Why to visit Vine Guesthouse in Bottelary Road, Stellenbosch

​By Roxanne Reid
Stellenbosch, with its oak-lined streets and heritage Cape Dutch buildings, is a popular getaway in South Africa’s Cape Winelands. From wine farms to restaurants, art galleries to museums, not to mention hiking and mountain biking, there’s lots to do in the area when you stay at Vine Guesthouse in Bottelary Road, Stellenbosch.

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I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of guesthouses where the reception is stiff or cool, the public spaces overstuffed with furniture that looks too precious to sit on. I’m also not a fan of places where the hosts are overly effusive and stick to your side until you feel they’ve hijacked your holiday.

So it was a joy to discover that Vine Guesthouse in Bottelary Road in the Stellenbosch countryside was neither of those things. This Winelands accommodation reopened under its new name in August 2018. The owner/management team consists of Ruan Swart, his mom Suzette and his partner Joy Lazenby. Ruan and Suzette are South Africans who have been living in Singapore since he was 12; now they’re back in the Cape. Joy is a Brit who met Ruan in Malaysia. 

Although there are 12 rooms, the buildings are low-key, almost like a home from home

​Together they make a great team, welcoming and warm, happy to answer your questions about what to do or where to eat in the area and to check on your wellbeing from time to time. They’re even happy to answer your questions about Singapore or Malaysia. But they’re also sensitive enough to let you be, to enjoy your stay in your own way and at your own pace. 

Suzette, Ruan and Joy make a welcoming team at Vine Guesthouse

​Ruan has more of a backroom job, ensuring that everything runs smoothly, quickly fixing anything that develops a hiccup. The ‘face’ of the guesthouse and the people to talk to about anything you need while you’re here are Suzette and Joy. Want help with a suggestion of which wine farm to visit? Just ask. Need help booking a tour? They’re there for you.

The large fountain and koi pond at the entrance

The experience
Drive in through the garden and park in the shade, enjoy the sound of the fountain near the entrance. Inside, you’ll find a reception lounge with soft grey couches and a glass-doored fireplace for cold winter days. 

​Next door is a breakfast room and sunny courtyard where you can enjoy a really good spread of fruit, yoghurt, cheeses and cold meats each morning, as well as a good omelette – or bacon and eggs and sausage, if that’s your thing. Top marks too for croissants that are crisp and flaky.

The sunny breakfast room, with a courtyard through the doors on the left

​There are 12 rooms to choose from at this B&B accommodation, each with a small tiled stoep and a garden view. There’s a two-bedroom family suite with its own pool for those travelling with kids or as two couples looking for a little extra privacy. 

The two-bedroom family suite has its own private pool

​At upmarket country guesthouses in Stellenbosch – or anywhere else – you expect things like a minibar, air conditioner, wifi, safe, and flat screen TV in the rooms, but the filter coffee maker was an unexpected delight. Our room had an attractive dark blue-grey wall, blond wood floors, big cupboards, a desk and upholstered chairs, as well as a huge bathroom. I poked my nose into a couple of the other rooms and was pleased to see there was no cookie-cutter décor; each had its own style and character.

Our room, with double glass doors to the stoep just off-picture to the right

Each garden-facing room has its own private stoep

​Take a walk along a stone path and you’ll find a tennis court where you can work up an appetite, and a pool to dive into to cool off in the Boland summer heat. If you just want to relax, choose one of the loungers around the pool or park yourself at a small table and chairs on your private stoep, where a grapevine provides some shade. 

Hot summer days are perfect for spending time in the pool

Stroll to the dam and enjoy the garden, all green and natural rather than overly manicured to deprive it of its country character. Keep a lookout for visiting birds and don’t miss the views of mountains in the distance.

If you feel like being extra indulgent, ask about the mobile spa. You can book an in-room massage, facial, hand or foot treatment with the travelling therapist.

Take a stroll around the garden or sit on a shady bench to read a book

Things to do in the area
Here you’re in the beautiful Cape Winelands, so visiting Stellenbosch wine farms for wine tasting is one of the most obvious things you’ll want to do. Hartenberg Wine Estate is right next door to Vine Guesthouse, so close you can take a walk there to enjoy the gardens and birds along the way. When we visited in spring the colourful pincushion proteas that line the access road were in full bloom. Hartenberg also does lunches and really nice picnics, and there’s a kid’s play area next to the picnic area to keep the young ones entertained while you relax.

Other wineries close to Vine Guesthouse include:

• Simonsig – famous for its Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines; it has a nice restaurant too
• Beyerskloof – best known for its pinotage; the onsite bistro even does a pinotage burger which you can enjoy with great views over the valley
• Bellevue – wine tasting (including an unusual wood-fired pizza and wine pairing) and horse riding on the farm
• Kunjani – a relatively new winery with a gorgeous tasting area and restaurant that has good views; Kunjani is Zulu for ‘Hi, how are you?’
• Kanu – restaurant and tasting area with a view deck, hiking and mountain biking trails; named after a mythical African bird of paradise

Kunjani, one of some 150 wine farms in Stellenbosch, is just around the corner from Vine Guesthouse

​If you want to explore a bit more widely in the Stellenbosch area, there are more than 150 wineries to choose from. Vine Guesthouse should be able to provide you with a map of the Stellenbosch wine farms, or you can get one from the Tourist Info Centre in Church Street in Stellenbosch. If you plan to hit quite a few in one day, talk to Suzette or Joy about organising a Vine Hopper (hop-on and hop-off service) that takes in five to six wineries on each of three different routes.

For lovers of something made not of grapes but of malted barley and hops, there’s a lesser known beer route in Stellenbosch that includes breweries like Stellenbosch Brewing Company and Zebonkey.

And don’t forget the many superb restaurants in Stellenbosch and surrounds, offering everything from fine dining to bistros and coffee shops. Try the Postcard Café (bistro whose ace up the sleeve is the fabulous garden and mountain views), Schoon (coffee shop and bakery) or the restaurant at Rust en Vrede (fine dining, deep pockets required).

There are many historic buildings to see on a walk down Dorp Street

The centre of Stellenbosch, around Church and Dorp streets, is hard to beat for heritage architecture. Again, pay a visit to the Tourist Info Centre in Church Street to pick up a map of the major attractions, from heritage buildings and art galleries to the Botanical Gardens and the museum complex in Ryneveld Street.

If your inclination is more active than cultural, do a walking or cycling tour around Stellenbosch. Suzette or Joy can book you a guided bike tour with the Adventure Shop. Go horse riding, play golf (Devonvale golf estate is just around the corner from Vine Guesthouse and you can book ahead to play as a visitor), or head for the hills on a hike or mountain bike ride in the lovely Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.

Get more information about the huge range of activities in my post, 20 things to do in Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands.

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