No words can describe the beauty of Delaire Graff Estate, a true wine, art and hospitality gem nestled within the Cape wine lands. From where we stayed in Cape Town (Cape Grace Hotel & Spa), it took us around 45 minutes by car to get to there.
You might have heard of the owner, Laurence Graff, a noted English philanthropist and the veritable “King of Diamonds” as the founder of Graff Diamonds. The main diamond boutique is actually located within the estate, so Delaire Graff makes for the perfect retreat for wine, food AND diamond enthusiasts alike. How much more perfect could this place be?
The stairs leading from lodges to the hotel lobby. Everything looks like scenes from a fairytale here!
The Luxury Lodge
We stayed in the Luxury Lodge, of which four are available on the property. The room is designed by French architect Pierre Bories, and the remarkable interiors are done by David Collins Studio based in London.
The outdoor deck with private infinity pool faces the beautiful Delaire Graff vineyards and picturesque mountains in the horizon, and there are also lounge chairs where you can sit back with a glass of rose and enjoy the gorgeous sunset every evening.
The Pinterest-worthy marble bathroom is expansive, and it was also my first time ever seeing my favourite skincare line, Aromatherapy Associates, in a hotel. Considering the price of Aromatherapy Associates products and spa treatments, this made me a lot more excited than I usually am about hotel bath soaps.
The extra-large bed uses the fluffiest high thread count Egyptian cotton linens by Coleman Prowse, and my feet literally sank into the marshmallow-esque bedroom slippers that are provided. Definitely expect a wine-fueled, five-star snooze here.
Restaurant Indochine
For our first lunch on the premises, we went to Indochine, a beautiful (what isn’t here?) airy restaurant specializing in Indo-Asian cuisine. The kitchen is helmed by the talented Chef Virgil Kahn, previously of Gordon Ramsay’s Maze and NOBU in Cape Town.
We began with the most incredible homemade roti, dipped in a sauce of beef bone marrow and ponzu. This was followed with Chicken, Coconut & Lime Soup, reminiscent of Thai-style tom kha gai, with sous vide chicken, basil seeds, enoki and galangal jellies. The broth wasn’t as strong as the traditional, but was just as good. We also had the Massaman Curry with jasmine rice, so aromatic and delicious. The Edamame & Shiitake pot stickers with soy sauce were addictive - I could have eaten about a thousand of these, and it went really well with the brut champagne.
5-star service at Delaire Graff
The service was just immaculate from start to finish, with thoughtful touches like the freshly picked bouquet of birthday roses and a complimentary bottle of Delaire Graff’s champagne (The Sunrise Brut) upon arrival.
The Indochine restaurant was even notified that it was my birthday (week*) and prepared a little birthday song and dessert at the end of our casual drop-in lunch, as well as yet another complimentary bottle of champagne. Honestly, the wines just keep flowing here so expect to drink more wine than water. Everything is personalised to the T, and all the servers know your name, even for breakfast. To give an example of the meticulous level of detail, the hotel always provides a daily newspaper in a chic leather binder with your name and the date printed across the front.
Delaire Graff Lodges - Reservation
Telephone: +27 21 885 8160 Address: Helshoogte Pass, Stellenbosch, South Africa Email: lodge.reservations@delaire.co.za Website: https://www.delaire.co.za/ Room bookings & availability: https://www.thebookingbutton.co.uk/properties/DELAIREDIRECT
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