Read 1 traveller review of Cellars-Hohenort

Close to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, in the heart of the beautiful Constantia Valley, The Cellars-Hohenort is a delightful Relais & Châteaux property. It is set in nine acres of stunning gardens and vineyards – for which it is well known, and these are open to the public for two days in September when in full bloom.

The name Cellars Hohenort is derived from the original buildings here – the Cellars of the 18th century Klaasenbosch wine estate and the Hohenort manor house - both of which have been beautifully restored.

There is an air of elegance here, created by the combination of the old buildings and antiques mixed with modern chic, but there is also a very personal, friendly feel due to the hands on staff.

When we visited in August 2008, Cellars Hohenort had 53 luxurious rooms and suites. All rooms have high ceilings, making them bright and airy, TV and DVD player, air conditioner/heater, under-floor heating, hairdryers, toiletries and an electronic safe. They also have lovely views either of the herb garden, the rose gardens or across the vineyards.

Each room is individually designed and furnished and has a traditional, yet contemporary feel often with a floral theme. Depending on whether they are located in the Hohenort Manor House or the Cellars Main House some rooms have a more modern in design while others are more Edwardian in style, and many are a mix of both!

There are a number of different room types, including:

- Standard double rooms are comfortable and well furnished and have a couple of comfy chairs to relax in.

- The luxury doubles are larger and have a lounge within the bedroom. Some of these have a small terrace whilst others have a lovely large verandah.

- The suites all have a private lounge area with mini bar.

- The premier suites (four of which are duplex) either have a small garden area or balcony and a lounge/dining room.

- The Dove-Cote suite is relatively new, and has a large bedroom with a king sized four-poster bed, a sitting room with a fireplace, a dining room, a private heated spa pool and a private garden area – perfect for a honeymoon treat.

- The Madiba Villa is a Cape-Dutch-style house, ideal for a group traveling together, and has its own private courtyard with small pool, dining room, kitchen and 24 hour butler service,

The Cellars Hohenort has a number of comfy lounges with 'The Martini' probably being the most popular. This has been newly furnished with smart modern colours and design and is the place to enjoy afternoon tea and, in the evening, to sample one of the 152 martinis that we found on the drinks menu here!

It has two excellent restaurants, The Cape Malay Restaurant, and the other serving more modern creations in the very chic surroundings of The Greenhouse. Both have excellent food and service. For an intimate evening meal why not consider dining in the one tabled wine cellar.

There is also lovely terrace in front of The Greenhouse where you can eat lunch or just relaxing having a drink and taking in the views of the gardens.

The Cellars Hohenort has two swimming pools (one heated, with plans for the other to be so too), the Paris Spa, a small gym, a boutique, a hair salon and a putting green and a tennis court.

To conclude The Cellars Hohenort offers a peaceful, relaxing place to stay in beautiful surrounding whilst based in Cape Town. The tasteful design mix of contemporary and conserved antique pieces, coupled with local artists work and plush furnishings create a luxurious ambience and the staff are warm, friendly and totally professional.

Lodge overview

Lodge type: Town

No. of bedrooms: 53 rooms

Season: Open Year Round

Ideal length of stay: 3 nights

Geographics

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Directions: From the N2 Highway (towards Cape Town from airport), take the turnoff to "Muizenberg, M3" to the left. Continue along the M3 (Edinburgh Drive) past the suburbs of Claremont, Bishop's Court and Wynberg. Take Exit 14 off the M3. Turn left at the intersection, travelling under the bridge. At the second set of traffic lights, turn right into Brommersvlei Road. The entrance to the hotel will be on the left, 2.5 km down Brommersvlei Road.

Accessible by: Self-drive

Key personnel

Owner: Liz McGrath

Staff: Camp/Lodge Managers: Clayton Howard (4 yrs) Assistant gen. manager: Deborah Howard (8 yrs) Chef: Peter Templehof

Food & drink

Usual board basis: B&B

Food quality: The quality of food at the Cellars Hohenort is excellent, with a cookery book based around the signature dishes from this and the other two 'Collection' Properties – The Marine in Hermanus and The Plettenberg in Plettenberg Bay. A full continental and hot breakfast is offered. There is a full lunch menu with starters ranging from (when we last visited in August 2008) R50 to R80 and main courses ranging from R85 to R130. For dinner you have a choice of two restaurants, both serving top cuisine. The Greenhouse offers an à la carte menu with starters ranging from R55 to R90, main courses from R100 to R135 and puddings from R55 to R65. The Cape Malay Restaurant which offers a set menu (with a few choices) of Cape Malay food which is R200 per head. Both restaurants have an extensive wine list. You can, of course opt to dine out at one of the many restaurants found in Cape Town! Afternoon tea is available for R240 for two people.

Dining style: Inidividual Tables

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Room service: Yes

Drinks included: No

Children

Age restrictions: Only children over 12 years of age can stay here.

Generally recommended for children: Not especially

Central communications

Power supply: Mains Electricity

Communications: There is a central telephone and well as a direct dial phone in all rooms. There is mobile phone reception, WiFi throughout the hotel and a computer access room with two computers.

TV & radio: All rooms have a TV with some satellite services, as well as DVD player.

Health & safety

Malarial area: No

Medical care: There are doctors nearby as well as hospitals.

Dangerous animals: Low Risk

Security measures: There are three security guards on duty during the day and two at night.

Fire safety: There are evacuation plans on the back of each bedroom door. There are also extinguishers throughout the hotel as well as smoke detectors.

Extras

Disabled access: In Place

Laundry facilities: Extra Charge They also offer dry cleaning.

Money: They can change money however they do charge a handling fee for doing this.

Accepted payment: They accept payment with Visa, Amex, Mastercard, debit card, traveller's cheques and cash (preferably South African Rand).

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