Read 2 traveller reviews of Vineyard Hotel and Spa

The Vineyard Hotel and Spa is located in the leafy suburb of Newlands and has spectacular views dominated by Table Mountain. It's a very well-known landmark in Cape Town, it's been there for years, and during this time it's built up a loyal following of return visitors and a good reputation.

The Vineyard Hotel is around the corner from the up-market Cavendish Square shopping mall, and within walking distance of the world-renowned Newlands cricket and rugby grounds. A 10-minute drive will take you to the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and a 15-minute drive will take you to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and Cape Town's city centre.

Nestling in 6 acres of beautifully landscaped indigenous gardens, it's possible to stroll along pathways in the Vineyard's grounds which follow the Liesbeeck River, and spot hadeda ibis and guinea fowl on the lawns. A 'Garden and Bird Guide' is available in each room for you to take as you amble through the gardens, helping you to identify the local flora and birdlife.

The Vineyard Hotel is a mix of modern contemporary design built around an old historical house dating back to 1799 and is constantly being updated to keep up with current hotel trends.

The Health and Fitness Centre is a modern extension to the hotel built of glass and steel. It has two heated swimming pools, one outdoor and one indoor, as well as a fully equipped gymnasium. Here you will also find the Splash Café which serves healthy snacks, soft drinks and smoothies. Housed in the Fitness Centre is one of the Vineyard's shops, selling a wide variety and gifts and curios.

Adjoining the Fitness Centre is the Angsana Spa which is run by the international Banyan Tree Group. Here you will find a peaceful and relaxing environment to enjoy a variety of pampering treatments for body and mind!

The Vineyard has two restaurants: The Square which serves à la carte breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and which also has an adjoining sushi bar which is open in the evenings. Then there is Myoga, an independently-owned restaurant, which offers lunch and dinner and has views overlooking the gardens towards Table Mountain.

There are 175 rooms at the Vineyard Hotel, ranging from single rooms to very smart, two-bedroom self catering cottages in the grounds of the hotel. At the time of our visit (November 2007) a lot of the rooms were undergoing extensive refurbishment and upgrading. This is part of a rolling programme of updating the hotel – using their own team of in-house craftspeople. We are very impressed to see that far from resting on its laurels, the Vineyard really is keeping updated and on top of the game.

Most of the rooms in the main part hotel are divided into either: mountain-facing rooms – with views over the gardens towards Table Mountain; or courtyard-facing rooms, which look onto an open-air Japanese-style courtyard. The lush tropical trees and vegetation, and water-features, make this a calm and tranquil setting to look out onto.

The Vineyard Hotel's room types are:

Courtyard-facing rooms - these rooms are 22m² and have separate en-suite bathrooms.

Deluxe Courtyard-facing rooms - these rooms are similar to the above rooms, with en-suite bathrooms, but are slightly bigger (26m²). The downstairs rooms have sliding doors leading out on to the courtyard.

Mountain-facing rooms - these rooms are also 22m² with an en-suite bathroom. They have views of the beautiful gardens and Table Mountain beyond.

Deluxe Mountain-facing rooms - these rooms have the same outlook as the mountain-facing rooms, mentioned above, but are slightly bigger (26m²). They also have en-suite bathrooms as well as a private balcony or patio.

Junior Suites - some of these rooms are located longside the spa overlooking the river; while others are in the main building with views overlooking the gardens. They comprise a bedroom/living room, covering approximately 33m², with en-suite bathroom and private balcony.

Suites - these suites are bigger, with a separate lounge and en-suite bedroom and have doors leading out on to a private terrace.

Cottages - there are also five self-catering cottages located in the gardens of the Vineyard Hotel, each having two bedrooms, two bathrooms, lounge, dining room and kitchen and are ideal for families traveling together or guests planning a longer stay in Cape Town.

All the rooms at the Vineyard Hotel have en-suite bathrooms with separate shower and bath, air-conditioning, free highspeed internet access, complimentary tea and coffee making facilities, mini bar, satellite TV, hairdryer, electronic wall safe and international electrical sockets.


In conclusion, the Vineyard Hotel is a good value, up-market, hotel in a beautiful green setting which works well for families, couples or single travellers. It's fairly large, which perhaps helps it to run very smoothly and professionally, and has a central location, close to many of Cape Town's sights.

The Vineyard remains independent and family-run; it's not part of any chain. What's perhaps most impressive about it is that it continues to reinvent itself – by updating and upgrading its rooms and facilities. So whilst most of us in the Expert Africa team aren't that keen on larger hotels, the Vineyard ranks as an honorable exception.

Lodge overview

Lodge type: Town

No. of bedrooms: 175

Season: Open Year Round

Ideal length of stay: 4 - 5 days

Central facilities: The Vineyard has a large and spacious foyer with ceramic tiled floors. On arrival you are taken through the spacious foyer which has a reception counter to one side. In the centre of the foyer is a round antique table with a large arrangement of fresh flowers. Located just off the foyer is Vineyard Antiques, a small shop specialising in antiques, silver and porcelain, as well as a separate shop selling local curios and jewellery. Directly behind the foyer is The Square restaurant which is located in the glass-roofed central courtyard and is furnished with modern high-backed padded chairs. The lush green plants and tall trees give it a light and tropical feel. Here you will be served à la carte breakfasts, lunches and dinners and there is also a sushi bar which is open in the evenings. Myoga restaurant, which is independently owned, is also in the main building of the hotel and offers lunch and dinner overlooking the gardens with views towards Table Mountain. Here you will be offered lunch and dinner in more modern surrounds and the food is “global fusion” ranging from Mediterranean mezes to eastern style. This restaurant has just been included in Conde Nast Travellers “Hot List” for 2008 (May 2008) There is a separate bar with large floor to ceiling windows leading out onto a terrace overlooking the garden. The Health and Fitness Centre, with its two swimming pools and gymnasium, is located separately from the main hotel in a newer modern building. Here you will also find the Angsana Spa in a tranquil setting overlooking the gardens and the Liesbeeck River.

Geographics

Location: Cape Town, The Cape

Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Key personnel

Owner: Privately owned

Food & drink

Usual board basis: B&B

Food quality: Very good, as befits a high standard hotel - with a couple of top-quality restaurants, as well as simpler fare and room service. The staff were very friendly and efficient.

Dining style: Inidividual Tables

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Room service: Yes - 24 hours

Drinks included: No

Special interests

Family holidays: This is a child friendly hotel and welcomes children of all ages. The individual cottages, in the grounds of the hotel, are ideal for accommodating families as they are away from the main buildings however you will still have access to all the facilities including the swimming pool, restaurants and the gardens. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for family holidays in The Cape

Wellbeing: The Angsana Spa is part of the international Banyan Tree group (probably the best spa group in the world) and their Thai therapists have all been trained in the Far East. A wide-range of treatments and products are available here for a relaxing and therapeutic stay. - See more of our suggestions of the best places for wellbeing in The Cape

Children

Attitude towards children: Children are welcome.

Age restrictions: Children of all ages welcome.

Activities: Babysitters are available (additional cost) to look after children. Note that these are trained child-minders.

Equipment: There are highchairs in the restaurants and cots in the bedrooms.

Generally recommended for children: Yes

Notes: The Vineyard Hotel accepts children of all ages and they are welcome here. The cottages are ideal for accommodating families.

Central communications

Power supply: Mains Electricity

Communications: Direct-dial phones in all the rooms as well as free internet access. There is also a separate Business Centre with computers, fax machines and printers for guests to use.

TV & radio: Yes local and satelite TV is available in all the rooms.

Health & safety

Malarial area: No

Medical care: There is a doctor's surgery around the corner and hospitals are nearby.

Dangerous animals: Low Risk

Security measures: 24 hour security guards are on duty.

Fire safety: There is a fire escape plan in each room.

Extras

Disabled access: In Place

Laundry facilities: Full Laundry Service - Extra Charge. Dry cleaning is also available.

Money: Money exchange is possible. There are electronic safes in all the rooms.

Accepted payment: Most international credit cards are accepted as well as travellers cheques. Cash is accepted in SA rands, pounds sterling, US dollars and euros.

^ Top of page