This review is independent and not sponsored
I personally visited this hotel and share my experience with complete honesty
GOWITHROMEO RATING: 9/10 AVG NIGHTLY RATE: $250
Located in the tranquil beauty of South Africa’s Constantia Valley, The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel is a luxurious property spread across two historic buildings on nine acres of gorgeous grounds . The hotel is part of the Liz McGrath Collection and a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group. We spent three nights at the Cellars-Hohenort and truly wished we had booked a longer stay.
LOCATION
8.5/10
The Cellars-Hohenort is located in Constantia, one of the main wine regions just outside of Cape Town. It is conveniently positioned close to a number of wineries and some of the most well-known restaurants in the area, including Chef’s Warehouse Beau, Foxcroft, and La Colombe. In addition, the hotel is about equidistant to Cape Town's city center and the relaxed villages of the cape’s southern peninsula, including Noordhoek, Kalk Bay, and Simonstown, where you can go see the famous penguins at Boulders Beach. While there is nothing really in walking distance, the property is excellently located for a wine and food focused stay and can serve as a base point for trips to the nearby sights and beaches. The Cape Town airport is the closest major airport and is about a 25 minute drive away.
AMENITIES
8.5/10
GYM 6.5/10 The gym at the Cellar-Hohenort Hotel is the only amenity that really didn’t impress. The relatively cramped space is home to a solitary treadmill and one stationary bike and the strength training equipment is limited to a small set of kettlebells and a single set of lighter free weights. The gym does have some natural light, was clean and did have air conditioning, towels, and a water fountain but overall, it was not easy to get a complete workout in.
The Gym at the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel
SPA 8/10 The Fresh Wellness Spa at the Cellars-Hohenort is a nice facility but just know it is not overly luxurious or advanced in terms of its design, treatments, and space. The spa is open daily and offers a range of treatments, including skin treatments, hydrotherapy, body wraps, massages, pedicures, manicures, and waxing. We had a couple of treatments during our stay and thought that they were good, though not amazing.
Massage Room at the Fresh Wellness Spa
POOL 9/10 One of the best features of the property are the hotel's two outdoor heated pools. The larger pool, situated by the Hohenort building, provides a serene view of the gardens and hotel’s vineyard. There are comfortable lounge chairs to relax on and wonderful views of the surrounding gardens, forest, and mountains. The smaller pool is tucked away in a secluded walled garden and is surrounded by blooming flowers, offering a more intimate setting in which to relax. We loved both of these pools and were glad to be able to order drinks and meals from the hotel’s restaurant while we were soaking in the sun.
Cellar-Hohenort Hotel Pools
OTHER Normally, we don’t speak much about a hotel’s grounds, especially as an amenity. However, the grounds of the Cellars-Hohenort deserve mention and recognition as they are just as enjoyable, if not more enjoyable, than any other amenity at the property. Beautiful gardens, a lovely small vineyard, and the incredible landscaping create an idyllic setting in which to relax and immerse yourself in what looks like the grounds of a royal palace. We were lucky to have met an adorable family of wild ducks and some amazing wild turtles, one of whom followed us around for a while. The hotel also features a full sized tennis court, two restaurants, a bar, a hair salon, and garden picnics. It is a pet-friendly property and the hotel staff were lovely and were happy to assist with off-site activities and dinner reservations.
ROOM
9/10
The hotel consists of two charming buildings, the Hohenort manor house and Cellars, each exuding Cape Dutch style and delightful character. We booked the entry-level room using Hyatt points through the World of Hyatt’s partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World and we were given an upgrade to a Luxury Double Room in the Hohenort hotel wing. The charming room's décor emanated classic elegance with soft pastels and muted tones dominating the color palette and tasteful floral wallpaper behind the four-posted king-size bed. The room featured high ceilings and heavy curtains adorning large draped windows, allowing natural light to illuminate the space. Our favorite part of the room was the large balcony with amazing views of the garden and mountains. The bathroom was probably the lowlight of the room. It was a narrow space and while it did have both a standing shower and a tub, the shower floor proved to be slippery and uneven which felt like a dangerous combination. Apart from the bathroom though, the room was really lovely and included other amenities such as complimentary mini-bar drinks, evening turn-down service, very good WiFi, a smart TV with satellite channels, plush bathrobes, upscale bathroom products, a safe, and tea and coffee facilities.
Bedroom
Bathroom
Verandah view
BREAKFAST
9/10
Breakfast is served in hotel’s The Conservatory restaurant which is packed full of plants and greenery and offers beautiful views of the surrounding forest. The room is a delightful space. A classic buffet-style table contains various cold dishes including fruits, nuts, seeds, yogurts, cereals, cold cuts, cheeses, pastries, and breads while hot dishes can be ordered as an included a la carte add-on. During our visit, I opted for the delicious omelets. If not included in the stay, the breakfast comes at a reasonable price of 299 rand (about $16).
