The Steenberg Hotel, South Africa

“Minutes from Cape Town, Miles from the World”. That’s the slogan of the Steenberg Hotel, a tagline that couldn’t be more fitting. Despite the fact that it’s a mere 20-minute drive from South Africa’s capital, you’ll feel like you’re in a completely different world as traffic disappears, cars become bicycles and skyscrapers transition to endless rows of Constantia Winelands’ vineyards.

This five star property is the epitome of rustic luxury, letting guests experience Cape Town’s oldest wine farm. Established in 1682, the hotel’s been completely restored and provides comfort and modern amenities while retaining its 17th century style and charmingly weathered appearance. Accommodations include twenty-one rooms and three Heritage Suites that place guests in historic farmhouses that are nothing less than opulent. If you can swing it (rates start at R10 690/about $1,088 USD per night) these are an experience in themselves, with each paying homage to a distinct period in Cape Town history, including its colonial period when the Dutch East India Company established South Africa’s first European colony. The Steenberg’s standard guest rooms and suites are also luxurious, many with private patios, Jacuzzi’s, satellite television, and bed linens with a 300+ thread count.

A big part of the Steenberg experience is the on premise dining at their signature restaurant Catharina’s, housed in the original winery. It’s named for Catharina Ustings Ras, Steenberg Farm’s founder and one of the area’s most daring figures. Only 22 years old when she made the dangerous journey by boat from Germany to South Africa, Catharina is said to have avenged her first husband’s death by riding a horse into the bush and shooting the lion that mauled him. Story-like murals in the restaurant’s dining room tell the tale. The menu’s focus is on sustainable seafood, high-quality meats, and estate wines. Expansive windows provide views of the vineyards, while sleek interior finishes allow for natural light to fill the space. Here you’ll also enjoy an all-inclusive breakfast buffet each morning with sparkling wine, as well as their famous Sunday jazz brunch.

A number of activities are on offer for guests as the hotel has a partnership with Virgin Active Gym, allowing use of their facilities for free (with transport included), and there’s also a free shuttle to Cape Town’s waterfront. On the grounds you can spend time strolling the vineyards, hiking, or studying the 15 alfresco art pieces created by South African artist Edoardo Villa, one of the country’s most respected abstract sculptors. Or take in a round of golf on Steenberg’s professional 18-hole course with hole #14 sporting Africa’s largest green at 76 meters (249 feet) long. Cycling is a big part of the activities culture here, with the hotel offering free rentals and guided vineyard tours. For R680 (about $68 U.S.), a guide will take you biking around the estate, showing you the best photo opportunities – Constantia Valley, Table Mountain, False Bay -before spreading out a picnic in the vineyards. If you watching your budget (Mom and Dad, I’m talking to you), you can purchase bottles of wine from the winery for about $5 U.S., and a budget friendly picnic with lovely wines is still an option.

While there’s plenty to do, the Steenberg’s ambience encourages relaxation. One of my favorite little nooks was the library, filled with coffee table books, interesting reads, and paintings by local artists and free tastings of port and sherry. Their onsite spa is another place to let your worries melt away. While the treatment menu is expansive, the general consensus from the staff was the “Gingko Hot Stone Massage,” incorporating warm black basalt stones to ease muscle tension.

No stay here would be complete without touring the onsite winery and partaking in a tasting. There are many reasons why the Constantia Winelands can produce such high quality wines, most notably being the cooling effects from the nearby Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the breeze from False Bay and the shade provided by the surrounding mountains. These, combined with granite soils, mild temperatures and optimal sunlight allow for high-quality grapes, many of which are hand-picked depending on which bottle you choose.

On the cellar tour I’m handed an effervescent glass of their signature Mèthode Cape Classique 1682 Brut Chardonnay, named after the year the property was established.As I drink I’m led through the cellars, learning about bottling methods and fermentation times. Most interesting to me is how the signature wine I’m sipping is made in a traditional Champagne style using 100% Chardonnay.

The tasting bar has a modern flare with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the vineyards and a modern resin-crafted chandelier with 2,700 grapes. I opt for the Flagship Tasting, which features their Ultra-Premium Wines. I can’t help but be impressed by the pricing, as typically sampling a flagship wine collection would cost much more than R40 (about $4 U.S.). This tasting is a great option as Steenberg Vineyards is one of the few in South Africa to bottle Semillon as a single grape. For those who simply want to taste delicious wines other tasting options include the Premium Table, Super Premium Table, and Icon Table, although you can also opt to pair wines with tapas, cheese or food. Housed in the winery complex is also BistroSixteen82, serving contemporary bistro fare made with wine pairing in mind.