Hotel
Cape Town, Cape Town & the Winelands
Ellerman House
An Edwardian manor house and two cliffside villas above Bantry Bay, built around a private art collection and a dedicated Wine Gallery.
Price on request
Hotel · Cape Winelands, South Africa
Leeu Estates
A 24-room country house and working winery set among the vineyards of the Franschhoek valley, with its own spa, wine studio and gallery.
Overview
Leeu Estates is a 24-room country house and working winery in the Franschhoek valley, part of South Africa's Cape Winelands. The rooms and suites are spread across the Manor House, Max House, Protea House and a series of private cottages, each individually furnished with bespoke pieces, wool-and-sisal carpets and layers of linen, horsehair, leather, wood and stone. Bathrooms are marble-clad with double vanities, rain showers, heated towel rails and underfloor heating throughout.
Guests dine at The Dining Room, which is open to residents and to those visiting the spa or wine studio, where the kitchen draws on produce grown in the estate's own vegetable, herb and fruit gardens. La Petite Colombe, a sister restaurant to La Colombe in Constantia, also operates on site. The Wine Studio, run in partnership with Chris and Andrea Mullineux, offers tutored tastings of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, including Signature, Single Terroir and Leeu Passant sessions, with one complimentary tasting included per guest per stay. Leeu Spa has four treatment rooms, a heated plunge pool overlooking a lily pond, and a gym equipped with TechnoGym machines.
The grounds include two 15-metre swimming pools, nature trails along the river, mountain and vineyards, and the Bokkie Garden, planted with sculpture by South African artists. An Everard Read gallery on the Fynbosch quarter of the farm shows large-scale sculpture among the fynbos and vineyards, alongside a purpose-built indoor gallery and an artist residency studio and cottage. Indaba, a meeting and event space with its own terrace, is available to in-house guests for private functions.
- Rooms
- 24
- Minimum stay
- 1 night
- Check in
- 15:00
- Check out
- 12:00
Why we like it
- 24-room country house and working winery in the Franschhoek valley
- Wine Studio tastings of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, with one complimentary tasting per guest per stay
- Leeu Spa has four treatment rooms and a heated plunge pool overlooking a lily pond
- Two 15-metre swimming pools and nature trails along the river, mountain and vineyards
- Everard Read gallery showing sculpture across the fynbos and vineyards
- Named among the best hotels in Africa in Condé Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards (2023 and 2024)
Gallery
Rooms & suites
Categories shown for orientation. Your travel advisor will confirm which are available for your dates and recommend the one that suits the trip.
Classic Room
Found in The Manor House, Max House and Protea House, these rooms offer views across manicured gardens, the farm dam, orchards, vineyards or mountains to the village of Franschhoek. Each has a king-size bed, convertible to twin, a writing desk, a sitting area and generous wardrobe space.
42 m²Up to 2 guestsKing-size (convertible to twin)Gardens, vineyards or mountains viewDeluxe Room
Located in The Manor House and Cellar Cottage, these rooms look over manicured gardens and vineyards, or towards the Franschhoek mountains and village.
55 m²Up to 2 guestsGardens, vineyards or mountains viewStudio Room
Each Studio Room has its own terrace and fireplace. Located in The Manor House, above Leeu Spa, with easy access to the spa, gym and pool, or in the free-standing Pomegranate Cottage, with views of gardens, vineyards and mountains.
63 m²Up to 2 guestsGardens, vineyards and mountains viewExecutive Suite
Situated in The Manor House and Max House, each suite has its own separate lounge area and fireplace, with views across manicured gardens and vineyards to the mountains.
94 m²Up to 2 guestsGardens, vineyards and mountains viewManor House Suite
This suite has its own separate lounge and a spacious outdoor area looking onto mountains, vineyards and the Artemis and her three dogs sculptures, with a private installation of Thinker by Guy du Toit nearby. Features include a hot tub, fire pit, fireplace, a private access path to the Spa and a telescope for stargazing.
115 m²Up to 2 guestsMountains and vineyards viewTerroir Cottage
A two-bedroom cottage with a private enclosed terrace, suited to families with young children or couples. The setting combines older and newer elements of the estate's architecture.
103 m²Up to 2 guestsFynbosch Cottage
Set among acres of vineyards against the slopes of the Dassenberg Mountain, Fynbosch Cottage has a private landscaped garden, a plunge pool, an outdoor hot tub and a timber pergola veranda. A dedicated butler is provided for the stay.
130 m²Up to 2 guestsVineyards and mountain slopes viewMax House
Housed in an original gabled Cape Dutch building surrounded by vineyards, Max House has a courtyard with a private garden, an Executive Suite, two interleading Classic Rooms, a living room with fireplace and a dining room. A pantry and kitchen are available for a private chef.
213 m²Up to 2 guestsVineyards view
Amenities
- Leeu Spa
- Leeu Gym
- The Dining Room
- La Petite Colombe
- Wine Studio
- Everard Read Gallery
- Indaba meeting venue
- Two swimming pools
- Nature trails
- Founder's Cellar private dining
- Edible gardens
Reserving through us
Included when your travel advisor confirms this stay
- Daily breakfast for two
- Room upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Property credit or equivalent where the house offers one
- Early check in and late check out on request
- Welcome amenity and your travel agent known to the general manager
Eligible preferred amenities are applied wherever available, subject to the property at the time of stay, and are confirmed in your proposal.
Location
Cape Winelands, South Africa
A city under a mountain, Atlantic beaches and wine estates forty minutes away.
Questions
- Can guests who are not staying at Leeu Estates eat at The Dining Room?
- The Dining Room is normally reserved for resident guests, but those visiting Leeu Spa or the Mullineux & Leeu Family Wine Studio at Leeu Estates are also able to join for lunch or dinner.
- What facilities does Leeu Spa include?
- Leeu Spa has four treatment rooms, including a premium suite, two couple's rooms and a single room, along with his and hers changing areas, an infrared sauna and a heated plunge pool overlooking a lily pond. A fully equipped gym with TechnoGym equipment is also on site.
- Are children allowed to stay at Leeu Estates?
- Children are welcome. A cot can be provided in any room except the Manor House bedrooms, which are suited to children aged 13 and older. Younger children can be accommodated on a sofa bed in selected rooms, with policies varying by age group.
- How many rooms does Leeu Estates have?
- Leeu Estates is a 24-room country house and boutique winery in the Franschhoek valley.
- What wine tastings are available at Leeu Estates?
- The Wine Studio offers three tutored tasting options, Signature, Single Terroir and Leeu Passant, presented by dedicated hosts. One complimentary tasting per guest per stay is included.
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