The four best South African wine lodges
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Glorious weather, good food and great wine – you can’t ask for much more out of a holiday. But with the strong euro making Europe’s wine regions look pretty pricey, it’s time to head further afield. South Africa has plenty to offer even the most discerning wine drinker. Here are four of its best lodges.
Franschhoek is just an hour’s drive from Cape Town and is “classic picture-postcard territory”, says Lisa Grainger in The Sunday Telegraph. But never mind the views – this town is all about the food. Franschhoek is home to some of the best restaurants in South Africa including The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Français, which is regularly rated one of the world’s top restaurants.
As for accommodation, La Residence (00 27 218 764 100) is a great hotel for wine-lovers visiting the town. Set inside a vineyard, it’s “thoroughly over-the-top”, says Grainger, but the rooms have vineyard views and, with Persian rugs, chandeliers and antiques to boot, what’s over-the-top to some might be seen as luxury by others.
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For something a little more understated, try The Owner’s Cottage in the grounds of the Grande Provence wine estate in Franschhoek (00 27 218 768 600). “Surrounded by the 300-year-old oaks and manicured gardens,” this boutique hotel is well worth a visit, says Rhianna Morton in The Independent. The hotel is decorated with artwork by the country’s top artists and also offers cellar tours at its award-winning winery.
If you’re concerned about the impact of all this booze on your health, you can have the best of both worlds by visiting Grande Roche in Paarl in the Drakenstein Valley. This wine farm has been restored and turned into a “lavish retreat”, says Morton, complete with health centre and a 6,500-bottle, award-winning wine cellar.
And for some great food to wash it all down, head to Constantia Uitsig. This famous vineyard has a working wine farm and also plays host to a boutique hotel and world-class restaurant, La Colombe which also offers wine “made from grapes growing just outside,” says Ed Victor in the Sunday Telegraph. But be warned – it’s so good it might actually spoil your holiday. “In a way, it was a shame to begin our gastronomic experience of South Africa with what is probably the best restaurant in the country – nowhere to go but down,” warns Victor.
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