My birthday is in winter, which as a child, was a bit of a bore. It meant I could never host a pool party or have a slippery slide to spend the day skinning my elbows on. But as an adult, I’ve come to appreciate the opportunity to snuggle up with a bottle of wine and a couple of slices of birthday cake. Not to mention the fact that a birthday breakaway seems all the more inviting with some of Cape Town’s most luxurious hotels offering winter rates.
Winter is not the time to lock yourself in your house and wish for summer. It’s the time to spend rainy Saturday mornings with your hands wrapped around a big mug of something steamy in your favourite coffee shop. The time to book a room at a luxury hotel and spend the weekend ordering room service and running bath after bath.
I contacted a few of my favourite hotels to make sure you know all your options before deciding where to book your winter break.
CAPE TOWN’S BEST LUXURY WINTER RATES
BABYLONSTOREN
One of the most beautiful farms in the Cape, Babylonstoren in Franschhoek is home to rustic luxury, gourmet seasonal food, gorgeous winelands views and very photogenic orchards. It’s the perfect place to really unwind, have a long bath, sit and watch the fire blazing in your in-room fireplace or stroll through the garden. Read about my visit last year here.
Winter offer: Monday – Thursday Stay
Guests who stay from Monday to Thursday, can choose one of the following treats at no extra cost:
one dinner per person per stay (excluding beverages and gratuity)
OR
a back, neck and shoulder massage per person per stay
Winter offer: Stay 4 pay 3
Spend three nights tucked up in a luxurious farm hotel room and only pay for 3.
Winter offer: Last-minute offers
From time to time Babylonstoren has some last-minute offers – you can email them here to find out more.
Rates:
R3900 per farmhouse suite
R4400 per one-bedroom suite
R4800 per one-bedroom cottage
R7200 per two-bedroom cottage (maximum four guests)
Valid between 1 May 2016 and 31 August 2016
Contact info:
+27 (0) 21 863 3852
[email protected]
THE MOUNT NELSON
A Cape Town icon, the Mount Nelson Hotel is timeless, luxurious and right in the heart of the city. At 117 years old, The Nellie has a certain air of sophistication, with plush rooms and spectacular views. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love their special Chef’s Table dinner in the heart of the kitchen as much as I did. Read about my stay there last year here.
Winter offer: The Suite Life
Enjoy a bottle of Cap Classique and sumptuous afternoon tea for two in plush sofas in the hotel lounge.
R 3 795 per room, including breakfast.
Winter offer: The Epicure
A five course meal for two at Chef’s Table restaurant in the heart of the hotel kitchens, or an elegant dinner under a chandelier of shooting stars accompanied by Henry Dike’s piano classics in Planet Restaurant.
R3 795 per room, including breakfast.
Winter Offer: The Spicy Life
Librisa Spa’s Signature Back and Neck Massage for two, with your choice of Kalahari’s aromas of tsamma melon, aromatic dune blend, wild honey or koi san. Later, in your room, spicy bath oils, fragrant candles and rose petals.
R3 795 per room, including breakfast.
Winter offer: Simply Sublime
Overnight stay followed by a sumptuous breakfast in the Oasis bistro with spectacular views of the hotel’s gardens.
R3 295 per room or R 3 795 for a spacious suite.
Valid 1 May 2016 – 30 October 2016
Offer valid for South African residents only.
Contact info:
+21 483-1000 and ask for the reservations department
The 12 Apostles
If you don’t want to drive far, but you’d like to get out of the city, this one is for you. The views are incredible and there’s nothing better than falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing and rain falling. The 12 Apostles spares no cost when it comes to luxury, so expect them to ask you what your favourite colour is, and how firm you’d like your pillows. Dreamy! Read about my visit last year here.
Winter offer: Spa Winter Glow
Following a warming ‘soup of the day’ lunch in The Café Grill, including freshly baked bread and a glass of wine, choose one of three indulgent 60-minute treatments – either a Manicure and Pedicure; B| Harmonised body treatment; or an Elemis facial. At an additional charge, the mani-pedi and B| Harmonised treatment can also be enjoyed in the striking Spa Mountain Gazebos overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. A relaxing stay in one of The Twelve Apostles’ elegant rooms or suites, plus full English breakfast with freshly harvested oysters and sparkling wine the following morning, round off this indulgent spa treat.
From R2020 per person sharing per night.
Winter offer: Detox & Delight
Allow for important ‘time out’ and includes a detoxifying 60-minute traditional Rasul experience to revitalise both body and mind. Taking place in The Spa’s Rasul Chamber, the skin smoothing self-treatment blends mineral rich mud, steam and heat to provide a cleansing, rejuvenating experience. Guests can then tuck into a light spa lunch including snacks from the Health Bar, before retreating to their cosy room for a restful night’s sleep. A full English breakfast with freshly harvested oysters and sparkling wine the next morning completes this blissful break from daily routine.
From R1765 per person sharing per night.
Winter offer: Dinner and a Movie
Choose from Azure Restaurant’s three-course Choice Select Menu before settling into the hotel’s very own 16-seater cinema to catch a beloved classic or the latest Hollywood blockbuster. The unique film experience would not be complete without a selection of treats, including popcorn, sweets and a rich hot chocolate or milkshake of the day. Guests are also welcome to turn their special date night into Overnight Dinner and a Movie by checking into one of The Twelve Apostles Hotel’s romantic guest rooms or suites, followed by a lavish breakfast with freshly harvested oysters and sparkling wine the next morning
From R1545 per person sharing per night, including dinner, movie and snacks).
Winter offer: Hibernate to Rejuvenate
Accommodation; full English breakfast with freshly harvested oysters and sparkling wine; a 40-minute Head and Shoulder Massage per person; and a one-hour session in The Spa’s hot and cold water plunge pools and salt water floatation pool that is said to equal the benefits of several hours of sleep. Indulge in a three-course dinner from the hotel’s Choice Select Menu in Azure Restaurant or the Café Grill, prepared by Executive Chef Christo Pretorius and can catch daily movies in The Twelve Apostles’ private cinema, where you’ll be served popcorn, sweets and hot chocolate. On chilly winter days the fireplaces in The Leopard Bar invite guests to get comfortable with a drink and a range of board games.
From R1595 per person sharing per night; minimum stay two nights.
Winter offer: Stay 4 Nights and only pay for 3
Includes daily breakfast and complimentary access to the spa facilities.
Winter offer: Celebrations Package
Perfect for that extra special day – be it a birthday, anniversary or family event. The offer includes accommodation; full English breakfast with freshly harvested oysters and sparkling wine; a three-course dinner from Azure Restaurant’s Choice Select Menu; a one hour session in the heated and cold water plunge pools and salt water floatation pool at The Spa; and a choice of two of the following treats – romantic rose petal turndown, bottle of sparkling wine, celebration cake, B| Africa spa gift, or a mini snack platter to enjoy while watching the sunset. At an additional cost guests can further personalise their stay with a wide range of amenities, from a bouquet of flowers to a special Twelve Apostles ‘Tea by the Sea’.
From R1740 per person sharing per night.
Contact:
Tel: +27 (0)21 437 9000
Email: [email protected]
One comment
lovely read, i tend to hibernate during winter but i think i could come out of my cave for this 🙂