Following the opening of its reimagined luxury hotel, Spier Wine Farm has launched two new standalone luxury villas, marking the final phase in a significant reinvention of the estate.
Because if we turn back the clock a decade or so, Spier was trying to be all things to all people. And mostly, those people arrived in tour buses, stayed for an hour, then left again. If they weren’t on a tour bus, they came for a conference. The estate’s rich heritage and even the wine itself were forgotten amid a blur of animal encounters and African-themed dining. As a wine estate dating back to 1692, it felt like the farm had lost its soul.
But in recent years, everything has changed, with a welcome new focus on heritage, culture and the land itself. Farmer Angus McIntosh has helped to put Spier on the map for pioneering sustainable regenerative agriculture, and the wines from the cellars have gained stature.
The food offering also evolved, with chef PJ Vadas creating a destination dining experience that attracted visitors to the farm as much for his smoked meats as for his superb bakery. Picnic offerings evolved, and the wine-tasting experience became more layered.
The hotel was next, opening in March 2025 with half the number of rooms, new dining experiences and a contemporary aesthetic featuring organic textures and handmade furnishings that celebrate both Cape heritage and the farm’s landscapes.
The final piece of the puzzle opened in November, featuring two spacious villas tapping into the trend towards multi-generational travellers seeking privacy and bespoke service. Happily, Spier offers the added benefit of easy access to all that the estate has to offer.
Although the rooms and suites at the Spier Hotel are a delight, the two new three-bedroom villas — Riverside and Garden — are designed as sanctuaries in the Winelands, more like private homes than hotels, providing a space where you can check in and soak up the exclusivity or use it as a base to explore the estate and surrounding Winelands.
“These are homes designed for travellers who value complete privacy when exploring the world,” says Jacques Erasmus, who guided the interior design. “A villa allows you to dictate every aspect of your stay.”
That experience begins from the moment I arrive, met at the door by the trio of staff on hand in each villa to look after guests.
There’s a private chef who’ll take care of everything from afternoon tea to three-course dinners, a housekeeper for turndowns and fresh pool towels, and a villa host to take care of anything from restaurant reservations to your preferred bottle of wine in the fridge.
And while the service is unfailingly warm, welcoming and authentic, I’d be just as happy doing my own washing up in a space as beautiful as Riverside Villa.
Each villa offers similar amounts of private space, but the bucolic setting on the banks of the Eerste River makes Riverside Villa my pick of the two.
Perhaps it’s because the design by architect Paul Luck of Lightspace melds the villa into the landscape. Step through the front door, and ground-level living spaces flow directly into a wide patio framed by indigenous fynbos gardens. It’s all part of a broader rewilding vision for the estate, overseen by landscape designer Danie Steenkamp.
French doors swing open from lounges, dining areas and kitchens onto generous verandas, drawing you out towards your own heated pool lined with rows of puffed-up sun loungers. Wander a little further and the gardens part to reveal views across the river to vineyards and the distant Helderberg. Come evening, take a seat at the outdoor dining table for magical al fresco dinners. But, a word of warning, pack the mosquito repellent.
The lush riverside setting informs the indoor aesthetic too, which embraces a palette of soft greens and natural, tactile finishes that reflect the water, trees, and birdlife around it.
That is perhaps most evident in the master suite upstairs, where Juliet balconies overlook the pool area and the farm beyond. Here, four-poster beds are adorned with bed throws crafted by artist Ingrid Bolton, created using a centuries-old steaming technique using indigenous plants to create a textured detail that is both handmade and thoroughly local.
“For guests, it will feel like you’re sleeping under the fabric of the garden,” says Jacques.
Creativity is woven into every element of the villas, from artworks curated in partnership with the Spier Arts Trust and heirloom pieces from the family’s private collection to the subtlest interior details.
You might find yourself caressing the softened edges of lime-washed walls or admiring antique objets d’art that line the shelves. In the spacious en-suite bathrooms, walk-in showers feature patterned cabochon flooring that Jacques calls “a way of turning even the most utilitarian of spaces into art”.
The new villas aren’t simply extra keys in the inventory of the Spier Hotel. Rather, they’re a natural final chapter in the farm’s evolving approach to hospitality. Here, the emphasis remains on unhurried stays, thoughtful design and an easy, everyday affinity to the landscape.
“These are spaces that honour tradition while serving modern needs,” says Jacques. “Homes that feel both timeless and immediate.”
