La Petite Ferme Manor House Review: Luxury Awaits at the Franschhoek Boutique Hotel
The Franschhoek Valley isn’t exactly an undiscovered gem. Everyone and their gran knows the beauty of the Franschhoek winelands and we’ve all waxed lyrical about the food at the reliable old favourites in the area. But, even in the familiar, it’s still possible to discover something new and oh-so-exciting.
While already a popular wine and food destination for those in the know, La Petite Ferme still manages to remain a hidden gem for eager explorers who have only scratched the surface of Franschhoek’s wine wonderland.
Perched on the slopes of the Oliphants Pass and Middagkrans mountain range, La Petite Ferme is a favoured Franschhoek destination because of the property’s reputation for providing a phenomenal guest experience and unparalleled vistas.
Without a doubt, the mountainside estate boasts some of the most incredible views in Franschhoek. Whether you are sitting poolside at the hotel or enjoying a meal on the restaurant’s veranda, the view from La Petite Ferme never gets old. Situated less than three minutes from the village of Franschhoek, La Petite Ferme is the perfect getaway for both summer and winter escapes.
My first visit to the luxury boutique hotel and wine estate did not disappoint. As an invited guest I was fortunate enough to be amongst some of the first to experience a night’s stay at La Petite Ferme’s newly refurbished manor house suites.
This exciting new accommodation offering complements the existing, popular vineyard suites, which together have taken the already celebrated property to new heights.
Inside the suites, the original traditional-style furnishings and décor have been upgraded with modern accouterments in neutral colours and sophisticated prints, complemented by luxurious textures and accents.
Each suite has been individually decorated in a theme from different regions of the world, with each also featuring a unique feature-wall to really bring the theme to life.
New beginnings at La Petite Ferme’s Manor Suites
Four months of extensive renovations saw the four suites of the estate’s historic manor house on the Franschhoek mountain estate being completely overhauled, with the addition of a fifth suite to accommodate more guests. Formerly renowned for its Cape Vernacular style in both look and feel, the interiors are now far more contemporary and upmarket.
The five suites cater to the most discerning of guests and are named as a special dedication after people who have inspired the owner of La Petite Ferme. Guests have the option to stay in John & Carol, Foufi, Helene, Andre or Sryani with a Deluxe Standard Suite, Superior Suite, Deluxe Premium Suite, and two Deluxe Luxury Suites available.
Additionally, all the Manor Suites offer luxuries and carefully considered conveniences such as underfloor heating in the bathrooms, heated towel rails, WiFi, smart televisions, under roof terraces and air-conditioning.
I spent the night in the Deluxe Luxury Andre Suite, a extra-large suite accented with touches of emerald green decor pieces and texture-rich bouclé furnishings. The suite’s mini-bar area adds a lovely homey touch, giving guests plenty of excuses to enjoy their time spent in the suite. A jar of freshly baked rusks sits alongside speciality coffee, a coffee capsule machine, bar fridge, and high-end crockery to round out the high-end feel of your surroundings.
Another highlight of the Andre Suite was the minimalist bathroom. Complete with rain shower and a generous half-egg-shaped bath, the large bathroom in the suite offered a high-end spa-like experience. With a bathroom like this to enjoy, I made sure I found time for a soak in the tub before dinner. I put the complementary bath salts to good use, emerging at the dinner table as a perfectly relaxed version of my former stressed self.
Views to die for
The exterior has undergone a complete overhaul too, but with the original style and appeal retained. The suites’ verandas have been re-done; the pool enlarged; and the garden area modernised, to offer guests outdoor luxury to match the experience of the plush interior.
Each suite opens onto its own private terrace overlooking the pool and the valley below. The shared pool takes full advantage of the views and has been expanded, resurfaced and modernised. Each veranda offers a different ambience for guests to enjoy; some have built-in daybeds and dedicated sun lounge pockets on which to relax and savour the view.
It is here, on my private veranda, where I spent most of my free time during my short visit. While we weren’t blessed with sunny skies, even the overcast weather and trickle of rain couldn’t stop me from enjoying the wondrously comfortable, covered outdoor sitting area.
On the day of our arrival, I made sure to soak up the majestic mountains and vineyard views just outside my door. Wrapped up in a blanket, with a glass of wine in hand, the couch on my little terrace was the perfect spot to get lost in a good book.
The view just outside the backdoor of every suite is so special, I even made sure to wake up especially early before breakfast the next morning, to allow myself time to enjoy a cup of coffee on the veranda and soak up every minute of the breathtaking view.
With its romantic setting, the Manor Suites at La Petite Ferme are ideal for a couple looking for a weekend getaway to celebrate a special occasion, birthday, engagement, or anniversary.
For more information on La Petite Ferme accommodation offerings and to book a stay at the Manor Suites click here. La Petite Ferme offers South African Resident Rates from 1 May 2023- 30 September 2023 (with a minimum two-night stay over weekends and South African school holidays). Rates include Full English breakfast, daily 3-Course set menu dinner for 2 guests, Minibar, and complimentary WiFi.
Eat your heart out
In addition to beautiful accommodation options, La Petite Ferme produces world-class hand-crafted wines and is also home to an award-winning restaurant. While La Petite Ferme is in exceptionally good company, with some of the country’s best-rated restaurants as neighbours, the farm’s award-winning restaurant definitely holds its own against the best of the best.
Over our 24-hour stay, we ate all our meals at the La Petite Ferme restaurant and were fortunate enough to try a variety of the dishes on offer over lunch, dinner, and breakfast. With each meal, the kitchen delighted us with visually dazzling dishes that were as much a feast for the eyes as they were for our taste buds.
If you’re of the opinion that eating good food while drinking exceptional wine is one of life’s greatest pleasures, then you’ll absolutely adore everything La Petite Ferme brings to the table.
Serving country cuisine with a fresh contemporary touch, the menu at La Petite Ferme’s restaurant will allow you to indulge your inner gastronome. To conjure up these creative dishes, the kitchen team revels in the joy of experimenting with various flavours, ingredients and textures to create an authentic menu showcasing seasonal produce from the area.
Memorable bites
My standout dishes from the spring/summer lunch and dinner menu were the beef Bobotie Parcel and Crispy Squid starters. The Bobotie Parcel was a delicious celebration of Cape Malay cuisine with banana chutney, mustard jus, turmeric gel, verjuice dressing and toasted coconut shavings coming together to create the perfect combination of sweet and spicy that Bobotie is so well loved for.
The Crispy Squid is a delight for seafood lovers like me and combines fresh and tart flavours in a masterful way to start your meal off with a bang. You can’t go wrong with this dish which is served with pea puree, pickled ginger, salmon roe, rooibos tea-vanilla sauce, topped with a ponzu white wine sphere and squid ink coral tuille.
For mains, the Pork Belly is a showstopper that you won’t soon forget. I adore anything with Asian flavours and this meaty creation delivers everything you know and love about Asian cuisine with a delightful fresh twist. The confit pork belly is lovingly slathered in a sticky Asian glaze complemented by baby corn, mange tout, and a lemongrass and coconut broth. Candied chilli peanuts add a satisfying crunch to the Asian-inspired dish.
Leave space for dessert if you love showstopping finishers. The Dark Espresso Chocolate Mousse is a must-order. This dish, served with a blueberry jelly, white chocolate crumb, candied orange, and meringue will shatter your expectations of a chocolate mousse dessert. It’s a lighter take on the traditional heavy dessert and is the perfect ending to a meal if you’ve chosen rich options for starters and mains.
For hotel guests, the next morning brings the delight of a La Petite Ferme breakfast. Per-night accommodation rates include a full English breakfast including an individual mini buffet for each table. Our breakfast menu offered a choice of hot breakfast dishes made to order with options including French Toast, a Smoked Trout Sandwich, and a warm Breakfast bowl.
While we waited for our hot breakfast orders to arrive we indulged in the bountiful spread on our table — tucking into fresh fruit, yoghurt, cured meats, cheese, and freshly baked treats like croissants, bread, cinnamon buns and muffins. The continental breakfast spread was so generous it could have easily sufficed as a satisfying start to the day, having the hot breakfast was the cherry on top of an already impressive offering.
For the hot breakfast option, I chose the Benedict — the obvious choice when you’re deliberating over what to order. It was the promise of roosterkoek that won me over and I was salivating at the thought of a soft poached egg served with Hollandaise sauce, wild rocket, and bacon on a hot-out-the-oven bready delight. With the addition of the freshly-baked home favourite, this divine dish turns an international classic into a South African delicacy that is sure to delight both locals and international guests.
Come for the views, stay for the hand-crafted wines
The unmatched views at La Petite Ferme may be what brings you in the door, but it’s the wines that will have you lingering a little longer. The hand-crafted wines from this intimate boutique-style cellar are truly exceptional. Managed by winemaker Wikus Pretorius, La Petite Ferme offers a full range of wines which includes red, white, rosé and Method Cap Classique.
The Franschhoek area is well known for its terroir that produces wines loved for their subtle yet full-flavoured characteristics. At La Petite Ferme, each wine delivers on the promise of being an exceptional example of what the Franschhoek terroir has to offer.
My personal favourites from the wines we tasted were the La Petite Ferme Sauvignon Viognier 2021 (available with the 6 wine tastings) and the La Petite Ferme Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2021.
If you only taste one thing, I recommend you make it the Chardonnay. The 100% Chardonnay is made from 60% grapes from the Franschhoek Estate and 40% from Elim which, we were told, add minerality and freshness to the richness of the Franschhoek fruit. If you love a traditional full-bodied Chardonnay, then this will be right up your alley.
La Petite Ferme offers two wine-tasting options for wine lovers to sample the range and find their favourites. At R100 per person for four wines and R150 per person for 6 wines, you can sample a good selection of the range with formal tastings taking place at 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 15:15 most days. Pre-booking is required.
Ready to taste the wines? Visit the La Petite Ferme website for more information on the wine-tasting offerings and to book.
For foodies who are after an extraordinary dining experience, don’t miss out on the exclusive Wine & Food Experiences presented by La Petite Ferme. Come to La Petite Ferme’s Chef’s Table (from May to September) and Themed Food and Wine Pairing evenings (from April to September) and savour sublime dishes with local and international wines throughout the year and be prepared to be dazzled! Find all the details here.
If you’re after a winter holiday, then take advantage of the La Petite Ferme Great Winter Winelands Escapes offer. Visit in winter 2023 with up to 40% off on winter rates for South African residents when booking direct with La Petite Ferme. For non South African Residents, book direct and linger longer. When you book 2 nights on the winter rates, they’ll gift you the 3rd night complimentary! Find all the details here.
