South Africa : The Winelands
Within easy driving distance of Cape Town are the famous wine growing areas of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek where visitors can sample some of the fine wines of the area. Many of the estates have beautiful historic houses and all have picturesque surroundings. There are many smaller vineyards, towns and villages off the beaten track to discover and savour.
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Constantia Uitsig
The well-known Constantia Uitsig Country Hotel offers gracious seclusion to the discerning traveller and only a stones throw from Cape Town. With only sixteen individually appointed garden rooms, guests are assured of personal attention and Cape hospitality in a rural setting. Constantia Uitsig, which means Constantia View is aptly named for its unique position, which offers wide vistas of the Table Mountain range, sea and vineyards. Enjoy peace and tranquillity on a working wine farm a mere twenty minutes from the city centre. There are many activities on offer within the area including some fabulous walks, swimming and adventure activities, which can be arranged at the hotel. There are two excellent restaurants, Constantia Uitsig and La Colombe, popular with the local public and rated amongst South Africa's Top Five, serving both Italian and French Provençale cuisine with a distinct Cape flavour in a relaxed atmosphere overlooking the swimming pool and gardens. Constantia Uitsig offers a selection of Cape wines from close to seventy different estates as well as vintage and rare wines.
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Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek
Found in the heart of the French Huguenot town of Franschhoek, Le Quartier Francais offers warm hospitality and excellent cuisine. The 15 luxury en suite bedrooms and two private suites are built around a garden courtyard and swimming pool. Situated in the heart of this village, you can explore on foot the numerous wine estates, restaurants, antique shops and historical sites. B&B, with lunch and dinner available in the 2 restaurants.
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L'Auberge Chanteclair, Franschhoek guest house
Set in one of the picturesque valleys of the Winelands, L'Auberge Chanteclair is set amid vineyards and is walking distance into the village of Franschhoek. Owner run, this guesthouse offers a warm ambience and quiet elegance from which to explore the Winelands. B&B with pool.
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Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse, Tulbagh/Riebeeck Kasteel
This is an historic wheat and sheep farm and is today combined with thousands of hectares of private nature reserve. Only 75 minutes from Cape Town this stylish Victorian farmhouse offers a country 'home from home' with memorable cooking. View herds of eland, gemsbok, blue and black wildebeest, red hartebeest and many other antelope, explore the unique fynbos of the reserve, relax by the pool, try your hand at mountain biking or use this special place to explore the neighbouring, less known, Winelands.
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Roggeland Country House Hotel
Roggeland Country House is an exclusive hotel, accommodating only 19 people in spacious Cape-style bedrooms with sizeable en-suite bathrooms. Guests are treated to wine and cuisine carefully selected for each day, reflecting the produce of the region. Handmade linen, down duvets and the gentle whirr of ceiling fans all conspire to bring about a deep and restful sleep rising to the aroma of fresh filter coffee. You can also spend your time exploring various wine routes, playing golf, viewing a flock of 1000 flamingos at the bird sanctuary, horse riding, sightseeing via steam train or picnicking on a scenic trail. On arrival at Roggeland prepare yourself for a serious dose of pampering.
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Bushmans Kloof - Northern Cape
A 3 hour drive north of Cape Town takes you through some of South Africa's most beautiful yet least explored countryside up to the Cederburg Mountains and here lies a unique ecological oasis - Bushmans Kloof. The area is characterised by immense open plains, ravines, waterfalls and prehistoric rock formations. The 7,500 hectare reserve is a priceless sanctuary nurturing wildlife. The botanical diversity of the region and the history and culture of the San Bushmen who thrived in this area some 6,000 years ago, whose art is featured in some 125 remarkable rock painting sites. The reserve has also reintroduced many species of wildlife to the area such as the rare Cape mountain zebra, eland and black wildebeest. The lodge itself is set in rolling hills and has 14 rooms each with en suite bathrooms and private terraces. Delicious meals are served and in the evenings guests can enjoy dinner under the stars or a barbecue around the pool. There are plenty of activities to keep even the most adventurous happy from mountain biking to abseiling, mountain climbing, fly fishing, bush and river walks and swimming in crystal clear rock pools and in waterfalls. The reserve borders with the famous Biedouw Valley, which is renowned for its wild flowers in the spring.
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River Manor Country Inn and Spa
For a funky town stay in a hotel with a comfortable country feel, River Manor is ideal. The stylish 18-bedroom hotel is set in two historical houses with National Monument status, and is just a two minute stroll from Stellenbosch's museums, street cafes, restaurants and galleries. There are two swimming pools as well as an exclusive Health and Beauty Spa set within the gardens.
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Lanzerac Manor and Winery
Lanzerac Manor and Winery is a 5 star hotel set on a private working wine estate on the outskirts of the university town of Stellenbosch, in the heart of the famous South African winelands. All the bedrooms, dining and facilities are set in the estate's 300 year old Manor House, out-buildings and its award-winning landscaped gardens. There are 48 bedrooms decorated in traditional country style, each with a private patio overlooking the vineyards or sculpted gardens. Some of the suites have their own private pool. From the hotel you can visit the many vineyards, and it is very close to numerous golf courses and within easy reach of the beaches of the Strand, Gordon's Bay and Cape Town.
