South Africa's biggest and best Cape Winelands hotel is back

Telegraph

23-04-2025

As I entered a valley of decades-old vineyards, kitchen gardens and lush meadows, just 30 minutes east of Cape Town International Airport, the air smelled green and sweet. Rooibos-meets-Shiraz, with a hint of manure.
I collected warm eggs from a fleet of roaming egg-mobiles; nifty contraptions used to transport hens from one patch of fresh pasture to the next. Soil fertilisation, the way nature intended.
Spread across 1,500 acres, Spier farm and its adjacent hotel reopened in March 2025, following a year-long refurbishment, which included a bold downsizing from 153 to 80 rooms. What was once a popular conferencing venue with a bird of prey rehabilitation centre is now focussing on quality over quantity.
The swimming pool has been lengthened to 20 metres and more than 55,000 shrubs have been propagated and planted in the landscaped grounds. There's a much-improved spa – with infrared sauna, bathhouse and hammam – which utilises farm-grown ingredients such as snowbush and rose geranium.
Before Spier's makeover, which was masterminded by the London design firm Fusion, the colour scheme was eclectic. White and peach with flourishes of ochre and multicoloured mosaic. Perfectly pleasant, albeit slightly incoherent.
The new Spier, however, has progressed toward heritage greens, brass fixtures and clay tiles. Many of the furnishings have been expertly upcycled from the original hotel, such as reupholstered slipper chairs and restored Chinese tables. Tactility is, perhaps, the highest compliment you can pay a property. In the revamped bedrooms I couldn't help but stroke lamb's wool carpets and green velvet couches.
The result feels robust and elegant. But also, much more in keeping with the working farm and vineyards that surround it. Lots of cut flowers, perennial herbs and wine bottles on display. A bucolic, semi-bush vibe, close to nature, abundant with birdlife. Guests can spot fish eagles, purple herons and African darters – among dozens of other species.
The much-improved lobby feels more like a grand living room than a formal check-in space. Black wattle logs crackle on its open fires, beside bookshelves filled with Damon Galgut (The Promise) and Dipo Faloyin (Africa is not a Country). Meanwhile, a new shop supports local artisans, from Handmade Karoo Handgemaak soft toys to Crafters Corner ceramics.
The restaurant, Veld, is now adorned with dozens of pieces from the Spier Arts Collection – more than 3,200 contemporary Southern African artworks. Two vast living chandeliers filled with orchids, fynbos and ferns loom over delicately arranged plates of farm-grown tomatoes, microgreens and figs. Up to 50 percent of the restaurant's ingredients are grown on site.
Even Spier's oyster, chestnut and shiitake mushrooms sprout magically in a repurposed stable. And as for the organic beef cattle? They're moved around the farm in a similar rotation method to the chickens. All this great food pairs beautifully with wines that thrive in the carbon-rich soil. Spier's 21 Gables Chenin Blanc was named one of 2025's best wines in the world at the Master Winemaker 100 awards in Paris.
Spier 2.0 is undoubtedly one of South Africa's most exciting hotel reopenings in recent times. And – for the British tourist – achievable at a reasonable price point. Book for August and you can find double rooms for as little as £210, including breakfast. Beyond Spier, Welsh chef Phil Carmichael opened Mill Street Bistro in nearby Stellenbosch last June.
A passionate pickler, Phil's locavore menu leans on sauerkraut, kimchi and fermented seasonal vegetables. His wood-fired pork belly with pickled apple and chilli ketchup includes a slab of cracking the size of an outstretched palm. The bistro salad with sourdough croutons includes a prized Spier egg.
Ten minutes away, another new restaurant, Die Stoep, opened at boutique winery Vriesenhof in December 2024 and marries wood-fired pizzas, grilled swordfish and charred figs with well-rested wines such as Bordeaux from 1990 and Chardonnay from 1994.
There's also a brilliant new Drops of God wine tasting experience at nearby Le Grand Jardin Villa – an Alice in Wonderland-themed private villa (from £924 for six rooms, including breakfast).
It takes place in the sprawling property's candlelit cellar and encourages guests to refine their senses of taste and smell with the help of 54 vials of scent, ranging from quince and butter to leather and pepper. Pizzas and salads are prepared by an in-house chef and visitors can also take a plunge in the lake via Zipline.
No trip to the Western Cape is complete without a visit to Cape Town, which since August 2025 has been home to Palm House Boutique Hotel and Spa in the leafy suburb of Upper Wynberg (doubles from £193, including breakfast). This updated 1920s stately home is shaded by enormous palm trees and has views of Table Mountain, plus a delightful pool and spa. The food is good here, too. De Tafel specialises in locally foraged ingredients such as porcini mushrooms from Newlands Forest and samphire from the Atlantic coast.
While Radisson is a brand you might usually associate with business trips rather than holidays, its Cape Town outpost is well worth considering on account of its spectacular Waterfront location (doubles from £294, including breakfast). The mostly sea-facing rooms have moved toward oceanic blues, sandy neutrals, and earthy tones, while this year will see further improvements, including a much-needed makeover of the hotel's Tobago's Restaurant and Terrace.
Perhaps the most impressive recent refurb in the city, however, has taken place at five-star Cape Grace (doubles from £639, including breakfast).
What was once filled with antiques and heavy curtains has been opened up to let in views of Table Mountain and the yacht-filled marinas of the V&A Waterfront. The hotel now feels more modern and vibrant, with lots of fresh orchids and proteas.
A long-term collaboration with Cape Town's Norval Foundation will see the work of South African artists Nicholas Hlobo, Dada Khanyisa and Zanele Muholi displayed around the property. And a new restaurant, Heirloom, has already gained a solid reputation for its wine pairings and fine dining. The grilled black tiger prawns are exceptional, while the rainbow trout pairs perfectly with a glass of Waterford Sauvignon Blanc.
A complimentary chauffeur service whisks guests to the city's world-renowned landmarks – because although Cape Town's hotel and restaurant scene seldom stands still, the highlights remain timeless, like breakfast atop Table Mountain, or sunset at Signal Hill. And that's precisely why I return each year. It's a place with the rare quality of feeling just like home, yet with enough of an annual refresh as to feel new and exciting.
Simon Parker travelled as a guest of Spier; Le Grand Jardin Villa; Palm House Boutique Hotel and Spa; ; Cape Grace and Air France, which flies from London Heathrow to Cape Town via Paris during the European winter, alongside daily flights between Paris and Johannesburg year-round.