Hotel Review: Spier Hotel, Stellenbosch, Western Cape
A getaway on this working farm means fine wines, great food and luxurious accommodation in the magnificent setting of the Cape winelands, writes Aron Hyman
LOCATION
In the Cape Winelands on the Spier Wine Estate, 40 minutes from Cape Town. Vineyards stretch over rolling hills pocked with fynbos and renosterveld, which blend into a spectacular mountain backdrop. It also lies 10 minutes from Stellenbosch.
STYLE
The rooms are in a spacious Old Cape style, which is complemented by original artworks. They have king-sized beds with the finest linen and a minibar filled with excellent Spier wines.
A glass of dry white goes down nicely on the verandah overlooking the courtyard gardens and swimming pools around which the rooms are built.
There are also riverside rooms that spill onto the embankments of the Eerste River with a view of the Helderberg Mountains.
Much of the hotel's beauty lies outside of its rooms, in brick walkways flanked with flowers and shaded by trees. The reception area, the lounge with two huge fireplaces, and the restaurant all boast an extensive African contemporary art collection.
HOW'S THE GRUB?
The hotel has two restaurants a short walk from the rooms. The Spier Hotel restaurant specialises in braised dishes, such as pork belly, lamb shank and oxtail.
Eight restaurant is Spier's farm-to-table dining experience. All the ingredients used are either grown on the farm or sourced from farmers nearby and the proof is in the taste.
The wine tastings also come paired with delectable morsels.
ACTIVITIES
Riding on a Segway through the vineyards may be the best experience you've ever had on wheels, with a guide to teach you about organic wine farming.
You can also meander downfootpaths along the Eerste River, watch artists at work at the Artisan Studio, or visit the Eagle Encounters raptor rehabilitation centre. Mountain hikes and beaches are all within 30 minutes' drive from the hotel.
BEST TIME TO GO
Spring is the best time to visit the winelands, when one of the world's most bio-diverse regions is in bloom.
FACILITIES
Wifi and satellite TV are included.
RATES
From R2,300 per room per night for the Signature Rooms, which can sleep as many as four people. Breakfast is included.
CONTACT
Visit spier.co.za/hotel/accommodation
• Hyman was a guest of Spier Hotel...
There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.
From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.
For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.
Already subscribed? Sign in below.
Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.