Luxury Africa Travel’s Blog

In the heart of the winelands lies a new gem, recently opened and yet to be discovered by the international travellers. Opened in August 2011, deHuguenot Estate is located between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek offering unspoilt mountain, valley and farmland views.
The original property dates back to 1893 and also hosts the oldest building in Pniel, previously built in 1820. The owners, Tom and Marianne Gray, renovated and refurbished the estate for the past six years and whilst keeping its historic charm, they turned it into a modern, elegant estate which offers an exclusive venue for weddings and functions for up to 120 guests as well as boutique style accommodation of four stylish suites which can be booked exclusively.

Upon arrival, the generously spaced foyer leads us straight to the restaurant where a nicely decorated table with breath-taking views onto the Groot Drakenstein mountains awaits us. The atmosphere of the restaurant is casually elegant, the fireplaces add a cosy atmosphere. We are being welcomed by Kristy and Philipp who are responsible for the restaurant operation.
We had read about Chef Tanja Kruger on the estate’s website and knew that she was not only a talented chef but also the winner of the Chaine de Rotisseurs Young Chef of the Year 2008. Being a member of the South African Culinary Olympic Team, she moved from Hunter’s Country House in Plettenberg Bay, having worked at Lanzerac, the Radisson Hotel and Five Flies before.
The service is friendly and professional, the choice on the menu is eclectic and creative. With our expectations rising by reading the description of the menu, we order our mains whilst absorbing the beauty of the natural surroundings through the glass windows in front of us and the elegant décor around us.
And we were not disappointed. Appealingly decorated, our food arrives and we realise that we are in for a treat – not only visually but also tastefully. Silently we enjoy our food, absorbing this culinary experience with all our senses. As if this would not have been enough, the Valrhona dark chocolate fondant as dessert adds a new highlight to the entire meal.
The trendy Harry Q pub, named after the last owner of the property, is located in the foundation of the original building and offers tapas and light dishes in a casual atmosphere.

After lunch, Marianne shows us the accommodation side of deHuguenot Estate. Four elegantly appointed suites have been spaciously designed with open bathrooms and decorated with restored, antique furniture. Marianne reveals that this is one of her hobbies and there is no doubt that she is very talented in creating beautiful spaces. There are no rigid check-in or check-out times and from small details such as electric blankets to the obligatory well-stocked minibar, everything had been thought of to make the guest’s stay as convenient as possible. “We do not do time”, Marianne explained, “just looking after”.
Tom and Marianne told us about the history of the estate, they even shared some images of how it looked like before they started changing it. Our respect grows from picture to picture, realising how much work, time and passion went into the project.
The estate lends itself as perfect wedding venue, the gardens are well manicured and the property offers great photographic backgrounds.

Busy finalising a few projects on the estate, deHuguenot Estate is already taking bookings for the upcoming high season as well as for weddings. We are convinced that it will quickly establish itself as a well-known insider tip in the winelands.
For bookings and more information, please contact us.

June and July are perfect months to visit the Green Kalahari. To prove that point, South Africa’s largest private game reserve, Tswalu Kalahari has launched an exciting seven night package, which offers four nights at Tswalu and three complimentary nights in Cape Town at Kensington Place, during the winter months.

Managing Director of Tswalu, Russel Binks says that in June and July the days are warm and sunny, and the nights cold.  “This makes it ideal for lazy evenings around a log fire, sipping South Africa’s finest red wines,” says Binks.
“In winter, in addition to typical big game viewing, sightings of rarer, smaller mammals, such as aardvark, aardwolf and pangolin increase. These shy nocturnal animals emerge in daylight for respite from the cold nights and to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine.”

To assist travellers to take advantage of this magnificent bush experience, Tswalu offers guests full board luxury accommodation for four nights at Motse or Tarkuni, which together accommodate a maximum of 30 guests in over 100 000 hectares.
Says Binks: “This vast and magical malaria-free landscape takes conservation as its first priority, with Nicky Oppenheimer’s vision to ‘restore the Kalahari to itself’. We have over 80 game species (including the Desert Black Rhino, blackmaned Kalahari lions and cheetah), and with its unique landscape and unparalleled service delivery, Tswalu is the ultimate game retreat.  Our daily rate includes a private vehicle, a personal guide and tracker, all meals, beverages and selected wines as well as game drives, and walking and horseback safaris.  We’ll also throw in laundry and valet services.”

The package includes three nights in Cape Town at Kensington Place – known as one of the coolest boutique hotels in the world. Set amidst fruit trees, a herb garden and intimate pool deck, the flowing levels of this urban residence do justice to a sensational setting between mountain and city. Defined by sensuous textures, indulgent moments and impeccable service, it is small wonder that Tatler magazine calls this hotel “perfect”.

Guests can choose whether they want to stay at Tswalu before or after their stay in Cape Town. The package includes transfers to or from the Execujet Hanger in Cape Town to Kensington Place, and complimentary return flights to Tswalu.

The package is valid for June and July 2011 and includes one child over six sharing with parents. For reservations and enquiries email vip@luxuryafricatravel.com call +27 (0)21 556 9437.

Motse Bedroom at Tswalu Kalahari

Kensington Place Boutique Hotel

There are hotels that we all know: We have heard about them, read about them, maybe thought of them - and this before we have even been to them. For me, Kensington Place is one of these places, where you just know that they exist and that they are good. You seem to know them so well that you almost forget about going there. Until that very day…

At Luxury Africa Travel, we carefully select the hotels and resorts we offer to our clients and make sure that we can experience them ourselves. In our constant search for true luxury and unique experiences, we finally paid a visit to Kensington Place, a luxury boutique hotel situated on the slopes of Table Mountain in Higgovale, Cape Town.

Rather unspectacular is the drive up to Kensington Place. I am not sure what I expect but I know that my expectations are high since Kensington Place enjoys an excellent reputation.

We pull up and park our car welcomed by a security guard. Once the gate opens, we find ourselves in lush quiet gardens, an oasis in the middle of the city. I am amazed to find this in Cape Town, it reminded me a bit of AtholPlace and Fairlawns in Johannesburg although on a lot smaller scale.

We walk up to reception and a friendly smile welcomes us to Kensington Place. The smile belongs to Michael who has been with Kensington Place since 10 years which I learn later.

Kensington Place has a total of 8 rooms, of which one is a standard room and the other seven are superior rooms. The tour with Michael starts with the rooms on the ground level and already the first room becomes one of my favourite. It is room number 7 where the bath looks out onto a private pond. I can easily picture myself relaxing in that bath, with the green nature giving it a piece of zen.

“Room number 8 has its own private parking”, Michael explained whilst I hardly want to move on to the next room. The rooms are all in a contemporary style, with state-of-the-art  equipment such as an ipod docking station, flat screen TVs, complimentary internet access and each room has its own laptop. Whilst the standard room is a bit smaller and offers a queen size bed and bathroom with shower, the superior rooms all have king-size beds and both shower and bath.

When entering room number 1, I discover my second favourite: elegant as the others but this one has its own private fireplace. The choice is difficult yet if I had to choose, I would choose room number 7 in summer and room number 1 for a cosy stay in winter.

“What is it that makes Kensington Place so great?”, I ask Michael frankly and curiously. A big yet humble smile crosses his face. “We have a very passionate owner”, he explains, “and besides that, I think it is the great service.”
“The hotel opened in 1997 and we were the first boutique hotel”, Michael continues. I look around and am impressed with the state of the rooms and furniture. It all looks modern and fresh and clearly reflects a high standard of maintenance and regular renovations to keep it up to date.

The lounge bar invites for a sundowner, the fireplace in the dining room gives a cosy atmosphere. Both indoor and outdoor dining are possible, either light dining or formal dining. And for a day out, Kensington Place is happy to arrange picnics.

Our conclusion: We like the relaxed and intimate atmosphere at Kensington Place whilst being only minutes away from the city centre. Great value for money and friendly staff.

Take advantage of the special combo package, “With Compliments of the Cape” and combine Kensington Place in Cape Town with Tswalu Kalahari for travel dates between June and September 2011.

Located in the prestigious Sandton suburb of Morningside in Johannesburg, Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa might be the city’s best kept secret – you will certainly feel like hiding away from the world in this serene setup, certainly forgetting about being in South Africa’s largest city.

From the moment you get there – or in our case before you even reach the hotel - the friendly and professional staff will make sure that you are well looked after and that your requirements are met to your full satisfaction. After a twenty minute ride with the super modern Gautrain from O.R. Tambo Johannesburg Airport, we were met and greeted at the Gautrain station by Peet, the Guest Relations Manager who accompanied us for the 5-minute ride to the hotel.

Service at the Fairlawns starts already at the time of booking – it is personal, yet natural and always with a smile.
Nothing seems to be too much to arrange for its guests, a niche hotel that strives not only on a stunning location and personalised experience but also on a passionate approach to hospitality. With the influence of the owners Anna and John Thacker, each room has been individually named and designed with lots of flair and character. Whether it is the elegant African theme, the modern Miami styled suite or the funky-extrovert Asian style suite that catches your liking, each room boast state-of-the art equipment such as 42 inch flat screen TV, DVD player, free wireless internet connection throughout the hotel and a generous bathroom to die for! And for those wanting more space, privacy and luxury, the three-bedroom Presidential Suite over two stories will exceed all expectations.

Fairlawns recently completed the renovation of The Grande Chateaux suites, offering now 40 suites in total, spread over three buildings.

“We were all involved in the renovation process”, explains Michael Kewley, the General Manager of Fairlawns. Passionate about the hotel and with in-depth knowledge of the property and each single suite, Michael joined only 15 months ago, after having been the General Manager at the Saxon Hotel, and previously the Beverly Hills Hotel and Hilton Hotel in Durban, where he originates from.

With the new décor and facilities Fairlawns also implemented environmentally friendly practices. Wherever possible, the additional part of the hotel was built with green material. The waste systems, power consumption and water systems all correspond to the latest green standards, making the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel a leading South African company in global consciousness.

One of our favourite places at the hotel is – without any doubt – the spa. The Fairlawns Spa seeks to recreate the principles of holistic healing in a pampering environment. Incorporating nature, the Balinese Garden, with its hydrotherapy treatments, relaxation and dining pavilions and outdoor massage areas is another world on its own and a not-to-be-missed experience. The incredible feeling of peace and tranquillity which one enjoys after even a few minutes listening to the sound of running water and bird twitter in the bamboo groves has to be experienced in order to be truly appreciated.

The fully self-contained Balinese Spa Villa is designed for couples to enjoy in total privacy, a wonderful honeymoon or to celebrate a special anniversary.
The Romantic Sunset Retreat is the Signature Package which promises pure indulgence, relaxation and private time together in the exclusive and secluded Spa Bali Garden. The welcome drink is followed by a relaxing soak for two in the soft glow of candlelight, proceeded by a side-by-side pressure point foot massage and a candle wax massage. Following the spa treatments, a 3 course fine dining dinner in the Spa Villa with a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine rounds off a truly romantic experience.

After having experiences Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa first hand, we are not surprised that this hotel has received many accolades including a nomination for Best Boutique Hotel in Africa – it has certainly become one of our favourites.

Fairlawns Boutique Hotel - view from garden