18 Best Hotels in The Western Cape and Winelands, South Africa

Set on a 500-acre working farm that is among the oldest on the Cape, Babylonstoren is a bucolic lodging with a dozen lovingly renovated thatched-roof cottages gazing up at the dramatic Drakenstein Mountains. They overlook lush fruit and vegetable gardens containing more than 300 types of produce. The Farmhouse has nine suites centered around a courtyard with a glimmering swimming pool, sauna, and salt room. Other than the bright and delightful rooms, there's a multitude of perks to staying here: guests can join in activities like bread baking and wine tasting. This gorgeous oasis will both delight and restore. Note that there's a minimum two-night stay.

A 30-minute drive from Hermanus, this luxury lodging sits on 2,500 acres overlooking Walker Bay. Privacy is paramount in the soothing suites, which have fireplaces, sunken bathtubs, and private sundecks opening onto mountains as far as the eye can see. Rates include breakfast, three-course lunch, and a six-course dinner, plus activities such as horseback riding and trips to a nearby coastal cave. Children will delight in the playground, petting zoo, and treasure hunts at the reserve.

With eight individually designed suites hidden on a leafy street in Franschhoek, this peaceful and modern 19th-century Cape Dutch house is one of the area's best-kept secrets. From the outside, the building looks like a simple white house with green shutters, but inside lies a peaceful, modern-meets-French-Provençal oasis. The quaint courtyard has a pool (three of the suites have their own private pools) and a long dining table shaded by a tent of vines. The rooms are beautifully decorated with distinctive items that are both new and vintage. The hotel does an excellent job at making you feel at home with added treats like pre- and post-dinner drinks and live entertainment (a resident pianist plays in the evenings during high season).

This Victorian guesthouse offers luxurious accommodations and excellent food in the middle of 17,000 acres of rare renosterveld scrubland, home to the endangered geometric tortoise. There's also plenty of springbok, rhebok, bontebok, wildebeest and other creatures around the mountains, streams, and plains. Watch sheep shearing in action, or you can hike, bike, swim, or paddle. Rooms have thick comforters and crisp linens. Ask for one that opens onto the veranda, especially in summer. Rates are full-board, and include brunch, afternoon tea, sundowner drinks, dinner, and two daily activities. There are also two self-catering houses that are ideal for families or groups. 

If whale-watching is on your agenda, you’re unlikely to come across a better spot than this boutique hotel. It has a magnificent location overlooking Walker Bay, where southern right and humpback whales breach just beyond the perpetual line of surfers. On the spacious stone patio, you can lounge on one of the wicker chaises while gazing at the view. The rooms are classic and spacious, peppered with colorful furnishings. The on-site restaurant is open to non-guests as long as you book ahead, meaning you can enjoy this outrageously beautiful view even if you don't stay over.

The stark beauty of the mountains, the incredible rock formations, and the tumbling waterfalls of this nature reserve were probably as attractive to the San of long ago as they are to visitors today. More than 130 San rock-art locations can be seen on a tour with a trained guide, and you can also go hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and canoeing. Only game endemic to the area has been reintroduced, including wildebeest, zebra, eland, and the endangered bontebok. The food is exceptional, including the legendary springbok loin. The attention to detail in rooms is astonishing: an artist's sketchbook and paints in your room and an African tale for a good-night story at your bedside. Rates include activities and all meals.

The gorgeously landscaped grounds at this dramatically located hotel—featuring a mix of indigenous and exotic species that create an opulent yet grounded feel—are scattered with enormous "lodges," each with their own butler's kitchen and private heated pool. Then there's the estate's excellent spa, cinema, and truly inspiring art collection, which includes some of South Africa's biggest names. (Vladimir Tretchikoff's iconic painting Chinese Girl greets you in the foyer.) And if that's not enough, you can enjoy Delaire's impeccable wines (sampled from an appropriately majestic tasting room), and the estate's two restaurants—its eponymous flagship and the newer Hoseki, both seriously impressive.

In a gorgeous Cape Dutch manor house that dates from the mid-18th century, the hotel sits amid acres of vines beneath Paarl Rock, overlooking the Drakenstein Mountains. Suites are either in the nicely renovated stables and other historic structures or in attractive newer buildings constructed in traditional Cape Dutch style. Rooms are a tasteful mix of modern and antique: reed ceilings and thatch comfortably coexist with heated towel racks and other creature comforts. As you might expect, there is also an excellent restaurant on the premises.

Part of the Leeu Collection—which seems to own half the town these days—this classy guesthouse exuding privacy and peace is a Winelands favorite. Rooms in two-story whitewashed cottages face a pool deck and central garden exploding with flowers. Upstairs rooms have timber beams and mountain views, and suites have private pools. Be sure to book a table in advance at either Protégé or Épice, the latest restaurants from the team at the multi-award-winning La Colombe in Cape Town. 

One of the southern hemisphere's most spectacular seaside properties, The Marine has an incomparable clifftop setting. Perched on the cliffs overlooking Walker Bay, the sumptuously decorated rooms provide whale-watchers with grandstand views over the ocean. All rooms keep you toasty with underfloor heating, and some have private balconies. The two restaurants tempt you with sophisticated menus. The Marine is surprisingly child-friendly.

At this lovely lodging, the contemporary rooms are classically decorated in muted shades of cream, beige, and gray and have balconies overlooking the vineyards or hotel courtyard. It might not have the most breathtaking setting that the Winelands has to offer, but what it lacks in location it more than makes up for in luxurious touches and attention to detail. There are two restaurants and a deli to choose from, and the estate also produces excellent wines, so you don't have to travel if you don't feel like it. 

Located in the Swartruggens area of the Cederberg, Kagga Kamma offers well-appointed suites carved out of an unworldly red-sandstone outcrop—whoever thought sleeping in a rock cave could be luxurious? If caves aren’t your thing, there are also Hut suites that are designed to resemble Khoi and San dwellings. Rock-art tours, nature drives, and mountain biking await nearby.

The sheer beauty of the setting has not changed since this wine estate was founded in 1692. Its classic Cape Dutch manor house is flanked by the rolling vineyards and mountains of the Jonkershoek Valley. You can eat casual alfresco meals on the terrace (weather permitting), grab some upmarket pub food in the utterly charming Taphuis, or opt for fine dining at the Manor Kitchen, where chef Stephen Fraser pulls out all the stops. The menu changes regularly, but always features some South African touches like game meat, local oysters, or cheese from the Winelands region.

The stunning flagship property of the Leeu Collection (which also includes Leeu House), this luxurious and sprawling retreat has wonderful views of the mountains and vineyards. The rooms are generous in size, kitted out with natural fabrics and textures and oversized marble-clad bathrooms. There are a million reasons that would warrant a long-term stay, including the on-site spa (with a wide range of treatments) and the tasting room that stocks the award-wining Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines.

Although this contemporary guesthouse is located on the main street in the middle of town, it's so tranquil, you'd think it was in the countryside. Inside, there's a pretty courtyard with a garden and gleaming pool with lounge chairs and a pool bar. Some rooms have clawfoot tubs, others have terraces with small tables and chairs, but they all share a similar classic-contemporary aesthetic. The main house has a front room with comfy seating, an honesty bar, and a roaring fireplace. Leeu House is an excellent choice if you want to be close to the hustle and bustle of Franschhoek, without losing the feel of a wine farm retreat.

With sweeping views over the valley and mountain range, you might choose to stay put at Mont Rochelle for a few days rather than explore all Franschhoek has to offer. The hotel feels a bit like a family manor house, and you might be tempted to come to breakfast wearing the hotel's comfy slippers. The staff are friendly and more than attentive. Just squeak and they'll do their best to meet any request. The rooms are plush—there's lots of dark wood, crisp white linen, classic wing chairs, and huge paintings to lend a luxurious feel. Two of the suites—which are enormous—have private plunge pools—a real luxury in summer when the temperatures soar. Children are welcome, but there aren't any dedicated children's programs or family rooms.

You know you're in good company at the understated and elegant Owner's Cottage on Grande Provence Wine Estate when the visitors' book includes Jude Law and British royals Sophie and Prince Edward. The cottage's six rooms are decorated in muted tones more fitting to a farmhouse than an upmarket residence. The lounge has inviting couches next to a fireplace, underfloor heating, and complimentary sherry. For summer there's a fantastic pool and whirlpool tub. Breakfast is served in a pretty conservatory and includes delicious freshly baked goods and a full cooked breakfast. If the Owner's Cottage isn't available, ask about La Provençale Villa, which is smaller but no less comfortable.

Resembling a Mediterranean village—albeit a very luxurious one—this lodging is made up of a collection of two-story buildings with their own swimming pools. Uncluttered and modern, rooms and suites are elegantly appointed with simple furnishings, gas fireplaces, and stylish detail evident in the cotton throws and wide choice of pillows. The surrounding orchards and shade trees make the complex and walkways both verdant and private. There's a kids' clubhouse offering a variety of activities including nature walks, treasure hunts, and visits to the on-site raptor rehabilitation center, so you can enjoy your wine tasting in peace.