Whether you are enjoying an extended festive break, planning your next getaway, or simply want to enjoy the sights vicariously, join travel writer Richard Holmes as he guides you through some of the best places to stay in Stellenbosch, South Africa and beyond.
Keeping it local
Babylonstoren, Fynbos Cottages
With its beguiling blend of verdant gardens, fine restaurants, inspired farm shops and elegant wine-tasting experiences, it’s with good reason that Babylonstoren has become one of the most sought-after destinations in the Cape Winelands. If you’re looking to overnight on the estate, look no further than the elegant Fynbos Cottages, which opened early in 2019.
Set a short drive from the restaurant, winery and gardens, the cottages’ elevated position above the farm dam delivers glorious vineyard views and a welcome sense of privacy, even though they’re just a few hundred metres from the heart of the estate.
There are six cottages, some offering one bedroom and others two. Understated elegance is the watchword here, from the organic tones and textures in the decor to the fine linen on the king-size beds. Bookshelves are filled with inspiring works on travel, history and botany. A short walk from the cottages you’ll find the Pool Room, with its sparkling swimming pool exclusively for the use of guests at the Fynbos Cottages.
As with so much of Babylonstoren, the heritage of the Cape Winelands is celebrated throughout, from Cape Dutch inspiration in the architecture to the generosity of the daily farm breakfasts.
You’ll be sorely tempted to hole up here for the duration of your stay but do make time to get out and discover the farm. Resident guests are spoilt with an array of included activities, whether it’s a guided walk with the estate horticulturists, tutored tastings in the cellar or baking bread with the talented farm chefs.
Delaire Graff, Owner’s Lodge
Stepping through the dramatic timber doorway of the Owner’s Villa at Delaire Graff Estate, it’s hard not to stop dead in your tracks.
Large windows in the entrance hall frame dramatic views of the Stellenbosch Winelands and distant Table Mountain. The striking sculpture of a kneeling African woman – the only sculptural work by acclaimed artist Helen Sebidi – catches the eye, providing the first hint of the remarkable artworks that adorn the villa. And to the left, double-volume picture windows look out onto the imposing Botmaskop towering above the only terraced vineyard of Chardonnay in South Africa.
Stepping through the dramatic timber doorway of the Owner’s Villa at Delaire Graff Estate, it’s hard not to stop dead in your tracks.
Large windows in the entrance hall frame dramatic views of the Stellenbosch Winelands and distant Table Mountain. The striking sculpture of a kneeling African woman – the only sculptural work by acclaimed artist Helen Sebidi – catches the eye, providing the first hint of the remarkable artworks that adorn the villa. And to the left, double-volume picture windows look out onto the imposing Botmaskop towering above the only terraced vineyard of Chardonnay in South Africa.
Proudly South African
Cederberg House, Bushmans Kloof, Cederberg
Given Bushmans Kloof’s remoteness and the seclusion of this new addition private villa within it, you can only marvel at the scope of the project. Cederberg House is so richly decorated with heritage pieces and twentieth-century South African artworks that it gives the impression it’s been standing on the bank of the Boontjies River forever.
Interior decorator Toni Tollman of Red Carnation Hotels consciously strove to achieve this effect. Sourcing much of the content from vintage stores and art auctions, she selected items to echo the impressive rock formations of the surrounding environment and their incredible colours. Her use of materials, including stone, slate, Colefax and Fowler fabric, and woven leather Kravet wallpaper, takes on significance beyond their sensory luxury. “We set out to create something that connects our guests to the surrounding landscape,” she says.
But the true marvel of Cederberg House comes from looking outward for a stay, at a wilderness complete with San rock art sites. The sanctuary’s terrace, shaded by rietdak from the sun, stretches to include a dining area and a heated infinity pool, both with humbling views. This is where you’ll want to enjoy meals and, come dark, nestle up for stargazing.
The villa sleeps four in two master bedrooms, each en suite and with an outdoor shower. No creature comfort is spared, with technology cleverly concealed. Here is an escape where art is enriching both indoors and out.
Tintswalo at Boulders, Simon’s Town
Albeit late, a sunset check-in at Tintswalo at Boulders offers an unexpected advantage. The nine-suite villa is situated in a quiet residential street amid indigenous bush that surrounds Boulders’ alcove-like beaches, home to a famous African penguin colony. Come sunset, a penguin duo can often be seen waddling about the entrance, as if in anticipation of greeting tardy arrivals.
At the recently opened boutique villa, guests in all the suites bar one experience panoramic views of historical Simon’s Town and the penguin-filled beaches below.
Tintswalo at Boulders is spacious, offering privacy both indoors and out. Oversized armchairs and sofas decorate homely, comfortable lounges. A children’s games room comes with PlayStation and all manner of toys. Long dining tables lead off welcoming, open-plan kitchens. With features like these, the villa begs to be treated like one’s home.
On request, the building can be divided in two, with one half making up a private five-bedroomed villa that includes the games room and a children’s themed suite; the elevated pool deck is the only shared space. Such an arrangement comes with a dedicated housekeeper and, if desired, the services of a chef.
Guests can easily access the beach’s boardwalks and stroll to the penguin colony. Or if more adrenaline is required, the villa staff can book a water bike or kayaking experience, or a snorkel safari.
Further afield
Maldives
The Maldives offers one of the most magnificent settings on Earth to marvel at marine mega-fauna. Manta rays are the stars of the show and in peak season – June to October – they flock here in their thousands. It’s all thanks to a subtle shift in water temperature and sea currents that lead to plankton blooms and a microscopic feast for the mantas. They’re not the only attraction, though: whale sharks arrive then, too, finning gracefully between the atolls. Happily, both snorkellers and scuba divers are given opportunities to be amazed by these magnificent ocean wanderers.
It’s not only beneath the surface that the Maldives dishes up aquatic adventure. The North and South Malé atolls also deliver world-class surfing, with both point and reef breaks on offer. The best months are between April and October, when the south-west monsoon produces both deep-ocean swell and offshore winds. Keep an eye on the line-up and you might just spot one of the Cape’s enthusiastic surfing winemakers.
Iceland
Long known as the ‘land of fire and ice’, Iceland made a different impression on Richard Holmes. For him it’s a country gaining a reputation for whale – and other adventurous – cuisine and where dramatic waterfalls punctuate an already spectacular landscape. With their long daylight hours, the summer months are the most popular time to play golf. Yet while the courses will be busy, the upside is the opportunity to play beneath the midnight sun. Ever booked a tee time for 1am? Here’s your chance.