The 15 Hottest Properties in the Cape this Season

Often remote, always considered. Fabulous vantages, inside and out. From beachfront cabins to vineyard villas, fabulous tents to mountain eyries, we’ve rounded up our hot favourites for the chilly season.

Camp Canoe

Where Franschhoek
Distance from CT 1 hour
The setting Quirky. Playful. And so, so cute. Seven en-suite tents, each the size of a small cabin, dressed in the style of the “tiny house movement”, where everything is for purpose, and nothing is ugly. Discreetly tucked into the pristine bush high up on the Simonsberg Mountain on Boschendal estate, the site offers guests unobstructed views of the changing light across the Drakenstein valley far below. The location is wild, with birds flitting through camp, and rustling in the undergrowth (genets have been spotted peeping over the hot tubs!). But it’s the nostalgic, Wes Anderson-esque Summer Camp theme that really sets it apart: pretty tartans, enamel mugs, neat hooks, embroidered badges, a gorgeous spindle-back sofa that can be turned into a daybed for a child. The compact kitchenettes are beautifully equipped (even a Tupperware and Smeg stovetop!); no oven, but an outdoor Weber. Luxuries include a wood-fired convection fireplace (wood included) and fabulous pressure in the large walk-in shower. Aside from your private wood-fired outdoor hot tub, there is a communal dam, and the Hub – a large tent with dining table and communal fire pit, can be booked if you are four or more (ideal if you’re taking over the whole camp).

The lodgings

• 7 luxury tents, each sleeping 2 adults (children on request)
• king-size bed
• en suite bathroom with a shower
• indoor seating area
• viewing deck with outdoor seating
• private hot tub and hammocks
• complimentary wifi

Child friendly? Yes, on request
Pet friendly? No
Sleeps 2 adults
Cost From R2 600 per room per night (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

Brookdale Manor House

Where Paarl
Distance from CT 1 hour
The settingThe approach to Brookdale is a car-stopping moment as you whip out your phone in a vain attempt to capture the grandeur of the setting: an expanse of green vineyards pooled around a white gabled homestead, dwarfed by the jagged peaks of the Drakenstein mountains. Lucky for us that serial British entrepreneur Tim Rudd chanced upon what was then a severely neglected farm in 2018, and purchased it with a twofold intention: to produce experimental wine blends by planting Mediterranean varietals unknown in South African terroir, and build a Cape country manor to host family and friends. With several dining areas, a choice of lounges and a library, Brookdale offers top-end hosted luxury for a group of up to 12 adults and two children, but can also be booked on an individual basis. Guests are accommodated in five suites in the Manor House or the Vineyard suite, located in an adjacent wing. The management couple (until recently in the employ of the Kerzners) provide exceptional, five-star service; and with executive chef Gary Coetzee in the kitchen you won’t have a better meal in any of the fine-dining restaurants nearby. Tim Rudd’s terroir experiment is also bearing fruit – this year the team picked close to 130 tonnes, and winemaker Kiara Scott is using smaller fermentation tanks to keep different sections of the vineyards separate; a private wine-tasting should definitely be on your agenda, or prebook time in the vineyards or cellar for a more active experience.

The lodgings 

• 5 manor house suites and 1 vineyard room, sleeping 2 adults each
• en-suite (bath and shower), plus a separate cloak room on the ground level
• roll-away beds for 2 children under 12 years sharing the suite with their parents, plus a baby’s cot
• 3 fireplaces
• air-conditioning
• smart tv in all suites
• complimentary minibar, tea and coffee
• tea and coffee station
• daily breakfast

Child friendly? Yes, ideal for families booking exclusive-use as a private villa.
Two additional children under 12 can be accommodated sharing with their parents
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes, free
Cost From R4 900 per suite (depending on season)
Exclusive use Manor House From 29 500 (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

Orchard Stay

Where Wolseley
Distance from CT 1.5 hours
The setting The Nieuwoudt family purpose-built Orchard Stay on their fruit farm near Wolseley to cater for country escapes, and did it so well that guests would immediately rebook their next getaway. Firstly there’s the location: overlooking a private dam, the two-bedroom house is almost entirely surrounded by pear orchards, with no visible neighbours. You enjoy complete privacy, with stacking doors that fold away to create a seamless flow to the wrap-around verandah, and a lawn big enough to kick a ball around. Then there are the details: a wood-burning convection fireplace to warm the living area – a single room comprising a lounge, dining room and kitchen – plus a wood-fired hot tub adjacent to the eco-pool built into the bank of the dam. Both bedrooms are en-suite: the stylish bathrooms have hand-crafted soaps and views of the orchards and snow-capped Mostertshoek. Beds are extra-length, and the twin room has a pull-out bed for a third child that can be converted into another king if travelling as two couples. And finally, there’s the good value. Plenty to do in the area, from wine-tasting and mountain-biking to visiting nearby Bosjes and traversing Michell’s Pass, where the Witels River churns over white boulders into crystal-clear pools.

The lodgings 

• two stylishly decorated bedrooms, both with en-suite bathrooms
• fully equipped kitchen
• covered built in braai
• eco-pool and hot tub

Child friendly? Yes
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 4
Cost From R1 800 per sharing 2 bedrooms (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

Lekkerwater

Where De Hoop
Distance from CT 3.5 hours
The setting Mile upon mile of undisturbed beach, dunes covered in an intricate fynbos tapestry, rockpools teeming with unexpected life. In winter, the dunes offer a front-row seat to the southern right whale nursery that opens around July, when the mamas start arriving en masse to raise their young. If you haven’t yet been to De Hoop, make this the year to do so. Built on the footprint of a seaside cottage that burnt down in 2015, Lekkerwater enjoys the most exclusive concession in the reserve: just 14 guests and 2 children accommodated in seven compact cabins on a 5km-long beach in the north. Fanned out from a central raised boardwalk, the stilted cabins all have small, private decks and unencumbered sea views. Bar the family unit (which has a loft space to accommodate two children), they are identical: a king or twin beds centred on the view; each with a wood-burning convection fireplace. The shared living area is a homely space – guests are encouraged to engage with the chefs at the interactive open kitchen, and meals are shared family-style around a table (separate tables if requested). There’s an outdoor hot tub too, and exceptional guided nature walks, with fascinating insights into the fynbos cycles, birds (more than 260 species), and life in the intertidal zone.

The lodgings 

• 6 standalone suites sleeping 2 each; the family suites sleeps 2 adults and 2 children
• en-suite bathrooms with a shower
• indoor fireplace in each room
• private sea-facing deck in each suite
• open-plan shared lounge, bar and dining area in the main lodge
• wraparound deck with outdoor seating
• shared swimming pool and firepit
• complimentary wifi (in the suites only)
• all meals, lodge activities and local drinks are included

Child friendly?  Yes, for 6 years and over
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 2
Cost From R3 250 per person sharing per night (SA Residents, weekdays) (depending on season)
R3 750 per person sharing per night (SA Residents, weekends) (depending on season)
MAKE A RESERVATION

Jonkmanshof

Where Montagu
Distance from CT 2.5 hours
The setting Anyone who has eaten at Jacques Erasmus’s Hemelhuijs knows he is a culinary genius; an artist with a flair for inventive décor. But Jonkmanshof showcases his commitment to heritage. Built in 1854, the Cape Dutch house he and his partner viewed in 2015 was a wreck, badly renovated, with rotting floorboards and sash windows. Not a purchase to make with profit in mind. But there was a large garden with pear, apple and almond trees, and space to plant more. Jacques, who grew up on a farm, wanted a country escape, a place to pickle and preserve, to provide some old-fashioned provisions for his city restaurant. The house, so desperately in need of rescuing, had a story to tell, and he was the man to listen. So began the laborious process of stripping out a century’s worth of wear, uncovering the original bare-boned beauty of the house, painstaking repairs, then filling it with art and furniture that pays homage to its history but with Jacques’ quirky styling twist. Every room is an immersive artwork, every object considered. A film set some say, but comfortable too, with thick lime-plastered walls, several fireplaces, cashmere blankets, underfloor heating and homemade liqueurs such as limoncello, kumquatcelle and vin d’orange from the garden to keep the chill that blows off the snow-capped mountains at bay.

The lodgings 

• suite one with a king-size bed (can be made into twins) and en-suite bathroom with a shower and bateau bath
• suite two with a queen-size bed (can be made into twins) and en-suite bathroom with a bath and hand showerer
• wood-burning fireplace in the lounge
• library and desk
• fully equipped kitchen, with a wood-burning stove for winter)
• private garden with a farm-style swimming pool
• outside terrace with recliners and a dining table
• indigenous succulent greenhouse
• complimentary wifi

Child friendly? Yes, for children over 8 years old (unless booking exclusively)
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 2 per suite
Cost From R2 900 per suite per night (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

Dwyka Tented Lodge at Sanbona

Where Barrydale
Distance from CT 3 hours
The setting Sanbona is by far the biggest reserve in the Western Cape: a 58 000-hectare semi-arid wilderness offering the solace and tranquility of real space, a variety of terrains (fynbos, succulent Karoo and thicket biomes), and an authentic Big 5 safari experience. Its vast size means that spotting its free-roaming lions – key indicators of a healthy, well-balanced ecosystem – is not alway guaranteed, but the exhilaration of encountering them in the wild (as well as other predators such as cheetah and hyena) is all the better for it. The reserve offers a choice of accommodation options, but Dwyka is by far the most romantic and popular. Comprising nine large, luxurious en-suite tents, the camp follows a horseshoe shape informed by the bend of an ephemeral river. The tents are positioned to offer relative privacy, with a jacuzzi sunk into each deck. Guests gather for meals in the spacious mess tent spread across a large timber deck, or dine under the stars around the boma fire. Like most safari lodges, game drives take place just after dawn and late afternoon, and there’s an opportunity to view rock-art sites, some of which date back more than 3 500 years. Dwyka is usually an adults-only camp, but while Gondwana, their family-friendly option, is closed it’s possible to share your Dwyka tent with up to two children.

The lodgings 

• a king-size bed with crisp white linen
• a living area with a fully stocked mini-bar
• a bathtub for two with a view
• indoor and outdoor showers
• a deck with panoramas of the wilderness
• outdoor seating and table for private in-room dining

Child friendly? No
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 2
Cost From R4 550 per person sharing per night (depending on season; SA Residents’ rate)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

7Koppies

Where Franschhoek
Distance from CT 1 hour
The setting A series of disconcertingly humble signs point you through the vineyards, ever higher up through the fynbos, until finally you enter the shadow of an enormous Natal fig, and the warm welcome of owners James Jayasundera and Marc von Schmarsow, and Artwell Tofu, their gentle butler. This is very much a home – albeit all understated elegance in linens and sisal – but you can’t take too much in, not at first, because drawing you out like a fish on a lure is the most extravagant view, a jaw-dropping expanse of mountain peaks layered like cardboard cutouts above the fertile valleys. Running along the length of the raised terrace is the 25-metre-long pool, bookended by two verandahs. Below, a Franchesca Watson fynbos garden blends seamlessly into the 50-hectare fynbos reserve. The sense of luxury doesn’t end when you turn your back on the view: the décor is fantastic – uncluttered, every piece and placement chosen for both beauty and comfort. Plenty of nooks hive off, shared by only five rooms, plus a completely private self-catering cottage with its own pool. You’re 15 minutes from Franschhoek’s restaurants, but if you don’t feel like leaving your blissful eyrie, you don’t have to – delicious home-cooked meals, with salad picked from the kitchen garden, are available on request.

The lodgings 

• three en-suite rooms (Garden Room, Orchard Room and Mountain Room)
• two spacious en-suite suites (Valley Suite and Courtyard Suite)
• one-bedroom cottage (Rockwood) with a kitchen, private pool and balcony
• 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
• security guard

Child friendly? Yes, for ages 13 and over
Pet friendly? No
Wifi?
Sleeps 2 per room
Cost From R4 000 per room per night (depending on season, minimum two-night stay)
From R7 000 per suite per night (depending on season, minimum two-night stay)
From R8 500 per night (depending on season, minimum two-night stay)
Exclusive-use (sleeps 11): From R28 000 per night (depending on season, minimum two-night stay)
MAKE A RESERVATION

Belle Balance

Where Plettenberg Bay
Distance from CT 6 hours
The setting Plett calls to mind long beaches, beautiful views, and far too much questionable architecture. Which is why Belle Balance is such a find: a beautiful bush sanctuary in the Bitou River Valley, home to over 30 free-roaming animal species, including elephant, rhino, buffalo and giraffe. It’s another heartening example of regeneration, this time by Katherine and Leon de Kock. When the couple purchased what was then a mixed-use dairy and fruit farm in 2005, with the intention of returning the 1800-hectare farm to its natural state, they were still living on their game farm in Vaalwater. As they cleared land, they repopulated it with wild animals and fixed up the old homestead for their own use while commuting between Limpopo and the Garden Route. In 2021 they decided to settle permanently on what was now the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve. Katherine again went to work on the homestead, artfully carving out nine spacious rooms, each one unique in character and vantage, revamping the shared spaces and building a bush forest spa. Breakfast is included; dinners are optional, and served in a different area every night – if you’re here for just one night (sacrilege!) ask to be seated next to the pretty dam – if you’re lucky, you’ll be serenaded by hippos. It’s hard to believe Plett’s beaches are a 15-minute drive away.

The lodgings 

• 9 rooms (including an interleading suite and a honeymoon suite)
• king or queen-size beds (three quarter beds in the interleading room)
• en-suite bathroom with a freestanding bathtub, rain shower and outdoor shower
• desk and seating area (indoor fireplaces in select suites)
• outdoor patio with views of the indigenous forest, mountains or wateringhole
• multiple shared lounge and relaxation areas
• outdoor fire boma and bar overlooking the wateringhole
• complimentary wifi (in main lodge only)
• daily breakfast (lunch and dinner on prior arrangement)

Child friendly? Yes, 12 years and older (children of all ages welcome if booking out entire property)
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes, free
Sleeps 2 per room; 4 in adjoining suites
Cost From R3 400 per room per night (depending on season and room type)
MAKE A RESERVATION

Faraway Cottage

Where McGregor
Distance from CT 2 hours
The setting Owners Robert and Anette Rosenbach chose the most remote spot in the wild mountainous part of their farm and commissioned McGregor-based architect Bruno de Robillard, known locally as “the barefoot architect”, to build an off-grid, two-bedroom cottage in the style of a traditional Karoo dwelling. Proportions are true to the vernacular but with modern touches to elevate, like edge-to-edge windows and glass doors that fold away to make the most of the enormous, empty 360-degree views. A romantic bolthole but also a great place to bond with friends or family. Simply furnished, with whitewashed walls, cement floors, and built-in sofas, it’s somewhat monastic, but the crackling fire creates a cosy atmosphere, and nothing detracts from the views. It’s less than 10 minutes to McGregor’s high street, surprising, given how remote it feels. Like a lot of the options here, the biggest drawback is finding available space, particularly if you’re stuck with only weekends as an option. Rather than trying to book a particular date, grab the first one available.

The lodgings 

• eco cottage with architect’s design built on the most solitary spot on the farm
• the cottage is designed to allow for unobstructed and sweeping views from every room and corner in the cottage.
• private plunge pool.
• cellphone reception but no wifi.

Child friendly? Yes
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? No
Sleeps 4 – 6
Cost From R2 700 per night for up to 4 persons sharing (depending on season)
From R2 850 per night from October 2022 (depending on season)
R300 per night per extra person (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

Eikehof

Where Worcester
Distance from CT 1.5 hours
The setting What a joy to gather with friends and family around a long kitchen table, a roaring fire in the open hearth, and talk about things that don’t matter, and that do, and then retire in privacy, before starting up again. A 130-hectare farm at the foot of the Olifantsberg Mountain in the Breede River Valley, Eikehof can accommodate up to 14 guests in a choice of four options: a three-bedroom Manor House and three cottages, all within strolling distance from one another. The Oude School Huisje is a two-bedroom cottage, each bedroom with its own fireplace, sharing a bathroom and a kitchen-lounge. De Kippe Huisje and newly renovated Uitzicht cottage are both one-bedroom cottages, each with a fireplace, bathroom and kitchenette (Uitzicht has its own hot tub). The Manor House has a lounge, games room, extensive garden, bluegum forest, a big pool overlooking the vineyard, a large braai area and a newly completed hot tub, but the kitchen really is the heart here, equipped with everything you need for communally prepared meals, beautifully presented on vintage crockery.

The lodgings 

• three-bedroom Manor House with a fully equipped eat-in kitchen, lounge with an open fireplace, 12-seater dining area, games room and covered outdoor patio
• two-bedroom Oude School Huisje with fireplaces, a large bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, lounge area, private patio and garden
• one-bedroom De Kippe Huisje with a kitchenette, lounge area, private patio and garden
• pool with a deck at the house overlooking the vineyard and olive grove

Child friendly? Yes
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? No
Sleeps 2 – 12
Cost Manor House (sleeps 6): From R8 500 per night (depending on season)
Suites: From R2 000 per 2 people, per night (minimum 2 nights stay) (depending on season)
Exclusive use (sleeps 14): R12 800 per night (depending on season)
R16 960 per night (depending on season)
MAKE A RESERVATION

Camissa

Where Banhoek
Distance from CT 1 hour
The setting Rob and Sam Lundie have quite a track record. Having poured their passion for sustainable agricultural practices into regenerating one of the Cape’s foremost destination wine farms, the couple searched for a small-scale project to call their own. In 2017, they found a neglected tract with magnificent mountain views in the Banhoek valley and set about transforming what Sam describes as “60 hectares of aliens” into a productive farm. Replenished by their “flerd” (free-roaming, grass-reared cattle, sheep and chickens), Camissa’s soil now produces a sufficiency of vegetables, meat and eggs for the family, as well as olives, avocados and almonds, and an array of happy guests who keep the Lundie’s modern-rustic cabins as well as the Bed in the Shed (a loft apartment at the end of their farm barn) very busy indeed. All five options are off-grid and decorated with flair and all offer phenomenal views. Several top-drawer restaurants are minutes from your front door, but the four cabins are equipped for people who love to cook, with outdoor fire pits and wood-burning convection fireplaces to keep them cosy.

The lodgings 

• Camissa cabin (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms) sleeps 6
• 3 cottages at the dam (avocado, almond, rosemary) sleep 2 in an en-suite bedroom, with an additional sleeping area for children
• Bed in the Shed loft apartment (sleeps 2)
• open-plan lounge with a flatscreen tv (select dstv in camissa cabin only)
• fully equipped kitchen with dining area
• indoor fireplace in selected cottages
• patio with braai area and/or fire pit
• outdoor infrared sauna
• pool for forest bathing
• air conditioning in main bedroom of some cottages

Child friendly? Yes
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 2 per cottage
Cost From R3 675 per unit per night (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

Boschendal 1685

ClaireGunn

Where Franschhoek
Distance from CT 1 hour
The setting Step inside and experience an almost tangible connection to the past, a nostalgic evocation of what we imagine was a simpler era, when proportion mattered more than size, and luxury was an indoor toilet. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, the cottage is humble in proportion but in a perfect location, with the deep front verandah and back stoep offering dramatic views of the mountains that surround the farm. Used in the latter half of the century by families working for Anglo American (the company owned Boschendal from 1969 to 2003), the cottage is now the flagship accommodation option, small enough to enjoy as a couple, but big enough to sleep 10 in three bedrooms in the main house and two bedrooms in the newer garden annexe. With the renaming of the cottage (1685 refers to the year that appears on the farm’s first title deed) and another refurb in 2021, the cottage is immaculate, with rich colours and bold wallpaper to modernise the otherwise authentically dressed National Heritage Site. Attentive yet unobtrusive hosts (Maxwell or Anzel) will replenish your glasses while you take in the views.

The lodgings 

• complimentary chocolate-and-wine pairing
• private natural pool
• complimentary guided farm activities
• access to mountain trail bike and hiking trails
• heritage site
• regrettably no pets allowed
• complimentary Tree House slot per child

Child friendly? Yes
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 10
Cost From R22 620 per night (depending on season)
MAKE A RESERVATION

Kalmoesfontein

Where Malmesbury
Distance from CT 1 hour
The setting You don’t have to be a wine lover to relish overnighting on the farm of one of the Cape’s most acclaimed winemakers, but if you are, being surrounded by the terroir that Adi Badenhorst has alchemised into the delicious liquid in your mouth is definitely an added thrill. You’ll find a complimentary bottle of his chenin in each of the four Kalmoesfontein cottages, located in the heart of the Swartland. They’re a great representation of “modern South African farm cottage” vernacular: clean and uncluttered, with a predominantly white palette, polished screed floors, and simple antique pieces. Of the four, the dinky one-bedroom Silo is better suited for summer (there’s no fireplace), while the two-bedroom Winemaker’s Cottage is the prize pick, with a comfortable lounge centred on the raised open fireplace, and luxuries like underfloor heating, and a kitchen garden to forage from. Quality linens, well-equipped kitchens; additional cot or bed available on request. Thursday pizza nights are so popular, the family is now lighting their wood-burning pizza oven on the first Friday of every month. A delight for animal-loving kids, with cats, dogs, pigs, horses, bunnies, parrots, and free-range chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, peacocks, geese and ducks.

The lodgings 

• ​2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
• fireplace
• private farm pool
• fully equipped for self-catering
• indoor and outdoor braai facilities
• air-conditiong
• outside shower
• underfloor heating
• hot water bottles
• luxury linen and towels
• small safe
• games basket

Child friendly? Yes, on request
Pet friendly? No
Wifi? Yes
Sleeps 2 per cottage
Cost Winemakers Cottage: From R3 000 per night (depending on season)
The Stables: From R2 500 per night (depending on season)
The Silo: From R1 500 per night (depending on season)
Die Melkkamer: From R1 600 per night (depending on season)
CHECK AVAILABILITY + BOOK DIRECT

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