Jan Harmsgat

Jan Harmsgat is truly a breed apart: offering only ten rooms, it sits on its own 680 hectare farm in splendid isolation. Much of the land is uncultivated and as such there is lots of indigenous wildlife roaming free, including Black Wildebeest, Springbok, Grey Rhebok and even ostrich.

Popular with locals and travellers en-route, the restaurant which sources over 70% of its ingredients from the estate, has an independent reputation as one of the best in the area (and this being the Cape Winelands, competition is stiff indeed). It’s pretty tablecloths on the patio set off the glorious mountain views beyond, or opt for the cool shade of the interior on warmer days.

The farm is one of the oldest in the region, being granted the status of ‘freehold farm’ as far back as 1723, which is where the unusual name comes from (it’s a corruption of Jan Harman’s Schat, meaning Jan Harman’s Treasure). Wine has been stored and made at Jan Harmsgat for over 300 years and the food reflects that rich heritage.

There’s a wonderful lawn-encircled pool surrounded by lavender bushes and pretty grounds and gardens to stroll in – but we found the staff here to be among the friendliest and most engaging we’d ever met, this truly sets Jan Harmsgat apart is the genuine warmth of its team—from reception to restaurant, the staff offer a level of hospitality that feels rare and heartfelt.

They offer three different room types: the four Classic Quarters rooms are in their own beautiful thatched building, a short walk down an avenue of pergolas from reception. The Executive Suite is an enormous room in the hayloft of what is now the wine-tasting building and the Superior Suites sit in their own more modern buildings. Each one is furnished in a wonderfully creative style, including some daring contradictions of style and colour which really work well. We particularly enjoyed the creative abandon of the shower tiling in one of the Classic Quarters, set with fresh flowers from the farm for a guest’s arrival later that day.

Sustainability: Most impressively, Jan Harmsgat has earned (and sustained) the coveted Fair Trade in Tourism Accredited status, meaning that the entire business is audited in terms of its sustainability to people and planet every two years – every detail of the way Jan Harmsgat operates, from staff contracts to water usage, is in line with global best practice.

Children: They accept children of all ages.

Mobility: There is an average of one to four stairs to most rooms.