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Franschhoek Country House
Franschhoek, Cape Winelands
- Lazy country elegance with dramatic mountain views
- Enormous suites open onto a lush garden
- Award-winning restaurant and sensational cellar
That country feeling is always on hand at Franschhoek Country House, be it the delightful gingham armchair, the elaborate gilt-edged mirror or the spectacular mountain-vineyard view.
Escaping twee by a nose hair, Franschhoek Country House makes a meal of being gentrified and elegant in the gentrified and elegant Franschhoek Valley. The decor is a complex tapestry of fine old furniture and ghastly wrought iron toe-stubbers.
The rooms and brand new villa suites have been built around a central garden - itself landscaped and water-featured to the hilt - and have been given a liberal dose of the country air. Amply appointed, spacious and comfortable, the rooms make good use of the garden and the mountain views.
The restaurant, Monneaux, takes a slice of Provence and smothers it with a rich sauce Afrique de Sud and the result is one of the country’s most celebrated restaurants.
Lunches are light and airy with smoked duck breast and watermelon and feta competing with Moroccan lamb and cous cous salad.
Dinners are as elaborate as the picture frames and standard offerings are dressed up for the annual ball. Confit of quail spring rolls with a pesto emulsion and fried carrot julienne, anyone? Perhaps you’d like to follow that with prime rib of veal with a garlic and Egyptian-spiced soft crust, served with roasted root vegetables and a cumin enhanced jus. And to drink? Well, you’re in prime wine country and the raison d’etre of the very fine Franschhoek Country House.
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Type: Boutique Hotel
Rates from: R700pp sharing
Status: Loads of Fairy Dust
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Franschhoek Country House is about a mile from the village and surrounded by wine farms. |
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Self-styled gastro capital of South Africa, the gentle Franschhoek Valley has nurtured a distinct French heritage and an oil baron’s price tag. |
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