STELLENBOSCH
ITS WINE ROUTE OFFERS ABOUT 150 ESTATES TO VISIT – WHICH MAKES THIS OLD TOWN WITH A YOUTHFUL, STYLISH SPIRIT ONE TO VISIT OFTEN. HERE’S WHERE TO CHECK IN
Where to stay in and around the Winelands town
HOW TripAdvisor lists accommodation rated by guests, but as much as we love peer reviews, they don’t offer a comparative voice – so how do we know No. 1 is really the best? Pippa de Bruyn, who has reviewed accommodation for 18 years for the likes of Frommer’s and The Telegraph, scours TripAdvisor and other online sites when researching a destination. For Stellenbosch, she created a longlist of 21 to inspect. The following made the cut.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
• Best views and walks to wine farms (pg 40) • A modern self-catering bargain (pg 40) • A spot with a great garden and pool (pg 41) • A historic hotel that spoils you (pg 41) • A romantic cottage in the vineyards (pg 42) • Five-star apartments in town (pg 42) • A gorgeous, central guest house (pg 43)
WHAT I FOUND ABOUT ACCOMMODATION HERE
• No surprise. Stellenbosch is blessed with choices across all hospitality categories. Most start at around R750 pp, though I found a few good options for budget seekers (see Laanhof Studios, page 40, for self-catering and Stellenbosch Hotel, page 41, if you prefer hosted digs). • I love the vibrancy of Stellies’ historic heart, with its plethora of restaurants and bars, so I focused mostly on investigating options within, or a short strolling distance from, the centre. However, I also included too-good-to-miss options that overlook the vineyards and mountains. • The town addresses to look out for are Church Street, Dorp Street and Die Laan – the 18th-century track that linked the old Drostdy with the road to Jonkershoek. If you prefer farm stays, look at options located at the end of cul-de-sacs rather than off busy routes. Jonkershoek, Helshoogte and Devon Valley are particularly scenic areas. • There are plenty of one-bedroom or studio options and a few two- or three-bedroom apartments, but expansive villas catering to a large extended family, or friends wanting to gather for a special occasion, are limited.