There’s something very special about booking an entire property for the family or group of friends to enjoy and call home while on holiday. La Rive in Franschhoek, a six room luxury villa with exquisitely tended gardens and gracious reception rooms is certainly the perfect place for just that. Offered as an exclusive rental in the heart of Franschhoek, it is both decadently indulgent and informal, making it the ideal place to which to retreat.
Invited to enjoy High Tea there with a group of media, I arrived to a warm welcome and chilled glass of pink bubbly that was served by the resident butler Enslin. The beautifully decorated lounge was filled with flowers and 12 seater the antique dining room table heavily laden with decadent treats and spoils, cucumber and salmon sandwiches, pastel coloured macaron, decorated cupcakes, cut fruit and assorted teas. All the masterful work of charismatic chef Wayne.
After a welcome and introduction, we took a tour through the house and the garden, before settling outside to enjoy the view towards the mountains. I sat there sipping on my mint tea, dreaming of what it would be like to stay at La Rive … With professional management living on site, wonderful dining from a Chef Wayne, full butler and concierge services, nothing is too much trouble. It really is a place of excellence where time can easily be forgotten.
More about La Rive
When the owners first bought La Rive in 1993, it was barely recognisable from what it has become today. They spent the better part of 2 years renovating and developing their dream Winelands home before completion by Easter 1995. Today, La Rive has been transformed into an incredibly warm and homely villa that resembles a marriage of colonial English and traditional Afrikaans heritage. Considering it’s only a block off Franschhoek’s Main Road, you’ll be amazed that you can’t see any form of human habitation from any parts of the garden, swimming pool or outside verandahs. Only mountain views.
A marvelously eclectic mix of Victorian, Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture and furniture, as well as numerous pieces from famous South African artists such as Neil Rodger, Gregoire Boonzaier, Edward Wolfe and Dylan Lewis on display, illustrates Brett’s passion for art collecting. He adds, “It’s how I imagined the house would have evolved if the family who built it had lived here forever.”
Step outside onto the spacious, airy patios where the inviting swimming pool will provide you with a refreshing respite from Franschhoek’s hot summer days. Venture further and you will stumble upon an enchanted, lush garden that could very well be the one from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden”. With numerous paths leading to various alcoves, benches and lawns, you’ll be able to disappear for some quiet time, meditation, or even a romantic moment.
Each room has a personality and character of its own, and no two of the antique bedside tables are alike. A live-in chef and butler will provide you with 5-star continental breakfast and world class service, complete with all the luxuries and amenities one would expect from a villa like this.
The quintessential luxury Cape Winelands villa, La Rive Franschhoek http://larive.co.za/ has opened for exclusive-use bookings. Tucked away in sprawling private gardens on 2,5 acres of land, the traditional, privately owned Cape manor house offers privacy and security, yet is within walking distance of Franschhoek’s restaurants and other attractions.
Designed with deep verandas and a covered terrace with several lounge and dining areas, La Rive provides a warm and welcome home to families or groups of friends travelling together. Its bespoke, elegant interiors are a marriage of colonial English and traditional Cape Dutch heritage within a contemporary colour palette showcasing collection pieces by artists from across the globe and an alchemy of classic and artistic influences throughout the villa.
The Accommodation
La Rive Villa accommodates up to 12 guests in six luxurious suites with private bathrooms. The Manor House includes the spacious master bedroom suite, as well as two loft rooms, one accommodating up to three guests which are ideal for children sharing. In addition, three private garden cottages are individually decorated to each offer a double bedroom with a patio.
The epitome of comfort and unsurpassed quality, the generous living area within the Manor House boasts a high thatched ceiling and doors opening out onto the gardens and the protected pool terrace. An indoor wood-burning fireplace heats up the open plan living area on cosy winter evenings, while in summer, tranquil, shady verandas lend itself perfectly to relaxed dining and entertaining. Other special features include a grand piano, a TV room with flat screen TV and premium TV channels, as well as a fully equipped integrated kitchen staffed by a professional chef, leading to poolside barbeque areas and a pizza oven.
Serviced by a borehole, the beautifully landscaped garden features rolling lawns, Koi Fish ponds, a vegetable garden, interesting water features and lush fairy-tale corners ideal for exclusive weddings, celebrations, small scale special events, and photo shoots.
La Rive, a luxurious, exclusive, six-bedroomed villa located in the heart of picturesque Franschhoek.
An encounter with understated opulence and sensory delight that will make you wish you never had to leave.
The Essential Details
- More on the website at http://larive.co.za/.
- Call 082 905 7946, or email to info@larive.co.za, address is 29 Dirkie Uys Street, Franschhoek.
- Forming part of the La Rive portfolio that is managed by luxury villa expert Alexis Gillis at alexis@gillis.co.za, seasonal rates range between R42 000 and R58 000 per night fully inclusive and exclusive.
- To stay in touch check out their Facebook page.
- The property is also rented out for small-scale weddings and photo shoots, the backdrops and gardens providing the perfect setting for either.
- If you’re looking for the fabulous equivalent in the city, look at La Rive Penthouse in Mouille Point.
- The bulk of the pics supplied. Credit: Hamish Niven Photography and Amour & Lace.
- For press queries contact FIVESTAR PR Luxury Travel & Hospitality Specialists’s Janie van der Spuy at hello@fivestarpr.co.za and www.fivestarpr.co.za.
