After retrieving our bags at the airport, we met
our African Travel, Inc. guide who would take us to
the charming town of Franschhoek, located just outside
Cape Town, where we would enjoy a relaxing dinner and
top-notch overnight accommodations at La Residence
Hotel & Spa.
Located in the beautiful heart of a private 30-acre
estate and surrounded by vineyards and plum orchards,
with a spectacular mountain backdrop, La Residence
is a haven of luxury on every level as its unspoiled
rural surroundings create an atmosphere of complete
tranquility. Stepping into the hotel’s main hall
you are transported to a world of exquisite beauty,
opulence and grandeur. Glittering chandeliers hang
from the vaulted ceiling; original artwork and huge
mirrors grace the walls; furnishings are plush, colorful
and stylish.
An integral part of the experience at La Residence
is the elaborate and unique interior of each suite.
Every suite has its own color scheme and set of design
influences, from the exotic Tibetan Suite with its
oriental antiques and rich orange tones to the blue
and yellow Chambre Bleu with its Provençal antiques,
velvets and silks. For families and those who seek
something a bit different, La Residence’s Vineyard
Suites offer a variety of configurations to suit every
requirement. Once settled into our rooms, we later
met up at hotel’s sumptuous restaurant for a leisurely,
candle lit, multi-course dinner where we sampled some
of South Africa’s finest culinary creations and wines. It
was an evening that none of us would soon forget.
Following a lavish breakfast the next morning, we
made our way to nearby Babylonstoren, a Cape Dutch
farm and hotel that is surrounded by vineyards and
orchards, and back-dropped by the mountains of the
Drakenstein Valley. Babylonstoren is home to
seemingly countless fruit and vegetable gardens of
remarkable diversity, of which supply its restaurant,
Babel. During our visit we were provided with an
up-close look at the gardens and Babylonstoren’s
vineyards and wine-making process. Shortly afterwards
we pulled up our chairs for an incredible lunch at Babel
where we were able to sample some of the restaurant’s
generously portioned farm-to-table dishes and wines
fresh from the “back yard.”
RIGHT
La Residence
Hotel & Spa’s
all-encompassing
mountain views
offer uninterrupted
peace and
tranquillity and
combine perfectly
with the sublimely
beautiful interiors.
Feature Story
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SUMMER / FALL 2015
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