About this hotel
General information
La Residence is the intimate Franschhoek Valley address of The Royal Portfolio, set on a private estate of around 12 ha in the Cape Winelands. Manicured gardens, a pond, orchards and vines fill the grounds, and the Drakenstein and Franschhoek mountains close the valley on every side. The estate still works as a farm: its gardens supply the kitchen and its own vineyards produce the wines poured for guests.
The interiors were conceived as a private home rather than a hotel. Every suite is decorated differently, blending eclectic European antiques with the warmth of a family house, and more than 150 works of art hang throughout the house. La Residence is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Suites and facilities in the main house are for guests aged over 10, while the Vineyard Suites welcome children of every age.
Location
The estate lies in the Franschhoek Valley in the Western Cape, about 75 km from Cape Town, which makes it an easy base for the wine estates of the Cape Winelands as well as for the city and the Cape Peninsula. A hotel shuttle runs guests to and from the centre of Franschhoek village, and the Pearl Valley golf course is 25 minutes’ drive away.
Spa
La Residence Spa is a small wellness space with a double treatment room, where therapists offer a range of therapies from the house wellness menu; treatments can also be given in the privacy of a guest’s suite or on its balcony.
Sports & leisure
The estate and the valley lend themselves to walking and cycling, and the programme mixes wine, landscape and art:
- estate walks past the vines, herb gardens and orchards, home to guinea fowl and miniature horses;
- tastings of La Residence and other South African wines with the sommelier, and visits to wine estates across the valley;
- ten hiking trails in the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, plus bicycles and e-bikes for rides through the village;
- horse riding through vineyards and orchards, and golf on nearby courses, Pearl Valley among them;
- helicopter excursions: mountain picnics, coastal flights with seafood tastings, landings at wine estates, whale-watching flights and hops to Cape Town;
- the Franschhoek Motor Museum at L’Ormarins, and galleries of contemporary, African and classic South African art;
- day trips to the coast, the Cape Floral Region, central Cape Town and the V&A Waterfront.
For children
Children can join farm activities, cooking sessions, arts and crafts and a flower-arranging class on the estate, and the team arranges outdoor outings and age-appropriate adventures around Franschhoek.
Restaurants & bars
Seasonal menus draw on the estate’s own farm and small producers in the Franschhoek Valley, with a wine list chosen by the sommelier:
- The Great Hall — dinner beneath chandeliers, amid Victorian tiles and open fireplaces;
- The Loggia — lunch overlooking the pond;
- Cellar Door Experience — a private five-course dinner in the underground wine cellar for 4–10 guests;
- Chef’s Table — a six-course South African menu paired with wines, the estate’s own vintages among them;
- afternoon tea with sweet and savoury bites and scones with clotted cream and farm jam;
- breakfast, poolside lunches, summer picnics in the garden and dinners on a suite’s own terrace.
Swimming
The estate has a heated pool, where lunch can also be served. Each Vineyard Suite has a pool of its own, and Vineyard Suite guests also share the pool of the communal Terrace Room, which has indoor and outdoor dining areas, a kitchen and a bar.
Rooms
Accommodation is split between the suites of the main house (Luxury and Superior) and the freestanding Vineyard Suites among the vines, each with a living and dining area, covered patio, private garden and pool. Every suite is individually decorated and has its own bathroom.
Suites have underfloor heating, a safe, TV, telephone, international adaptors, a hairdryer, a minibar and tea and coffee facilities, with air conditioning in the main-house suites.
Luxury Suite
A main-house suite with valley views and a bathroom with bath and shower; king-size or twin beds. Sleeps two adults.
Superior Suite
A spacious main-house suite with a king-size bed, a bathroom with a bath and a private balcony or verandah facing the mountains or vineyards. Sleeps two adults.
One-Bedroom Vineyard Suite with Loft
A two-level vineyard suite with the main bedroom downstairs, a loft bedroom with two single beds, a living and dining area, covered patio, private garden and pool. Sleeps two adults and two children.
One-Bedroom Vineyard Suite
A one-bedroom suite among the vines with a living and dining area, covered patio, private garden and pool. Sleeps two.
Two-Bedroom Vineyard Suite
Two bedrooms and a living and dining area opening onto a covered patio, private garden and pool. Sleeps four.
Three-Bedroom Vineyard Suite
Two large bedrooms plus a smaller children’s room, a living and dining area, covered patio, private garden and private pool. Sleeps four adults and two children.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.