Franschhoek Boutique Hotel (Accommodation Review)
A kid-free weekend in Franschhoek
With three kids at home, a weekend away with just the two of us doesn't happen often enough. When it finally lined up, my wife Lianne and I packed a small overnight bag and headed through to Franschhoek for a night at the Franschhoek Boutique Hotel.
No kids strapped into car seats, no snacks being passed to the back, no one asking if we were there yet. It felt strange, but nice to be able to have uninterrupted conversation on the way into the winelands.
We arrived on the Friday afternoon right after a storm was hitting the Cape. The wind was so strong that the Huguenot Tunnel had been closed after a few trucks overturned.
When we arrived at Franschhoek Boutique Hotel, the manager welcomed us at the door and introduced herself as Storm.
Where is Franschhoek Boutique Hotel?
The hotel sits right on Franschhoek's Main Street, tucked behind a courtyard of cafés, galleries and small shops. The wine tram stop is a short walk away. It's as central as you can get - it is safe to walk home after dinner, and it is convenient not to have to drive so that you can taste the wonderful wines Franschhoek has to offer without needing to worry about who the designated driver will be. If you are not comfortable, the hotel also offers to take you to the restaurant you have a reservation at.
Reuben's restaurant is at walking distance of Franschhoek Boutique Hotel.
The Franschhoek Boutique Hotel is part of the Lion Roars Hotels & Lodges collection and has a dozen individually styled rooms. Our room had a great mountain view. The big free-standing bath are seperated from the bedroom with stained glass doors, that open up all the way so you can soak without losing the view. There's a wood-fired fireplace too, and the team will light it for you before you head out to supper, so you walk back into a warm, cosy room instead of a cold one. It’s a small touch that makes big difference on a stormy night.
Given the chaos on the roads that evening, the welcome was properly warm. Storm and her team offered to carry our bags up, though with only one overnight bag we told them not to worry and sorted ourselves out. Once we were in the room, we saw we had been treated to a bottle of champagne and some locally sourced nougat and chocolate.
The Nespresso machine gets its pods topped up daily, which sounds minor until you're the sort of guest who gets through a few too many flat whites. The mini bar offers additional refreshments at an additional cost.
Breakfast at Franschhoek Boutique Hotel
Breakfast is included, and it did not dissapoint. The buffet spread covers French cheeses, cold meats, muffins, yoghurt, fresh fruit and a good variety of small pastries, with fresh juice, water and hot drinks included. If you can resist the tempation to plate too much, you have the option afterwards to order something of the à la carte menu. I had the avo smash on our first morning and the full English breakfast on the second. Lianne went for the eggs Benedict with hash browns first, then the oats and cinnamon apple compote the morning before we left. The kitchen knows how to make a proper poached egg — soft and creamy, not the rubbery version you get too often at hotels. Everything is freshly prepared, and you can taste that.
Small touches that stood out
The fireplace was lit by the team while we were out at a restaurant, so the room had warmed up when we got back.
Nespresso pods are refilled daily - it is easy to run short of coffee on a longer stay if a hotel doesn't bother with this, and to me, there’s nothing better than a decent cup of coffee in bed before heading down for breakfast..
The stained glass doors that open the bathroom onto the bedroom, so you still get to enjoy the mountain view while soaking in the bath.
Warm and friendly and very attentive staff making us feel welcome from the moment we arrived, through to our departure.
A genuinely comfortable bed, which after a day of wine tasting is not something to take for granted.
For a kid-free night in the Winelands, this one ticks the boxes: it is central enough to walk to dinner, yet they have created a peaceful environment to enable you to switch off. The small comforts make it feel like an occasion rather than just another hotel stay.
If you'd like to book your own stay, you can do so on the Franschhoek Boutique Hotel website.
Other accommodations
in the Western Cape
Explore Franschhoek in a charming guest house: Our Stay at The Corner House Residence in Franschhoek
Our favourite mountain valley hideaway: 360on62 Mountain View Farm Cottages in Montagu
For a couples’ getaway: Huizen Living (Verloren Cabin) in the Breede Valley
For child-friendly luxury in the Franschhoek winelands:
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are solely our own and based on our experience. At times we may be compensated for reviews placed on this blog, we always maintain the right to share our true opinion on the full experience, to maintain our integrity and the authenticity of the review posted.
About Shawn Godfrey
Photo credit: Niki M Photography
Shawn Godfrey is an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw his business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep him sane. To keep track of his recipes, and encourage friends and families to join him, he starts his instagram account The Roasted Dad.
Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim Shawn (encouraged by his wife Lianne) enters MasterChef South Africa. It is a crazy time of life: running a 200 people business and struggling to keep it profitable, two small children with a third on the way, and about to move into a new house. But when Shawn gets selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, he decides to go all in. Leaving his 7-month-pregnant wife to look after their then three and one-year-old children, he battles it out and comes back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in his pocket.
It all started with an Instagram account, but The Roasted Dad is so much more now. Shawn has stayed his entrepreneurial self and whilst he hosts Private Dinner Parties and Cook-with-Me Demos, does Restaurant Take-Overs, he still runs the lighting company and several other businesses.
On his blog, Shawn shares restaurant reviews and accommodation reviews, and gives an insight into the wild and wonderful life he leads together with his wife Lianne, and their three children Aiden (8), Olivia (6) and Harvey (4).
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