4 Great Hotels in Stellenbosch

Check out four great hotels in Stellenbosch South Africa that would provide a perfect base for your South Africa wine country getaway.

The good news is that Stellenbosch has a lot of hotel options ranging from cozy guesthouses to five-star luxury hotels. Some of the best Stellenbosch accommodation options are on wine estates, while others are in the city center. With so many options, the decision isn’t if you should stay overnight in Stellenbosch but rather where to stay in Stellenbosch.

4 Great Hotels in Stellenbosch

We stayed at four great Stellenbosch hotels during our trip to South Africa’s premier wine region. Three of the hotels were situated on Stellenbosch wine farms and one was right in the heart of the city.

We loved each of our stays for different reasons. Read on to see which accommodation in Stellenbosch is best for you.

1. Life and Leisure

Located in downtown Stellenbosch, Life and Leisure is ideal for people who want the best of both worlds – easy access to urban activities and some of the best Stellenbosch restaurants as well as a luxuriously comfortable space to escape from it all. Guests can literally park their cars at the hotel and walk to shops, restaurants, cafes and art galleries.

Sometimes, though, the best option is to simply chill by the pool or fireplace at the Life and Leisure Guesthouse with a good book and a glass of Pinotage.

Life and Leisure has seven hotel rooms plus a range of self-catering apartments. During our visit, we stayed in a beautifully decorated apartment loaded with features like satellite television, kitchen facilities and a washing machine. Most importantly, at least to us, the bed was so comfortable that we didn’t want to get out of it in the morning.

We didn’t go hungry at Life and Leisure where breakfast options run the range from cold food like fruit and cheese to hot food like omelets. For us, though, the food highlights were homemade desserts like raspberry chocolate cake and honey-drenched koeksisters that we ate at night after long days of wine tasting.

2. The Country Guest House

With 13 spacious rooms plus a pool, restaurant and views of Table Mountain, The Country Guest House provides a true getaway experience. Equally important, the hotel is close to several Stellenbosch wineries including Ken Forrester Vineyards, one of our favorite spots for wine tastings on the Stellenbosch Wine Route.

Though our room was comfortable and well-appointed, we didn’t spend much time inside it except to sleep. Instead, we relaxed on our expansive private patio where we enjoyed the incredible sunset pictured at the top of the article.

We ate our breakfast outside since the hotel features an elegant, rustic outdoor dining option near its secluded pool. We felt a million miles from civilization but yet we were right in the heart of the Cape Winelands.

3. Devon Valley Hotel

The views of vineyards, olive groves and mountains would be reason enough to stay at Devon Valley Hotel, but this hotel offers so much more. Originally built in 1947 and recently renovated with all of the modern necessities like flat-screen televisions and high-speed wi-fi, the hotel is located off the beaten path on the SylvanVale Wine Estate.

Don’t let the bucolic location scare you off, as the Devon Valley Hotel is only six kilometers from downtown Stellenbosch and practically next door to one of our favorite Stellenbosch wineries – Meinert Wines.

During our stay, we loved relaxing in our spacious room with its freestanding clawfoot bathtub, plush bed and stunning view. We also loved walking to the hotel’s restaurant for gourmet cuisine and hearty breakfast fare. The short walk allowed us to breathe in the fresh air while not worrying about directions or drinking too much wine.

4. L’Avenir Country Lodge

Don’t be fooled by its name. L’Avenir Country Lodge is less of a lodge and more of a boutique hotel with just seven rooms. We realized this as soon as walked into L’Avenir and experienced the intimate hotel’s high level of customer service. Our spacious room confirmed our suspicions with its simple yet elegant decor, high-end bath products and private plunge pool.

The room would be enough to make us happy, but a stay at L’Avenir is so much more. Hotel facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, a braai entertainment area, a boules (similar to bocce) court, full breakfast facilities and complimentary wine tastings.

Considering that L’Avenir is one of the most respected Stellenbosch wine estates, the wine tastings are not to be missed. While sitting outside on the lush L’Avenir grounds, we tasted a selection of wines including some of the area’s best Chenin Blanc and Pinotage along with a wagyu biltong pairing. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

Original Publication Date: July 27, 2017