Franschhoek is a multi-faceted town with so much to explore, and a centralised base is the ideal place to do that from. Franschhoek Boutique Hotel is perfectly placed – almost exactly midway up the main road, yet it remains a peaceful oasis away from the bustling town centre.
The six-roomed hotel is almost apartment-like in its set up, which gives it a home-away-from-home feel.

The rooms are individually decorated with tasteful furnishings that shy away from the staid, and are instead contemporary and vibrant.

Each has its own personality and has been designed to a theme; the room we stayed in entitled “Palm” was a cocoon of calm. Art Deco palm frond wallpaper (reminiscent of Hinson’s ‘Martinique’, which has iconically adorned the walls of the Beverly Hills Hotel for years) covers the bathroom walls.The tropical design is completed with rich textiles in copper tones and other stylish finishings

Despite it being a cold winter’s night, the decor lent a feeling of tropical warmth that was totally welcome. The citrusy, floral aroma of neroli (from the amazing Geodesis oil diffuser) gave the room a gorgeously inviting scent that completed the feel. If you’ve had a busy day of sightseeing you can enjoy a power shower or draw a hot bath in the free-standing bathtub and have a luxurious and well-deserved soak.

Each room has a Juliette balcony which opens up to views over the Franschhoek mountain range. If the weather is a little cold, as it was when we visited, then light the internal fireplace which not only brings warmth but a lovely ambiance too.

Rooms have a mini-bar and coffee-making facilities, and as you would expect from any Franschhoek establishment worth its weight, a fantastic selection of local wines in the room as well.

Breakfast is served in the lounge area downstairs when it’s cooler and spills out onto the internal courtyard during warmer months. On offer is a selection of cereals, fruit and pastries, as well as a hot menu. It wouldn’t be right to visit Franschhoek and not have a croissant, and ours were golden, flaky and buttery. In fact so delicious, my partner had two! We also enjoyed a hot course of eggs Benedict with local salmon trout, as well as a fry-up of crispy farm bacon, sausage, herbed rosti and perfectly poached eggs. Rounded off with a locally roasted Terbadore cappuccino, it was definitely the right way to start the day.

FBH is conveniently located almost on the doorstep of where the Franschhoek Wine Tram boards, so after breakfast you can make your way out for a day of wine tasting in the area. If you’re not quite ready to get into wine at that time, all the boutiques and galleries of Huguenot Road are literally only steps away. On Saturday mornings the Franschhoek town market is also just a short walk away. The hotel also offers undercover parking, which in the busy town can be elusive, so you can leave your wheels behind and set out on foot.

Hotel Manager Llewellyn is a warm and welcoming face and he and his team ensure every guest enjoys a wonderful stay in town. There is a reason Frasnchhoek is one of my favourite places to visit – it’s the comfortable, understated luxury of a place like FBH, complemented by warm, friendly service that make it the complete package.

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