Lekkerwijn Historic Country Guest House

In September (2022) we spent 4 days in the wine country on the Western Cape. Inspired by reviews on Trip Advisor, we booked two nights at Lekkerwijn, the other two nights to be decided later. However, when we checked in, we were immediately taken by this cottage much as it reminded us of our family’s country house in the Dutch IJssel valley. So, we booked the additional two nights on the spot. Lekkerwijn is located just off R45 between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, pretty much across the street from Boschendal, the historic winery which we had gotten to know on previous trips. Tucked in the back of the main 18th century cape-style manor, the cottage was quiet and comfortable and the staff under supervision of Spasie Alkaster friendly and capable. Rolling, 4-hour blackouts, known euphemistically in the area as “load-sharing”, provided a minor inconvenience as we did not use any of the appliances available in the room. Hence it did not affect our overall 5-star rating. However, for a “self-catering” cottage, the lack of a back-up generator could be a nuisance for visitors who, in fact, want to cook their own meals and chill their Chenin Blancs. The good news: there are plenty of good and affordable restaurants close by, including a couple at Boschendal. More about Boschendal elsewhere but suffice it to say here that on the Friday of our stay, the winery had resumed its seasonal Friday night open market with wine tastings, food stalls, and live entertainment that, despite early spring cool weather, was enjoyed by a nice mix of locals and tourists. Highly recommended! At the end of our visit, Spasie gave us a tour of the main building that includes 4 very spacious rooms that despite having up to date facilities, still breathe the atmosphere becoming of this historic gem. Next time, we will be tempted to try one of those!