Constantia Uitsig

Only a 20 minute drive from Cape Town’s city centre, the vineyard-dotted hills of the fertile Constantia Valley – home to the oldest wine estates in South Africa, are surprisingly close to the city – and yet, seem a world away. Nestling in the shadow of Table Mountain, this is the area which Simon van der Stel, the first Cape Governor, chose to cultivate and develop in 1685. Today, Constantia Uitsig produces only 17,000 cases of superior wine a year and it is also renowned for its tantalising gastronomic delights.

Encircled by 60 hectares of age-old vineyards, the beautiful Constantia Uitsig Hotel can only be described as a luxurious country idyll. Boasting sweeping mountain views, the hotel offers the perfect combination of rural seclusion, charming service and gracious Cape hospitality. Sixteen garden rooms furnished with elegant simplicity, each have their own private patio – perfect for languid afternoons in the glorious sunshine, whilst sipping a glass of chilled Semillon.

Constantia Uitsig really is 'foodie heaven', with three superb restaurants! The River Café serves beautiful picnics, light lunches and sumptuous breakfasts in the shadow of ancient Oak trees. Constantia Uitsig Restaurant, housed in the estate’s old Cape Dutch homestead combines the robust flavours of Italy with an exotic Asian influence. The sublime, La Colombe, three times voted the ‘Top Restaurant in South Africa’, offers innovative Southern French-inspired cuisine complemented by a superb wine selection.

At Constantia Uitsig, the bliss is in the detail... fluffy white towels, roses freshly picked from the garden, deep drapes and snug chairs combined with the fine array of Constantia Uitsig wines and the mouth-watering cuisine – all ensure a stay of sheer sensory indulgence.

PRICES Prices from £75 per person per night twin share in Garden Room including breakfast. Flights from the UK from £589 (including £120 tax) with South African Airways