and fun and the requisite practicality you need while ”glamping”. The duo drew on Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom for its childlike sense of adventure and a firm nod to the Scouts. And so, while streamlined on the frills front, it maxes out on the cool factor.
That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of comfortable touches: beautiful linen, a spacious bathroom, a wood-burning fireplace, a wood-fired hot tub, hammocks, great local coffee and even a jar of marshmallows ready to roast. Perched at the top of the Boschendal estate, its location is spectacular and forms the perfect launchpad for exploring this scenic part of the world. But there is no need to leave the farm – biking, canoeing on the dam, birdwatching, or barbecuing are all available at your doorstep.
campcanoe.co.za
