The Elgin Valley, a mere hours drive from Cape Town, is the ideal destination for a relaxing weekend getaway. If you have visited the area before you may be familiar with South Hill Vineyards; if not you are missing out! As well as producing fantastic, cool-climate wines, South Hill Wine Farm offers luxury guest accommodation.
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Top Reasons To Visit Swellendam
If you have been following me on Instagram, you will know about my recent trip to Swellendam. I also wrote about my remarkable discovery of a wonderful hidden gem, Stonehill River Lodge. Today I am expanding on the area a bit more and sharing my Top Reasons To Visit Swellendam. [Read more…]
Arabella Country Estate
During the last school break we decided to take a road trip up the coast towards Knysna, it has been quite a while since we ventured through the Overberg. We love the area so much and it has lots to offer the avid traveler! Beautiful beaches, breath taking mountain ranges, amazing accommodation and restaurants – not to forget the awesome wine estates!
One of our first stops on our road trip was Hermanus and we were fortunate to be invited to overnight at the stunning Arabella Country Estate. For those of you who have never been, the Arabella Country Estate, is one of Cape Town’s most luxurious golf estates. It boasts panoramic views of the Palmiet Mountain Range, and the tranquil Bot River Lagoon. It really is a piece of paradise!
A bit about the Estate:
The estate is approximately an hours drive from Cape Town and 28 km from Hermanus and 7 km from Kleinmond. It is the perfect retreat if you want to get out of the city buzz but don’t want to drive too far!
The golf estate property spans a total area of 113 hectares and has a 1.6 kilometre front, leading out onto the most breath taking lagoon. The property is located within the Transitional zone of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve and the adjacent Bot River Lagoon, which is a designated Buffer zone of the Biosphere Reserve.
Arabella Country Estate is comprised of 236 freehold lifestyle estate properties, which have been developed to conform with prescribed architectural guidelines. It would really be an amazing place to live, I absolutely adore the beautiful surroundings and love the thought of secure estate living! There is also a Curro Private School in Hermanus, so if you were thinking of relocating {me dreaming} it would be perfect!
The estate is all about tranquility and community living, if you love the outdoors then it is the perfect place for you. As well as an 18-hole golf course, the area boasts mountain bike tracks, hikes and not to forget the amazing wine farms.
Our Stay:
As well as having residential accommodation Arabella Estate boasts a 5 Star Hotel and Spa. The Arabella Hotel & Spa, forms part of the African Pride Hotels brand, a Superior-Deluxe range of hotels, lodges and country houses.
Our accommodation for the night was a gorgeous Suite, with pananoramic mountains and lagoon views plus a bathroom to die for! The highlight for my youngest daughter was a TV above the bath!
Although the weather was a bit miserable when we arrived, we would not let it deter our enjoyment. It did unfortunately mean, that we could not make use of the amazing pool area in the Estate, the water was just a tad too cold! 😉
After lunch my hubby and I enjoyed a tour of the Estate, while the girls enjoyed the luxury of our suite and a snacked on a few decadent nibbles delivered by the staff.
Next on the agenda, for me, was a much need Hot Stone Massage at the hotels spa – HEAVEN!!!
While I enjoyed my pampering my hubby and the girls played a round of mini golf, which they all thoroughly enjoyed.
After a wonderfully relaxing bath it was off to dinner. We decided to eat at the Jamani Restaurant in the hotel, which was a lovely end to a great day!
I would like to thank both Arabella Country Estate and the Arabella Hotel & Spa for great attention to detail and making our stay with them extremely comfortable.
If you would like to find out more about the estate please visit the Arabella Country Estate Website or if you would like to book hotel accommodation you can visit the African Pride Website.
Disclosure Ranking: 4
My Top Cape Holiday Destinations
- The West Coast – My favourite spot up the West Coast, Jacobsbaai, is probably a bit of a biased choice, as it is where our family holiday house is but the West Coast is such a magical, unspoiled piece of Coast line you cannot help but love it! Spending just a few days there is wonderfully relaxing and good for the soul! Jacobsbaai is approximately an hour outside of Cape Town, in the direction of Vredenberg. As I mentioned we have a beautiful family holiday home there, decorated in distinctly beach style decor, which allows the space to be both tranquil and luxurious! It truly is a beach-lovers paradise and wonderful for family holidays. It is also the place you will witness the most stunning sunsets! Other popular holiday spots up the West Coast are Langebaan and Paternoster.
- Franschhoek – Is one of my favourite holiday destinations in the Western Cape. It is approximately an hour’s drive, travelling on the N1, from Cape Town. “Franschhoek” meaning ‘French corner’, is a beautiful town steeped in history and renowned for good food and wine. It is wonderfully romantic and the perfect spot for a weekend away to reconnect with a loved one but equally good for a family holiday. Accommodation in the area is plentiful, with many quaint guest houses, self-catering cottages as well as luxurious boutique hotels; offering travelers many options when visiting the area. One of the most enjoyable places we have stayed at, was Rose Cottage, on the most picturesque Burgundy Bourgogne Estate. The cottage is four-star, self-catering luxury; it has an open plan kitchen, lounge dining room and an exquisite master suite.
- Hermanus – Is a beautiful sea-side town, in the Overberg, which forms part of what is more commonly known as the “Whale Coast”. We love visiting the area and if you are lucky you may even get to see a few whales while you are there. If you are planning a trip to Hermanus, the end of September is a good time to go. You can enjoy the renowned annual Whale Festival, which is a great deal of fun! It can get very busy during this time of year, so pre-booking accommodation is essential. There are many great restaurants to choose from – most of them, with a view of the sea.
- Knysna – The Majestic Garden Route is definitely a very popular holiday destination in South Africa, especially for families. Knysna is one of our favourite Garden Route spots and is approximately six hours by road. Although a long trip, the Garden Route is wonderfully scenic and there are lots of things to see along the way. We enjoy staying on Leisure Isle when we are holidaying there and if you are fortunate enough, you can rent a home directly on the Knysna Lagoon. It offers the peaceful tranquility of island style living, with the most amazing views and the town is a mere 10 minutes away by car. The area is great for families – children can happily bike ride around the island or potter on the Lagoon when the tide is out. Another popular location in Knysna is Thesen Island, a Martha’s Vineyard style development and a very popular choice for holiday rental. We have stayed there in the past but I still prefer the peace and tranquility that Leisure Isle offers. The marina on Thesen Island sports many wonderful shops and restaurants and a boutique Hotel, catering to a holiday makers every need.
You can read more posts in my Top 4 Series by clicking here…
Bot River
A few weeks ago we spent a long weekend in the small town of Bot River in the Overberg, which is just outside Hermanus. The town is nestled at the bottom of the Houw Hoek Mountains. The Bot River, where the town gets is name, meanders its way through a fertile valley surrounded by mountains covered in fynbos, historical wine farms and fields of wheat. The landscape it very pretty and a tapestry of colour to behold.
Hermanus is a mere 10 minute drive from Barton Vineyards where we were staying, so you are not too far away from civilisation if you need to pop out to the shops. If you are keen on a bit of wine tasting the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is a must.
The farm we stayed on was very private and perfect for an escape from the city and long walks in the vineyards. We even had the pleasure of a rather curious Peacock walking on our front lawn! {photo’s of the Peacock courtesy of my youngest – Jessica}
Images: ©FAR Photography