7 Koppies: A Mountaintop Lodge with Killer Views in Franschhoek

This hidden farmhouse on a private fynbos reserve in Franschhoek is ready for its closeup!

Reached by a winding dirt road that snakes its way through a 50-hectare privately owned fynbos reserve, this beautifully restored farmhouse fits so beautifully into its surroundings, it’s actually named after them!

Perched on a koppie (small hill), 7 Koppies is a tastefully quirky six-bedroom lodge in the Franschhoek Valley with spectacular, unhindered views of vineyards, the Simonsberg mountains and an eminently hikeable fynbos reserve – all of which are best enjoyed at sunset, with a glass of vino, from the edge of the 25-metre-long pool.

We arrived at midday, warmly welcomed by the affable house manager into a supremely stylish open-plan kitchen-dining-lounge area.

Think Haute Farmhouse where Arts and Crafts meets Cape Dutch, with playful pops of colour and cool accoutrements bringing it into the 21st century.

Valley of a thousand thrills

The voluminous Valley Suite, named for its impressive vistas, was our home-from-home for the weekend. Outside, a beautiful indigenous garden, designed by Franchesca Watson, seamlessly blends into the fynbos-dotted landscape beyond, while inside exquisite upholstery, quirky decor and raw materials of brick, stone and thatch have been judiciously combined to create a warm yet thoroughly modern suite.

My favourite feature was the view-drenched bay window; our son was enamoured with the double-volume shower, with its twin heads, that was big enough to store his bicycle!

Show-stopping sustainability

So, with hundreds of boutique boltholes popping up faster than you can say “Molton Brown toiletries”, what makes 7 Koppies stand out?

It’s not the spectacular setting – because, let’s face it, the Western Cape is incomparably beautiful; there is wonder to be found in every corner. Nor the impeccable design, generous service, and unique personality that this converted farmhouse oozes.

The X factor here is the authenticity of the setting – 7 Koppies is a working farm, home to beehives (from which gooey honey is harvested for breakfast), citrus trees (from which grapefruit and oranges are plucked daily and squeezed for the breakfast table), olive groves, a fynbos reserve (whose crops are used in the production of rooibos tea), a vegetable and herb patch (that provides bounty for the breakfast table), solar panels to heat the pool and utility water, and an eminently hikeable landscape right on your doorstep.

An ambrosial breakfast feast is served daily in the view-drenched dining-lounge, comprising Richard Bosman’s bresaola, Dalewood’s Boland cheese, freshly harvested honey, homemade yoghurt, freshly laid eggs… you get the idea.

Facilities

• two en-suite rooms (The Garden Room, The Orchard Room, and Mountain Junior Suite)
• two spacious en-suite suites (The Valley Suite and The Courtyard Suite)
• one-bedroom cottage (Rockwood) with a kitchen, private pool and pool deck
• all rooms feature king-size beds and organic cotton bedding
• open-plan communal lounge, fully equipped kitchen and dining area
• 25-metre-long lap pool
• outdoor terrace
• manicured gardens
• daily service
• daily breakfast
• laundry service
• house manager
• butler

Serenity and style

7 Koppies is one of those rare properties that seamlessly combines style, comfort and country charm. When it was time to leave, we sat at the edge of the deck and watched the valley turn from bright orange to deep blue as the sun slipped away… savouring our last moments of silence and serenity that can only be found on top of a mountain in a private fynbos reserve…
Distance from CT 1 hour
Child friendly? Yes, for ages 13 and over
Pet friendly? No
Where to find it 7 Koppies Farm, R301, Wemmershoek, Franschhoek, Western Cape

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