I recently had the privilege of staying at the beautiful River Manor in Stellenbosch this last weekend. As the Cape would have it, the last week has been pounding with rain non-stop (our first rain of the winter season of the Cape) and it was quite a dark day with rain and clouds the whole of Saturday, however this didn’t dampen our experiences of our stay at River Manor.
I was thoroughly impressed with the hospitality of the staff as well as the cleanness and warmth of the rooms and general areas of the guest house. The actual establishment is really historical, still being an original homestead. It’s very charming and you still feel the classic colonial as you walk through the rooms and the living areas. Each section / group of rooms (besides the ones near the pool) have a lounge area with a warm fireplace (much needed) and big, comfortable couches, making it very inviting to sit and enjoy the ambience of the guest house, especially in the cold evenings or mornings. The rooms range from big to small, catering for everyone and are all decorate with beautiful antique furniture while some of the bathrooms also have Victorian baths.
The actual grounds of the guest house are also really beautiful with two lovely big swimming pools and beautiful verandahs covered by grape vines. We were greeted with a lovely cup of tea to take the chill away before setting off to explore. I must add that the ever popular Health and Beauty spa is also on the same grounds – so if you feel like a quick massage or treatment, then it’s completely possible! It is operated by Gingko but they make use of the Theravine Product Range – an extra-sensory, vine-derived range imbued with healing botanicals unique to the Cape. They have 2 treatment rooms so it’s best you book well in advance to get a chance of a treatment and not wait until the last minute!
This area of Stellenbosch where River Manor is situated is my favourite area of the town. I spent some time here in November last year and really discovered the quaint book shops and small road side café’s. River Manor is in the heart of this and within walking distance of all the historical attractions, restaurants and café’s.
It is highly recommended that you consider a stop in Stellenbosch for a night (or 2 nights is preferred) to discover this beautiful area and guest house. Thanks to Johan, Leigh, Willem and Eileen for their generous hospitality!
