MONT ROCHELLE FRANSCHOEK

Set over 39 hectares of vineyards and hills,

Mont Rochelle

is a luxury boutique hotel in the Franschoek area. The property has a combination of 30 rooms and suites, which are named after the estate’s four varietals, and all rooms are designed with an understated elegance and an exacting attention to detail.

To put things in perspective, the hotel was purchased by Sir Richard Branson in 2014 and after an extensive refurbishment it now joins the exclusive Virgin Limited Edition collection, which includes Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, The Roof Gardens in London and Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa. So for many of us it is going to be a case of armchair travel only.

The property has two restaurants, one being Country Kitchen which joins up to their wine cellar – an ideal place for a light lunch in the sunshine. Their main restaurant, Miko, serves locally sourced ingredients and dishes with a nod to the varied nature of South Africa cuisine, naturally paired with local vintages.

Wine sets the tone at Mont Rochelle and the spectacular views are some of the best in the winelands. Also, how divine is this pool?