Halcyon holidays at the Hazendal Hotel
It’s an impressive new addition to a farm that was bustling with visitors on a sun-splashed early-summer weekend
I got beaten by my son at Blackjack this weekend. He’s 12, so probably shouldn’t be gambling, but luckily this was a far more wholesome pursuit than flipping cards to 21 in some smoky backroom dive.
Instead, our game was played out on the mats of The Burrow, the state-of-the-art driving range at Hazendal Estate in the Stellenbosch winelands, with the InRange+ system throwing digital cards out across the range for us to hit with a well-timed (or not) wedge. Well, I say Stellenbosch, but its location on the edge of the Bottelary Hills puts it just 25 minutes from both central Cape Town and the wider winelands, making it convenient for a quick break from the city. Which is precisely how this little dad-and-lad escape came to pass.
I’ve spent a lot of time at Hazendal. In fact I (literally) wrote the book on the farm when it reopened in 2019 after a major restoration project. But it’s been a while since I was last on the estate, and an invite to the opening of the new Hazendal Hotel was the perfect excuse for a short break.
It’s an impressive new addition to a farm that was bustling with visitors on a sun-splashed early-summer weekend. The Babushka Deli tables were full, the lawns dotted with picnic hampers, and no end of four-balls pitting their pitches against the par-three mashie course, where the layout and conditioning would put many full-size city courses to shame.
It’s an attention to detail that runs through the estate, not least in the brand-new hotel where 34 rooms and suites offer one of the most impressive boutique bolt-holes in the winelands.
That is carried through into the rooms and suites, where designer Maurette van Eyssen used a palette of winelands hues to create colourful sanctuaries with no end of comforts. Nespresso machines and high-speed Wi-Fi tick all of the expected boxes for mod-cons, but it’s in the refined fittings, bespoke artworks and serene terrace spaces that you’ll truly soak up the luxury of this space.
Not that my 12-year-old gave the Hansgrohe taps a second look. Instead, the hotel provided plenty of distraction for us beyond the rooms. First stop, Padel.
Come evening, we decided to skip the formal dining on offer at The Restaurant in favour of a light bite in the bar overlooking the golf course. From craft beers and decent burgers to inspired small plates — and a separate menu for kids — it was just the ticket for an easy dinner after a busy day of bonding.
But I’ll be back. There’s the private cinema that we didn’t have time to use, and a serene spa with specialised sports massages to ease away those Padel pains. I still need to get out on the golf course and wouldn’t mind a little more time poolside. And besides, I still have a score to settle at Blackjack.