La Residence
This larger than life family owned small luxury hotel within a farm property in the gourmet village of Franschoek in South Africa’s Winelands was a delight. Someone once told me,
Buitenverwachting Restaurant
Although we had visited Constantia, an upscale Cape Town suburb, a number of times over the years we first heard about Buitenverwachting by chance while dining with a local foodie who mentioned that the restaurant had recently been refurbished. Lady luck was with us: we still had time to visit the restaurant before leaving Cape Town on our way to the Garden Route and the restaurant was able to accommodate us. It turned out Buitenverwachting, meaning “beyond expectation,” exceeded our expectations.
Birkenhead House
Named after the Royal Navy vessel HMS Birkenhead, the navy’s largest iron ship in 1852 which carried one hundred and thirty crew members and four hundred and eighty seven soldiers, Birkenhead House stood guard over Walker Bay in the tiny town of Hermanus as if waiting for survivors. We arrived there at midday following a pleasant drive from its sister property La Residence in nearby Franschoek through a mountain pass and along the green rolling hills of South Africa’s wine country. The luxurious boutique hotel was in a residential area of the village known domestically for its outstanding sightings of southern right whales.
Asara Wine Estate and Hotel
It was 10:30 on a Sunday night when we first arrived at Asara in the hotel’s VIP vehicle, a new smelling Bentley. Even in my exhausted state (we had been traveling for more than 34 hours) I appreciated the beauty of the car and silently thanked the person who sent such an automotive jewel to collect us at the Cape Town airport. As we arrived at the property all I could think of was a comfortable bed. In spite of my tiredness I noticed the pretty light lined drive leading to the hotel’s main entrance and made a mental note to explore the property the next day.
Sedona
Named for the wife of T.C. Schnebly, the area, at an elevation of 4,500 feet, is best known for its famous red rocks and vortexes or energy centers which appeal to spiritually oriented people many of whom have made the town their part time home. Having visited Sedona in the heat of summer’s low season it’s hard to imagine the town of 14,000 and one main street with four million visitors a year said to pass by the area.
