A weekend away, is there anything better to help restore body and mind? Nic and I had yet to take a trip since becoming parents (our little boy is already two and a half years old). But that’s where fabulous grandparents come in. We decided on a little staycation, just for one night – Ash, OK, I’ll be honest, Nic and I probably couldn’t manage more than one night away from him. I booked a stay for us at Hawksmoor House, a mere fifteen minutes from Stellenbosch -the perfect place to launch the new Weekends Away series on the blog. So, here we go, first time away from our Bun… Hello Hawksmoor House…
As I mentioned, Hawksmoor is super close to Stellenbosch, situated on a 220 hectare working wine farm, Matjieskuil. A restored Cape Dutch building makes up the Manor House, with two friendly German Pointer dogs greeting you upon arrival. There are 15 en-suite rooms, all individually decorated. The Seed Room, which makes up the set of rooms separated from the Manor house, would be ours for the night. Surrounded by large groves of lavender bushes and planters of succulents, it made for pretty scenery. The room was basic but pleasant – linen, cream and blue striped curtains draped the windows, a bookcase housed a number of classics on its shelves and a sweet little tea and coffee nook ensured you receive your coffee fix any time of the day or night. A door leading onto an outside patio made for a pretty view of Table Mountain and surrounding farmlands. The bathroom included a bath and shower, again, with a splendid view. The underfloor heating was a nice added touch.
Guests are free to roam the vicinity of the farm and the Manor House acts as a common area for guests, including a TV room as there are no televisions within any of the rooms. Should you wish to have dinner on site, dinner (and breakfast) are served at a communal dining table. We opted to drive to Stellenbosch for nibbles simply because we don’t get out much and wanted to make the most of our little trip – we did however sample the cheese and meat platter which was delivered to our room. Within the Manor House is a reading room, which also houses an Honesty Bar – help yourself to snacks and drinks and write down what you have taken. The bedrooms within the Manor House looked particularly lovely and I would request to stay inside one of them on our next visit. The staff are friendly and more than happy to accommodate requests.
Due to water restrictions the large pool had been drained with the water made use of elsewhere on the farm. There is a smaller pool though which makes a great spot to sip on a glass or two of Hawkesmoor’s own wine blends, harvested and produced on the farm.
I particularly enjoyed my morning walk around the property before breakfast, having found many nooks and crannies that deserved an Instagram moment or two. Speaking of breakfast, you can expect a selection of croissants, muffins, toast, yoghurt and fruit, along with orange juice, tea and coffee. A hot breakfast order is also taken, should you so wish, with the likes of omelettes, scrambled or fried eggs, bacon, sausage and mushrooms available.
All in all, Nic and I left Hawkesmoor House feeling super recharged and ready for the next round of toddler vs parents. We literally cannot wait for our next little Weekend Away.
Matjieskuil Farm, R304, Stellenbosch
(021) 884 4815
Happy Weekends Away x
