5 minute read
Review: Finding a den in Stellenbosch
Finding a den in Stellenbosch
By Di Sparks
At the tail end of a short business trip in Cape Town, I decided to extend my enjoyment of the Cape with a quick visit to Stellenbosch before heading home to Jo’burg. I had last visited the ‘City of Oaks’ about 20 years ago.
The second oldest town in South Africa, Stellenbosch surrounded by vineyards, wine routes and wine estates, offers visitors natural beauty, breathtaking scenery, oak-shaded streets lined with cafes, top restaurants, boutiques, museums and art galleries, plenty of outdoor activities and a host of accommodation options from boutique hotels to self-catering apartments.
As we favoured the self-catering option, we headed to the recommended The Den Apartments by Cape Summer Villas, in Dennesig street.
Cape Summer Villas has four fully furnished apartments for short term rental (three studios and one twobedroomed apartment) of the 60 that make up The Den. The two-
bedroom apartment with separate bedrooms, en-suite bathroom, kitchen and lounge and the three open-plan studio apartments with a fully fitted kitchen, a study nook, large flat-screen TV and ample closet storage plus a balcony with a built-in braai, are elegantly furnished and fitted with only the finest in fixtures, appliances (Smeg) and linen.
Another big plus is the communal ‘sundowner-perfect’ rooftop, a deck area with a braai, a solar-heated pool and stunning views of the Stellenbosch mountains.
We loved our apartment - tastefully decorated in warm autumnal gold with striking artworks on the walls, super comfortable furniture and ample space to work, eat and entertain in. I loved the sliding doors opening out onto a glass enclosed balcony with a built-in braai where we enjoyed the fabulous views of the mountains and what became a favourite spot of mine, the rooftop with its all-round view of the mountains – perfect for when you want to unwind after a day of being out and about.
There is much to do in Stellenbosch. With only three days before flying back to Jo’burg, our time was limited and incorporating a multitude of ‘must-do, must-see’ places and activities proved to be quite a challenge.
Our itinerary went something like this. Day 1: an early afternoon checkin at The Den, then a walk into the town to explore, grab a coffee and do a spot of shopping at the gorgeous shops – many of them selling South African products such as Desray for clothes, Tsonga for shoes, Masch for handbags and Mia Melange for homeware and accessories. We also browsed around De Warenmarkt, housed in an 18th Century building on the corner of Ryneveld and Plein streets. We stayed on to savour De Warenmarkt’s new set dinner menu; a delicious meal, paired with
excellent local wine (they have the longest wine list I’ve ever seen) that had us waddling, not walking back to The Den!
And back at the apartment we indulged in a bit of Netflix before we drifted off into a deep sleep in the mega-comfortable bed made up in 100% pure cotton percale linen.
Day 2: breakfast (croissants from Schoon) on the balcony – then onto Adventure Shop, a member of Cape Country Routes, which specialises in tours and activities with a taste of adventure, for a fourhour guided, historic bike tour. We cycled along winding small trails through oak and poplar forests, enjoyed a wine tasting at StarkConde wine estate, continued on to the beautiful Lanzerac wine estate where we indulged in a chocolate and wine pairing before heading back to Stellenbosch town centre via the University. Not having been on a bike in years it took a bit of teethgritting to find my biking ‘feet’ but with the help of the understanding guide, this was a 5-star highlight for me. We had a few ebikes that some in the group were lucky to be able to use and swap amongst their partners (with all COVID protocols being observed, of course).
Then we drove to Boschendal for a relaxing picnic lunch which we’d pre-booked. We were starving after the morning’s exertions and couldn’t wait to tuck into the filledto-the-brim picnic basket with healthy, wholesome and delicious food. Farm baked ciabatta, roast coronation cauliflower, crispy chickpeas, homemade Angus beef and onion pie (there is a vegetarian option – homemade aubergine and mushroom pie) cheeses and chocolate brownies, and what’s more we were even served wine – waiters in attendance - in the special area for picnics where special picnic chairs and blankets were laid down on our arrival. The perfect end to a very energetic morning – lazing under the shady trees on the beautiful pavilion lawn with the imposing mountain as a backdrop.
We did a spot more shopping in the afternoon and also visited the Botanical Garden in the middle of town that has the biggest bonsai collection in Africa – very impressive and well worth a visit. Entrance to the garden is only R10 per person. On our last day, we took an early meander along the Krom River and explored one of the many Jonkershoek Nature reserve trails. We made a last cappuccino in our room before check-out and then headed back to Cape Town International airport.
Using The Den Apartments as our base for exploring Stellenbsoch was a good decision – it really is a perfect choice if you are looking for affordable, classy and upmarket self-catering accommodation with round-the-clock security and secure off-street undercover parking.
Contact: manager@thedenstellenbosch.co.za, enquiries@thedenstellenbosch.co.za T: +27 66 297 4358 www.capesummervillas.co.za
win!
a getaway valued at R6 700
You stand the chance of winning a two night stay for four people, sharing a two-bedroom apartment at
The Den in Stellenbosch
TO ENTER:
Scan the QR code with your phone or fill in the entry form for The Den in Stellenbosch at mediaxpose.co.za/6-rovesa-competitions
Competition closes: 30 November 2021
