Winter is pretty much here, and that means one thing – it’s time to crank up the cosy factor as high as it will go. Cue: getaway destinations with outdoor hot tubs! Outdoor hot tubs are a total vibe. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of sitting in a beautifully warm tub of water overlooking a wintery nature scene, you’ll know that it’s a special kind of amazing. It’s really no wonder many local accommodation venues have opted to add this fantastic feature to their venue offering lately. To make it super simple to find your ideal soaking spot, we checked out 10 accommodation venues in the Western Cape that bring their A-game to hitting the hot tub high notes.
ARUM LILY COTTAGE & LOG CABINS
Surrounded by honest-to-goodness fruit orchards and situated right on the edge of the farm dam, Arum Lily Cottage & Log Cabins offers luxurious self-catering accommodation, fully equipped with everything you might need for an unforgettable stay. If you’ve ever felt the yearning to make your way to a lake house in Europe, this is going to tick all your boxes. Look out for their Turkish-style hot tubs that are paving a brand-new way for SA hot tub trends…
Where exactly? R46, between Tulbagh and Ceres (near Wolseley)
How far from CPT? 1.5 hours
Price range? From R2200 per unit per night
General vibe? Picture-perfect lakeside cottages
Website: https://arumlilycottage.co.za/
BERGSICHT COUNTRY COTTAGES
Bergsicht Country Cottages offers lovely country-style accommodation in the beautiful Tulbagh Valley. There is the option of staying on the farm, or in the town itself if you’re in the vicinity for weddings and other events. The farm units all have indoor fireplaces and outdoor wood-fire heated hot tubs (except Sunburst, which has a plunge pool), and the town cottages have outdoor tubs as well, so you can take a good long soak regardless of where you choose to stay.
Where exactly? Tulbagh
How far from CPT? 1.5 hours
Price range? From R1150 per person
General vibe? Low-key yet luxurious
Website: https://www.bergsicht.co.za/
BLUE CRANE FARM LODGE
Get this – not only do each of the self-catering farmhouses on Blue Crane Farm have an outdoor hot tub, but they also gave their very own pizza ovens! Gotta love. The newly constructed 2-bedroom farm-style cottages are self-catering, comfortable, warm and well-furnished to the highest standard. Plus, as a super tasty bonus you’ll get freshly baked bread and farm milk delivered to your kitchen door every morning of your stay.
Where exactly? Ou Meul Farm, Van der Stel Pass, Bot River
How far from CPT? 1h 40min
Price range? From R1850 per unit per night
General vibe? Superbly serene
Website: https://www.bluecranefarmlodge.co.za/
COPIA ECO CABINS
Situated in the gorgeous Bot River Valley, Copia Eco Cabins comprises three shipping-containers-turned-eco-friendly-cabins that operate off the grid. Each unit is completely private, with its own amazing fynbos views and outdoor hot tub on the deck which makes it absolutely perfect for romantic recharge missions. Cell reception is wonderfully spotty, so if you’re keen to get away from the pings and dings of constant tech notifications, this is the place to be.
Where exactly? Van Der Stel Pass Road, Bot River
How far from CPT? Between 90 minutes and 2 hours (depending on which route you take)
Price range? R1750 per cabin per night
General vibe? Eco-friendly tranquillity
Website: https://www.copiaecocabins.co.za/
DOOLHOF WINE ESTATE AFRICAMPS
Located within the award-winning Doolhof Wine Estate, AfriCamps at Doolhof is situated just outside the quaint and historic town of Wellington. Here, 6 boutique glamping tents overlook the Groenberg Mountain Range at the foot of the Bainskloof Pass, while the soothing susurrus of the Kromme Rivier fills the air. There are lovely hiking and MTB routes on the farm, so if you like to get a sweat on when you go away, this spot will suit you to a T.
Where exactly? Doolhof Wine Estate, Bovlei Road, Wellington
How far from CPT? 1h20min
Price range? From R1340 per unit per night
General vibe? Mountain-fringed amazingness
Top Tip: AfriCamps is currently running a 3-night special so you can stay longer for less at all their locations. Simply select your dates on the booking system and select the 3-night special before checking out. Available for stays until 30 September 2021. Ts & Cs apply.
Website: https://africamps.com/farm/wellington-africamps-at-doolhof/
KAM’BATI RIVER RESORT AFRICAMPS
AfriCamps glamping tents and outdoor hot tubs look quite similar at all their locations – the difference lies in the amazing spaces in which they stand. Kam’Bati River Resort is a family-friendly haven situated on an Overberg farm about 20km west of Swellendam. Here, the tents stand in a verdant patch of forest close to where the Sonderend River and Breede River meet on the property. The farm is every adventurous family’s dream come true, with opportunities for fishing, canoeing, tube rides on the river, swimming pools with water slides, putt-putt and more.
Where exactly? Jubileeskraal, Swellendam
How far from CPT? 2h 40min
Price range? From R1340 per unit per night
General vibe? So much of family-friendly
Website: https://www.kambati.co.za/africamps-luxury-tents
KOLKOL FYNBOS PODS
When it comes to outdoor hot tubs, KolKol is somewhat of the OG South African destination. These guys were the trailblazers that brought this trend to life locally, and man did they do a good job. Their beautiful cabins also happen to be a wonder of modern design, settling into its fynbos surroundings seamlessly, while still managing to look incredibly cool. 10/10 would recommend!
Where exactly? Van Der Stel Pass Road, Bot River
How far from CPT? 1h40min
Price range? From R 2250 per unit night
General vibe? The most Insta-worthy destination of your entire life
Website: https://www.kolkol.co.za/pods/
KRAKEELPOORT HERBERG
The upcycled eco-cottages on Krakeelpoort Farm are 100% eco-friendly, off the grid and free of Wi-Fi connections, leaving guests free to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the valley and one another’s company. The outdoor hot tubs overlook the green expanse of the pine forests on the farm, and the farm is reachable by conventional car (as opposed to 4×4) even though it lies nicely off the beaten track.
Where exactly? Krakeelpoort Farm, Van Der Stel Pass Road, Bot River
How far from CPT? 1h40min
Price range? From R1600 per unit per night
General vibe? The quintessential cabin-in-the-woods
Website: https://www.krakeelpoort.co.za/
RIETFONTEIN GUEST FARM
Every now and again you want to head to a super relaxed destination where you can kick off your shoes and be yourself. Rietfontein Guest Farm outside of Ladismith in the Klein Karoo is such a place. Here, nature does the talking, and the accommodation has been tailored for optimal enjoyment of the outdoors, including the outdoor hot tubs, of course.
Where exactly? Plathuis Road, Ladismith
How far from CPT? 4h (a bit further out that then rest!)
Price range? From R1590 per unit per night (sleeps 4)
General vibe? Super chilled & lekker rustic
Website: http://rietfontein.co.za/
STANFORD HILLS ESTATE AFRICAMPS
In this case, the AfriCamps location is a vibey wine farm in the stunning Stanford region. Situated on the foothills of the Klein River Mountain range overlooking a pretty dam and the expansive Stanford Valley, Stanford Hills offers an amazing variety of fun things to do. This includes on site wine- and beer tastings, farm tours on horseback (as well as outrides for experienced riders!), scenic river cruises, flying safaris and more.
Where exactly? Weltevrede Farm, Stanford
How far from CPT? 2h30min
Price range? From R1340 per unit per night
General vibe? Vibey wine farm glamping
Website: https://www.stanfordhills.co.za/africamps-stanford-hills/
There you have it – 10 cosy-as-cosy-gets getaway destinations in the Western Cape where you can soak your winter blues away in an awesome hot tub. Book your spot soon; these hidden gems have limited availability and bookings tend to fly in when the icy tendrils of winter begin to unfurl…
CONTRIBUTORS
Featured image: AfriCamps at Stanford Hills
Words | Anna-Bet Stemmet Twitter: @Skryfyster
Editor | Nikki Temkin @nikkitemkin
*All images are the intellectual property of the venues in question.
