Art of Hospitality:

A pair of stunning hotels outside Cape Town

Up an unassuming narrow tar road in Franschhoek, against a spectacular mountain backdrop, sits the grand dame that is La Residence. With a rich ochre exterior, the property sits amidst a working farm of plum orchards, vineyards and olive groves.

Poised at the entrance is a bronze maiden by celebrated South African sculptor Dylan Lewis, as well as antique urns adorned with cherubs. The main hotel lounge is vast, with lavish décor including gilded tables, sumptuous upholstery and one incredible painting after the next. Big copper pots are filled with long-stemmed flowers, chandeliers sparkle in contrast to the raw beams and thatch above, and the striking emerald green and azure blue of the resident peacocks complements the external terracotta walls.

Another artwork catches the eye above a gigantic fireplace. Moonlight Sonata is an intriguing piece, featuring seemingly unrelated images on a predominantly blue canvas. Equally intriguing is the tale of the artist, Beezy Bailey. In 1991, he created a female alter ego for himself, “Joyce Ntobe”, and found that the artworks signed in her name were more readily received by galleries, while those in his own name were often rejected. It was only years later, when the curator of the South African National Gallery wanted to work on a paper about three black female artists, that the cat was finally out of the bag.

The hotel’s in-house book, Art at La Residence, is a leather-bound treasure trove of information, describing everything from the light-heartedly erotic pieces of Sara-J in the East Wing bathroom to the figurative artworks of Michael Austin. There are pieces by distinguished portrait painters from famed galleries the world over – Edinburgh, the Netherlands, the Royal Academy, even works by the official artist of Britain’s Imperial War Museum. Other imagery and themes revolve around the tone of South Africa’s first democratic elections, and reflect ordinary citizens going about their lives.

Take a leisurely stroll through the property’s vineyards and the tranquillity of La Residence’s agricultural setting becomes abundantly clear: resident herds of antelope grazing calmly, the flustered flight of wild fowl disturbed in the grass, a glimpse of francolin and guinea fowl, and the birdsong of starlings. The veggie garden is a pleasure, too, with its pomegranates, artichokes, passionfruit and herbs; the meals served in the hotel reflect the variety of home-grown produce on offer. In-house beverages are complimentary, by the way, and the “bubbles”, rosé and red wines are all made on the property.

In August, when the winter trees are bare and the vineyards pruned, you can see through the branches