Grande Roche

About Hotel

The largest inland town in the Cape Province, Paarl, is about 45 km from Cape Town, approximately 40 minutes by car. Renowned for its illustrious past and unrivalled scenic beauty, Paarl is dominated by 3 huge granite domes,forming part of Paarl Mountain, and the Berg River which flows through the town.

The history of Paarl dates back to 1657 when Abraham Gabbema visited the Berg River valley on one of his exploration trips inland from the Cape settlement. Gabbema stumbled into this beautiful valley after a rainstorm and seeing the glistening granite domes, promptly named it De Paarl (The Pearl), a name which stayed till today.

Paarl is the heart of South Africa’s winelands and boasts the headquarters of KWV (Cooperative Wine Growers’ Association) and the start of the Paarl Wine Route. Annual events like the Nederburg Wine Auction, The Festival of the Vine, KWV Canoe Marathon and Paarl Golf Tournaments attract nation-wide interest.

Accommodation

The immaculately restored 18th century hotel offers 29 luxury suites and 6 executive rooms with features such as thatched roofs, bamboo and yellow wood ceilings. The slave quarters of the old farm have been converted into five luxury Duplex Suites. These are also family suites, as up to 2 extra beds may be made up in the lounge area for the kids. Eighteen suites are dotted around the estate. Trailing vines overhang private terraces that have spectacular views of the vineyards and valleys surrounding the hotel. The elegant Terrace Suites are designed with luxury and comfort in mind - the perfect "home" for a longer stay! Six standard rooms with individual features are situated in the charmingly restored coach house and stables of the estate. Each has a garden terrace with a magnificent view of the Drakenstein Mountains.

Restaurants

The magnificent manor house forms the heart of the hotel and houses Bosman’s Restaurant, a world-class award-winning restaurant. Surrounded by an elegant ambience, you’ll find the mood gracious rather than intimidatingly formal. The food is consistently delicious, offering an honest, contemporary gourmet and vegetarian cuisine. A superb wine list to accompany every palate and expert sommelier’s advice is part of the highly professional service standard. The new Allegro is the casual Restaurant for the more relaxed dining experiences. 

Hotel Facilities

Facilities include a conference centre, art gallery, small boutique, two swimming pools, health centre, and an intimate historical chapel. The health centre with steam bath, sauna and the hotel’s own masseur offers total relaxation. There is wifi in all public areas and laptops are available from our Guest Services Desk. With two golf course and some of the Cape’s top wine estates nearby, this hotel is the perfect base for exploring the entire Cape Town environs.

Activities and Attractions

Activities include the rejuvenating relaxation at the Kraal Fitness Centre, cycling through historic Paarl, swimming, tennis, golf, jogging, hiking and walking, horse riding, parachuting, hot air ballooning, helicopter flights, fishing, scuba diving and a variety of water sports.

Tailor-made tours give you the chance to get behind the scenes of award-winning wine estates and to forge friendships with the talented and warm-hearted people that make it happen. Private Tours in the Wine lands with Vintage Cape Tours.