Stellenbosch is full of amazing views, storied wine farms, and fantastic accommodation options. I’ve stayed out in the wine country on numerous occasions in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek at the most beautiful of properties. When you have views like this, how can you go wrong?
In 2019, a new wine farm called De Zeven (The Seven in Afrikaans) opened in the Helshoogte pass area which is home to award winning wine farms like Delaire Graff, Tokara, Bartinney, Zorgvliet, Thelema, and Oldenburg. This is also my favorite part of the wine country as I think the views here are just simply stunning and makes the bulk of my one day Stellenbosch wine tour itinerary.
De Zeven is a new estate having only opened in Jan of 2019. It was designed and crafted by the owners as a sort of passion project and the end result really shows. If you’re visiting the wine country for a few nights, or passing through on a big South Africa road trip, then I would not hesitate to book this hotel!
Booking my stay at De Zeven
I booked De Zeven using booking.com which is my go to booking engine for most of my accommodation stays. Normally I book stays at places like Clouds Estate, Banhoek Lodge, Molenvliet etc. but this hotel was a new listing that caught my eye. The pictures looked fabulous, the ratings were solid, and the prices were better than the surrounding options.
I paid roughly $225 per night to stay at De Zeven’s higher end suites that overlook the Drakenstein mountains. There are certainly cheaper options available in the Stellenbosch area but when you’re talking about 5* luxury like De Zeven, I find this to be quite a steal.
As part of my travel planning business, I’ve already booked numerous couples here for their South African honeymoons and what a treat they’re in for!
Arrival and Check in
The wine estate is located just off the main Helshoogte Road. It’s one of the first wine farms as you turn on to Zevenrivieren Road. There is a small sign which could easily be missed but just drive slowly and you’ll see it. The drive up to the estate goes through their vineyards before finally reaching the hotel at the end of the road.
Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted by one of the employees at the estate who took our bags and helped us check in. Check in was a breeze as we filled out your standard forms. We were treated to a complimentary glass of white wine that is made on the premise. Their wine brand, Limoenkloof was quite tasty and readily available for purchase during your stay.
The lobby and common spaces
As soon as you enter the premise, you can see the beautiful vineyards encircling the estate. The manor house is surrounded by an impressive garden with flowers I know not the names of.
As you walk into the main lobby, the exposed brick combined with the beautiful artwork and inviting furniture lets you know you’ve come to the right place.
As you walk out of the main lobby, on your right will be the small dining room along with a deck for the breakfast. We of courses opted to eat on the deck. Next door is a huge room adorned with floor to ceiling metal framed windows allowing for prime views of the mountains. The room is equipped with plush couches, rustic tables and exposed brick that just screams for you to sit down and have a glass of wine while admiring the views.
On the other side of the main lobby area is a long walkway that leads to the barn suites with views of the main garden and pool. To be honest, De Zeven is so well designed, you have a spoil of riches when it comes to choosing where you want to enjoy your glass of wine. The views from seemingly every corner of this place was picture perfect.
Wifi
There is wifi readily available throughout the estate free of charge. I walked all around the wifi and had no connection issues. It was fast enough to have a video call with my parents who were teeming with envy as I gave them a tour of my room and the surrounding views.
The rooms at De Zeven
De Zeven’s rooms are really something quite unique. The estate consists of 5 barn suites and another 6 rooms in the more traditional manor house. I never saw any of the latter rooms but the other guests I spoke to were certainly not disappointed.
I stayed in one of the 5 suites which have a direct view of the infinity pool and the Drakenstein mountains. These 5 rooms are all located adjacent to each other and share the same aesthetics and views.
Upon entering, you can see that the entire room is covered in exposed brick which is highly unusual in the wine country as most places either go for super modern, or a Cape Dutch colonial style. De Zeven’s rooms are open layout rooms with aesthetically appealing wood furniture that matches the rustic brick interior.
The bed is super comfortable with plush pillows and comforters. In the barn suites, you’ll have unparalleled views of the nearby mountains from the comfort of your bed.
You can tell that no detail was spared in the design of these rooms.
The bathroom is fully equipped with a large open space and a rain shower with plenty of room for two. The industrial chic design of the room is finally complemented by the ultimate views of the valley. Floor to ceiling windows will mean that you’ll wake up to the most stunning views of the mountains and valley that you can imagine.
Among the deluxe suites, the higher the number the better the view. Room 11 is all the way at the end and will offer uninterrupted views of the mountains and pool. However, you can’t go wrong with any of these rooms as they are just so well designed and are the perfect place to unwind and relax over a glass of their delicious wine.
The pool and views
De Zeven features a large 20m infinity pool with completely unchallenged views of the mountain range. I spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach chairs while enjoying my numerous glasses of wine.
De Zeven’s infinity pool and deck is a lovely place to relax in the Stellenbosch heat. The deck has enough room for 12 people and was never full during my stay. The pool is a perfect place to take all your vanity and Instagram photos (yes I’ve no shame either). I mean with that view, how could you mess it up?
You don’t even need to know how to pose and you can take the ultimate photo.
The sun sets behind De Zeven, but the hues will reflect off the Drakenstein mountains giving it a dramatic orange highlight.
The breakfast at De Zeven
De Zeven operates as a bed and breakfast so a complementary breakfast is included in the price of the stay. The breakfasts I’ve had while staying in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek have mostly been top notch and De Zeven is no different.
They offer a full continental buffet bar along with a choice of your breakfast entree with options like omeletes, waffles, eggs benedict etc. The buffet consists of various fruits, cold cuts, cheeses, juices, breads, and everything else you could envisage from an picture perfect breakfast. I never met the chef of De Zeven but they definitely come from a high quality fine dining background as the dishes looked fancy but oh so delicious.
The best part of the breakfast? Eating on De Zeven’s beautiful deck that has the same stunning views I had from my bedroom. Eating my delicious omelet with views to match was something I could get used to.
Sadly, I only stayed at the hotel for 1 night but was really sad upon checking out. The owners really wanted to make the place a sanctuary of peace and quiet to get away from it all. I think they succeeded.
Hello! i am brazilian and i will spend my honeymoon in south africa in august. so, which of the two hotels would you recommend to me: De Zeven or clouds state?
I read both reviews and I was very doubtful. Another option would be bonhoek lodge.
thanks
Hey Bianca, if I had to pick one, I think I’d take De Zeven! Both are fantastic options though but I just really loved the whole vibe of De Zeven. I also passed by Banhoek as it was down the street and it looked quite nice as well, although it was on the main street. Another one you should check out is Molenvliet. Let me know what you end up with!