On the banks of the Eerste River, where wild Cape gardens give way to heritage and mountain views, two new villas are redefining the essence of a stay in the Winelands. Blending the freedom of a private home with the ease of world-class hospitality, these exclusive-use retreats mark a new direction in understated and deeply personal luxury travel.
Each villa offers the rarest of luxuries – space. Private heated pools and generous entertainment areas invite unhurried afternoons, while a choice of restaurants, wine bars, a spa and the children’s Buzz Club are all within strolling distance.
The villas mark the final chapter in the hotel’s transformation, which re-opened earlier this year after a year-long restoration. The renewed hotel now includes 80 luxury rooms and suites, two new restaurants, three bars, an expansive heated pool, a nature-inspired kids’ club and the Cape Herbal Spa.
The three-bedroom Garden and Riverside Villas were envisioned as sanctuaries for travellers who prefer the intimacy of a home to the polish of a suite.
Jacques Erasmus, who led the interiors, says: “These are homes designed for travellers who value complete privacy when exploring the world. A villa allows you to dictate every aspect of your stay.”
Every detail responds to that philosophy. Dedicated service teams, including a private chef, ensure experiences are tailored to each guest, whether it’s a milestone birthday, a long-awaited family reunion or a season of remote working away from the city.
Architecture by Paul Luck of Lightspace blurs the boundaries between indoors and out. Ground floors spill into fynbos-filled gardens, part of an ambitious rewilding project led by landscape designer Danie Steenkamp. French doors open from lounges, dining rooms and kitchens onto deep verandas, leading the eye to heated pools, fire pits and mountain views.
Each villa has its own character. Garden Villa, dressed in earthy tones of rust and caramel, offers the intimacy of a courtyard and a pergola-shaded outdoor lounge with a fireplace. The Riverside Villa takes its cue from the river it overlooks with a palette of soft greens and natural textures reflecting the water, trees and birdlife.
Upstairs, bedrooms pair deep, freestanding tubs with walk-in showers featuring patterned cabochon flooring which Jacques calls “a way of turning even the most utilitarian of spaces into art.”
Jacques’ interiors lean on a philosophy of “less is more,” but never sterile minimalism. Instead, they celebrate craftsmanship and the subtle imperfections of the handmade. Lime-washed walls are softened at the edges, hand-hammered metalwork, butter-washed linen curtains, antique finds and tactile weaves lend a sense of story to each space.
Everywhere, the human hand is visible. From blanket stitching inspired by 300 years of Cape embroidery tradition to bed throws created using indigenous plants in a centuries-old steaming technique by artist Ingrid Bolton, the villas are rich with detail that is both artisanal and deeply local. “For guests, it will feel like you’re sleeping under the fabric of the garden,” says Jacques.
Art anchors these spaces just as it does the wider wine farm. Works curated in collaboration with the Spier Arts Trust, alongside heirloom pieces from the family’s private collection, create an aesthetic that is distinctly South African.
These villas represent more than just an expansion of Spier’s accommodation. They are the evolution of the farm’s philosophy of hospitality, one that is slow, considered and intimately connected to nature. “These are spaces that honour tradition while serving modern needs,” says Jacques. “Homes that feel both timeless and immediate.”
For travellers seeking an experience beyond the conventional hotel stay, Spier’s villas offer something rare: a retreat where privacy, craftsmanship and nature exist in seamless harmony.