The fact that we had upgraded to 5-star residence was evident as we drove through the gates of Majeka House. It had a slight “Santorini” air about it with large white apartment blocks and splashes of blue brought about by sun loungers and garden furniture.

Owned by the French Dequeker family, Marie-Paule, Jean-Claude, and their daughter, Karine, Majeka House took its title from the first two letters of each of their names. Originally Jean-Claude’s private home, it was transformed into an 18-bedroom hotel. Since opening in 2008, Karine has taken the hotel on as her own, and her obvious obsession with pigs is evident throughout the hotel in the form of sculptures, paintings, and pottery.

We had hardly parked the car before being greeted by a small, friendly woman by the name of Janice. She didn’t waste any time in giving us a tour of the hotel grounds, leading us through the blue and white estate, cactus lined pathways, and past an abundance of pig sculptures, while a friendly concierge efficiently took our bags to our room.

Our first stop on the methodical-Janice-tour was the guest lounge. With the refined feel of a gentleman’s club, the MLounge is filled with bookshelves, giant gold bulbous ceiling lamps, a grand piano, intricate model ship, and high backed chairs and leather couches surrounding a grand fireplace. Soft blue lighting lit up the bar in the corner of the room, illuminating bottles upon bottles of liquor. The MLounge is simply, and inexcusably, a man’s ultimate dream cave.

Post whirlwind tour, Janice left us to admire our room, one of the two Mountain View Suites, which wasn’t so much a room as an apartment. A passageway leads into a spacious semi open-plan bedroom and lounge where a 4-poster bed doesn’t accept anything less than lazy lie-ins. I’m obsessed with the large television that rotates to face either the lounge or bedroom!

The lounge has comfortable leather couches and a gas fireplace – it was hard to refrain from lighting it before the sun set, but luckily the rest of the room’s treasures became an instant distraction. A short exploration revealed three balconies: the largest is shared with the neighbouring room and opens onto a beautiful mountain view; the second overlooks the swimming pool and veggie garden; and the third comes complete with a pair of royal blue deck chairs, and a superb mountain view.

A note welcomed us by name. Alongside it we found a detailed guide to the facilities and a mini bar stocked with crisps, biscotti, chocolates, biltong, and fine wine. My eyes eagerly surveyed the two bottles of still and sparkling water and rather swish Lavazza coffee machine. In addition to various pods of coffee, we could also order two complimentary hot drinks a night from reception.

The bathroom was my favourite room of all. The grey and white colour scheme is sophisticated instead of dull, and the double shower (with wooden floors and Malee body products), clawfoot bath tub, double vanity, and heated towel rail ensures the ultimate royal treatment. Bath robes wait to swallow you in soft towelling linen.

The room has everything you need to stay cooped up for weeks! And we would have, if the facilities weren’t just as great. We headed down to the outdoor swimming pool which, although rather small, is magnificently clean. It was 4pm, but we decided to enjoy the last few rays of sunshine on the deck chairs beside the pool anyway.

Lured by the idea of the indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi, we then made our way to the main building. With a retracting roof, landscape wall art, and enormous plants, you almost forget you are indoors. We spent a few luxurious hours sipping cocktails (served in plastic cups especially for the pool and Jacuzzi), and enjoying the peace and quiet while our fingers and toes turned to prunes. As we had booked on a Sunday evening, we had the entire place to ourselves. I cherished the feeling of not having to battle other guests for the Jacuzzi!

A short stroll through the garden revealed a large vegetable and herb garden providing fresh ingredients for the kitchen, a stunning allotment with beautifully manicured hedges, ivy wrapped archways, royal blue tables and chairs, large white sun umbrellas, and soldier-like cactuses lining the pathways.

Retiring to our room for the night, we discovered that a turn down service had been done in our absence. A little note bid us goodnight and informed us of the weather for the next day, along with suggestions of what to do. A little block of creamy fudge, whipped up by the pastry chef, was our sweet treat.

When staying in a 5-star hotel, you have to act like 5-star people. And so we ordered a DVD, popcorn, and tea from reception. In less than 5 minutes, a knock on the door announced the arrival of our provisions. We lit the gas fire, slipped on our gowns, and curled up on the couch to watch our movie. Halfway through, we rotated the television towards the bedroom and watched the second half from bed.

I loved the way my feet sunk into the sheepskin rug beside the bed, and the pleasant surprise of warm sheets. The electric blankets had thoughtfully been turned on during the turn down service, and it wasn’t long before the warmth, fine linens, and soft mattress lulled me into a full night’s sleep.

Breakfast

I have never had quite the breakfast feast that we enjoyed at Majeka House, and I’m almost certain that I never will again. The table was laden with all sorts of foods – so much so, that I thought it may collapse from the weight of it. Even the pickiest of eaters would find something to satisfy their bellies here. There was a variety of cereal, muesli, and full cream, low fat, and homemade yoghurt with a variety of fruit coulis, fruit salad, and bowls of roasted nuts and seeds to have with it. If you were too lazy to mix it yourself, there were already-prepared jars of yoghurt, granola and berry compote. Plates were laden with fruit and an assortment of breads. A cheese tray offered Blue Rock, Camembert, Boerenkaas, and Brie. A pastry selection flaunted fresh scones, mini muffins, custard tarts, and French cakes like madeleines, cannelés de boudeaux, financiers, and croissants (some plain and some with jam centres). Sides like cream cheese, whipped cream, jams, and a variety of parma, smoked chicken, brosola, and pork net hams completed the spread.

The beverage choice was just as varied. Champagne was our first choice with a selection of fruit juices to pair with, such as apple, orange, strawberry, and mixed fruit. There was also still and sparkling water, a jug of fruit smoothie, both low fat and full cream milk, homemade antioxidant and green juice bottles, and a selection of tea and coffee.

We piled a little bit of everything onto our plates. As we sat down outside, we were then given a menu with a selection of hot breakfast items. We knew we wouldn’t enjoy such royal treatment again and so we ordered the traditional English breakfast, along with blueberry pancakes which we enjoyed with our glasses of Bellini (strawberry juice and champagne).

We loved…

• The key card which offered all Majeka House guests a free chocolate and wine tasting at Waterford Wine Estate.
• The virtually empty hotel on a Sunday evening – we highly recommend it!
• The Croc slippers available from reception.
• Family friendly rooms: The Mountain View Suites have an inter-leading door and two shared balconies, making it perfect for family stays.
• The jogging routes around the estate (routes and maps are provided in room).
• Not having to leave the hotel room if we so pleased. With entertainment options like a list of DVDs, board games, library of books, Wi-Fi, iPod docking station, kiddies’ movies and storybooks, and PlayStation portables with a selection of games, there’s not much reason to!

A bit about Majeka House

• Majeka House has 12 Premier Rooms, 3 Garden Junior Suites, 2 Pool Suites, and 2 Mountain View Suites.
• The main building holds the Makaron Restaurant, MLounge, a gym with a sauna and steam room, indoor pool, spa, and Jacuzzi.
• A business centre is available 24 hours a day.
• The Majeka Spa is open daily from 08h00 – 20h00.

Makaron Restaurant: rated one of the top 20 restaurants in SA!

The Makaron Restaurant offers fine dining at its best. It has been rated as one of the top 20 restaurants in South Africa by the Eat Out DStv Awards. Enjoy breakfast (07h00 – 10h00), lunch (12h00 – 14h00), and dinner (19h00 – 21h00).

Call to book a table: +27 21 880 1549

Jealous? Book your own 5-star stay at Majeka House in Stellenbosch!