Franschhoek Country Villas

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Sunbaked fountains

Franschhoek Country House & Villas: 24 Rooms, no private pools, 2 public pools, garden, 2 restaurants, 4 lounges

Kind of charmingly faded and somehow laid back, but some nice features. Number one it is very close to the village of Franschhoek (2 km or 2 minutes from South Africa’s best gourmet dining at Reubens and Le Quartier Francais for example), reached by free shuttle.

The rambling buildings have a sun-kissed country air that appeals, with plenty of warmth and individuality, and there are some very nicely renovated Villa Suites that reflect an old fashioned elegance with trendy cottagey touches.

Old fountains gush, a little stained by time, and the gardens are not tip top, just very quaint, and relaxed. There are four lounges spread out here and there, and terraces with mountain views.

“We are like a French country estate,” said one of the public relations staff. Indeed rustic.
I looked over a duplex garden cottage suite. The bedroom opened into a walled (shared) garden with running water and was quite pleasant, though the garden would not appeal to those with order and clipping mania. Upstairs was a small lounge that opened to a balcony.

Villa suite
The Villa suite was much nicer – very spacious and renovated with taste and warmth, harking back to olden days in a trendy way (painted and scratched). Woven “ye olde worlde” chair covers. The bedroom was huge and the lounge fine. Bathrooms all nice.

Two pools
The resort lies in a flat part of Franschhoek Valley where the mountains seem further off and the setting less dramatic, but still very appealing. You are only 1 km from the beginning of Franschhoek Village. They do not like the guests to walk on the main road and have a free shuttle.
There are two small swimming pools.
Points
• Quick shuttle to Franschhoek Village

• Pleasant laid back atmosphere, rustic and rambling

• Roomy attractive villa suites feel luxurious

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View from my Cape Classique suite

Mont Rochelle: 16 rooms and 6 suites, spa, Mange Tout restaurant, bar

A quiet boutique property that is partly new, rebuilt after a fire, with some authentically retro, quality hardwood furniture. It offers a peaceful, sleepy air and pleasant views down onto the Franschhoek valley, reached by the first turn to the right as you enter the Franschhoek village from Stellenbosch.

Its main attraction is probably the Mange Tout restaurant, which is excellent and rated among the top 10 in Franschhoek. Apart from very reasonable and delicious food, it is a round room affording an almost circular view. Very romantic to watch the night fall over the jagged blue Franschhoek mountains as you wait to start a 5 course degustation menu at 350 zar (excluding the paired wines). Down below on another wine estate we could see traditional Cape style architecture and a mauve jacaranda in full bloom looking as if it could lift and float.

Breakfasts are very South African in the best sense. Enough food for an entire day of jogging, cycling, surfing or mountain climbing. The buffet, silhouetted on tiered plates against the stunning view, includes the usual things like lots of yoghurt types, fresh baked loaves inviting eating, and blueberry muffins. But it’s the hot menu which bubbles over with imagination including rosti breakfast with potato pancake, egg and “stricky” bacon; beef sausage; South African omelette with biltong (traditional South African dried meat with salt and herbs); Franschhoek scrambled egg with trout, chives and farm bread; and poached egg Florentine. We are actually not so far from Florence here, in the sense of the Mediterranean climate and vineyards, but we are closer to France of course, as it is the Huguenots (French Protestants who fled Catholic persecution) that founded it and gave a rocket launch to the wine industry.

While there was good service at Mange Tout, Mt Rochelle was not very proactive in the hotel as a whole …. but the smiles of staff were sunny and genuine. I guess they feel if you wanted something you would ask – quite down to earth, and part of the charm.  Smalmy they were definitely not…

I thought the spa pretty and cute, but very small. As to the wine tasting room in the hotel, it was even smaller. But the winery is probably where you are meant to do the tasting.

Rooms

In conversation, my guide round Mont Rochelle rated his property somewhere between Delaire Graff and Franschhoek Country House & Villas. Mont Rochelle does have some ostentatiously large suites – like my Cap Classique (rack was 9900 zar at peak) – larger than the Villa Suites at FCH, but Mont Rochelle does not give that trendy tweak to the old fashioned look, as you get at FCH in the villa suites (next blog).

My Cap Classique suite was huge and opened out through both lounge and bedroom onto a grassy terrace overlooking a rural scene and mountains. In fact a tractor trundled by to emphasize the charmingly rural atmosphere. The lounge could have seated 8, comfortably. There were two sunbeds and a small plunge pool, a Jacuzzi bath, inside and two desks (or perhaps that extra one was a make-up table, if so the double vanities had place for one vainer person preparing to outdo the other at the degustation dinner).

The leadin room types are small in the old building: Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot rooms, some with balcony. I saw a neat Pinotage room in the new wing, small but atmospheric with thatched ceiling and beams, small balcony, small lounge.

Who to stay

People who want to be close to Franschhoek and all the gourmet delights and wine tasting, looking for a  peaceful boutique property with a  sense of place…

Why to stay

• Views
• Peaceful
• Boutique
• Mange Tout restaurant
• Massive suites
• A quick ride to the centre of Franschhoek village

Note

Rooms might be considered a bit dated if you don’t admire genuine quality retro. Service warm but not proactive. I am left with memories of a great restaurant, stunning views, a roomy suite, and a kind and gentle laissez faire….