For some reason, I never take long holidays in winter. I save up all my leave and blow it on an extended summer holiday, which usually involves a combination of beach, cocktails and sun. To get through the dark days of winter, I plan numerous winter breaks (which invariably focus heavily on wine and food) instead.
Majeka House was the perfect choice for a food-filled weekend stay. It’s a short drive from Cape Town, has a fantastic restaurant, stylish rooms and a great spa. What more could you want?
The vibe
Situated in the peaceful Stellenbosch suburb of Paradyskloof, Majeka House looks like an ordinary sort of hotel from the outside, albeit with a rather lovely garden setting. The outside belies the funky interior: a mixture of Victorian-style chairs and furnishings with a sleek modern look. I loved the eccentric touches, such as pigs of some sort all over the place, from pig statues and bric-a-brac to pig stools. While sophisticated, the hotel doesn’t have any of the stuffiness that a lot of five-star establishments suffer from. Instead, the staff are relaxed, warm and friendly and there’s a laid-back vibe so that you feel you can wander around in your slippers, if you really wanted to.
The rooms
Majeka House somehow manages to combine a super modern look with eccentric Victorian furnishing. Our room was more like a small flat: we had a four-poster double bed facing a wide-screen TV, huge bathroom with his ‘n hers sinks (I do love that in hotel bathrooms – you can brush your teeth at the same time without spitting on each other), stylish grey walls, comfy leather couches AND a fireplace (a big bonus for a winter break). Our room had great views of Stellenbosch’s gorgeous vineyards covered in autumnal-hued vines, and the mountains beyond.
The food
There’s a plush lounge, the M bar, filled with books and interesting armchairs, for drinks and tapas, and a courtyard for sunny lunches. Dinners are at Makaron, the hotel’s glamourous (it actually won a style award last year) French-inspired restaurant. You can indulge in a three-course dinner with wine pairing, or opt for (unusual) beer pairing, as we did.
The food was fantastic. We started with wild mushroom tortellini served with mushroom pesto and cep espuma, paired with Jack Black lager. Then it was grilled prawns with pineapple salsa in a laksa curry sauce complemented with Darling Bonecrusher Wit Beer. We finished off our meal with a delicious cheese plate and preserves. You don’t find beer pairings on many menus, so if you’re a fan of the brew, Makaron should be on your list.
I’m something on an expert when it comes to hotel breakfasts (I’ve had rather a few, and breakfast is my thing). Majeka scores pretty highly. A spread of fruit, cheese, smoked fish and cold meat, yoghurt, cereals, and all manner of tasty baked treats such as brioche, scones and muffins was just the starter. A big cooked breakfast (pancakes or eggs benedict was probably the hardest decision I made all weekend) topped it off.
The extras
There’s a spa with loads of fabulous treatments available, and an indoor swimming pool (for the active weekend types). I tried out the Himalayan crystal salt bed – the first of its kind in the country. Basically, you fall asleep on a warm bed of crystals bathed in constantly changing colourful lights while minerals soak into your skin. By the end of it you’re supposed to be detoxified, purified and thinner. I can’t speak for those effects, but I did feel extremely relaxed, and I think it cured my mild hangover.
It turns out that you don’t really need to leave your room to have a good time at Majeka – they’ll serve you dinner in your room, and offer you board games to choose from. They also have an extensive DVD library, with everything from French films to action blockbusters.
And there’s free Wifi, which is a big bonus in my books – so many hotels charge an exorbitant rate for what should definitely be a free service that ALL hotels offer.
Winter specials at Majeka House
Majeka is offering six winter packages:
One Day Escape to the Winelands for R1 252 per person sharing: a night’s accommodation with breakfast, one session on the Himalayan crystal salt bed, cocktails at the M Bar and a three-course tasting menu dinner and wine pairing at Makaron Restaurant.
Mid-week Macaroon Desires for R1 452 per person sharing: a night’s accommodation with breakfast, one session on the Himalayan crystal salt bed, cocktails at the M Bar, a macaroon making course hosted in the kitchen, and a three-course tasting menu dinner and wine pairing at Makaron Restaurant..
Winter Warmer Weekend for R2 652 per person sharing: a two-night stay in a premier room with breakfast, a Himalayan crystal salt bed session for two, cocktails at the M Bar, followed by a three course tasting menu dinner for two at Makaron Restaurant along with a wine paring, a hot stone massage treatment for two, and in-room dining with a hot cocktail and a DVD or board game.
Two Nights of Guilty Pleasures offer for R2 902 per person sharing: two nights’ accommodation with breakfast, a 45-minute Himalayan crystal salt bed session for two, in-room dining and a hot cocktail, an African Signature Journey spa treatment, a tasty finger lunch at the M Bar, cocktails, and a three-course tasting menu dinner for two at Makaron with wine pairing.
Three-Day Spa Retreat package for R4 152 per person sharing: three nights’ accommodation in a premier room with breakfast, a Himalayan crystal salt bed session, a hot stone massage and a Soul to Soul massage – all for two. The package includes finger lunches and cocktails at the M Bar, a three-course tasting menu dinner at Makaron Restaurant along with a wine pairing. There is also a night of in-room dining with a hot cocktail, followed by the DVD or board game of your choice. On one of the days, enjoy lunch at Pane e Vino restaurant in Stellenbosch (voucher of R400) and dinner at the restaurant of your choice in Stellenbosch (voucher of R800).
All the special winter offers run until September 2012.
Contact
To book, call Majeka House and Makaron Restaurant on tel 021-880-1549; email [email protected] or go to www.majekahouse.co.za.
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