Driving from Cape Town Airport, I remember seeing one of the picturesque mountains in the distance. The sun began to set and I will never forget the way the sky danced colourfully around the mountain’s silhouette.
It was only a short drive, probably twenty minutes or so and we had crept our way up into the mountains and through the gates of our new “home”. We were staying at the Cellars-Hohenort Boutique Hotel by McGrath Hotels, but I say “home” because that is what it felt like! It was as if we were temporary living on a huge piece of land, covered in lush gardens and green grass, endless rows of grapevines, rose bushes, duck ponds and courtyards all overlooked by the breathtaking mountain ranges. It was as if we had somehow found ourselves living amongst the pages of a beautiful fairy tale. And I never wanted to leave!
Our room was like a luxury apartment with a very spacious living room (complete with a complimentary fruit bowl and ridiculously comfortable couches), a big bedroom, plenty of wardrobe space, a perfectly petite kitchenette and a huge bathroom to drool over. (You should have seen the BATH - it was perfect for relaxing in when the nights got a little bit cool!). We’d awake each morning to the sound of happy ducks splashing about in the pond outside our front door, and sunshine trickling through into our lounge room. Breakfasts were a mix of a continental buffet full of lots of fresh fruit, cereals and muesli, freshly squeezed juices, as well as optional hot breakfast from the menu, limited only by our imagination really. Although it was Winter in May in Cape Town, it was still deliciously warm in the sunshine, so every morning we would grab our plates of breakfast then bask in the glorious light in the courtyard listening to the sound of a nearby waterfall and some sweet singing birds. Once we’d been stuffed like Kings and Queens at breakfast, we’d set off for a walk around the hotel grounds, through the gardens and vineyards, soaking up the winter sunshine and luxury before packing our daypacks and heading out for a little exploration and adventure. Then dinners were always a taste sensation dining at one of the restaurants available within the hotel grounds. (Note to all soup lovers and connoisseurs: here I tasted the best Tomato Soup I’d ever had to be honest!
There are plenty of wonderful walks to do in Cape Town as there are so many mountains and viewing platforms to hike to and from. Staying at The Cellars-Hohenort by McGrath Hotels was such a great location because it meant that we had the peace, quiet and serenity of being perfectly tucked away from the bustle of civilisation, but still close enough that it wasn’t an effort to venture new places every day.