Spectacular views from Zevenwacht Country Inn

First and foremost, Zevenwacht is a wine producer, but there have been many restaurants in the beautiful and historic Manor House over the years, perhaps most famously when Keith Blake ran it some years ago.

Accommodations are in the form of self-catering cottages, chalets and the Zevenwacht Country Inn where we stayed while attending a wedding at neighbouring Langverwacht - once part of the original farm and among the earliest granted to Huguenots.

The Zevenwacht brand now also encompasses a shopping mall and various residential developments in the vicinity.

Restrained decor

While graded four-star on account of there being no room service, the Country Inn rooms are furnished to a five-star grade and I was very impressed with the quality of things like the timber joinery and soft furnishings. Based on the languages we heard at the excellent breakfast served in the Manor House, the vast majority of the residential guests were from Germany and Holland and I can see how the restrained quality of the decor would appeal to this market.

The spectacular views from the rooms and from their carefully and cleverly positioned outside patios are over the cascading vineyards, the city and then onwards to Table Mountain. Established planting keeps any snoopy neighbours from spying on you while you're on your patio.

There is a free shuttle service from the Country Inn to the Manor House which is either an easy walk down the hill, but less easy on the way back, especially if you stuffed yourself, as I did on breakfast.

Until recently there was a cheese dairy at Zevenwacht and you will still see the signs. I was very much looking forward to it as even though complimentary wine tastings are offered to all guests, I missed out as I don't drink.

There's a tennis court and a "club house" next to the pool with loungers to soak up the sun, but what I missed was having staff at hand at all times.

I know many guests prefer being left to their own devices but for me one of the pleasures of being away is to have a myriad people scurrying around every imaginable want.

Elegantly formal accommodation

In terms of feel, lodge accommodation errs on the side of being elegantly formal - timber joinery (not the usual melamine chipboard stuff most hotels use), English-style botanical prints for curtains and original artwork of the estate on the walls.

I really liked having a large dressing room with plenty hanging-space (and those dreaded don't-steal-me-please-hangers), drawers and a large safe, as well as lots of storage space on shelves in the bathroom. I love that there is a private loo with an opening window inside the bathroom.

There is the privately run Mangwanani African Spa on the estate, as well as many family-friendly activities such as water flume rides that were set up the weekend we stayed and a permanent kids play area. The estate attracts many day visitors for their picnic and braai options (all catering and beverages must be purchased from Zevenwacht so no outside refreshments are permitted).

There is an MTB cycle route and we saw many people jogging and running around the estate first thing in the morning.

For more, go to www.Zevenwacht.co.za.