Having spent a decade shedding its reputation for tour buses and conference groups, the opening of the reimagined Spier Hotel marks the final step in Spier Wine Farm’s metamorphosis into a boutique destination. In many ways, it is the final piece of the puzzle; the keystone that holds it all together.
Design That Tells a Story
As I step into the luxury hotel’s new reception area – luggage whisked from my hand and swiftly replaced with a glass of Cap Classique – the transformation is immediately apparent. Here, elements of Cape country heritage shine through a modern lens: screed floors and beams nod to the Cape Dutch aesthetic, while contemporary furnishings and artworks fill the space with colour and creativity. A vast mural by earth artist Hanien Conradie frames the reception desks, just one of over 1 000 pieces on display across the estate.
These public areas, along with the two renovated restaurants, are the work of Sophie Douglas and Lucy Watkins from the London-based studio Fusion Design, who worked closely with the family owners of Spier to organically weave the key elements of the estate into the look and feel of the space.
“The owners don’t like hotels – they like homes. So that idea of ‘home’ had to be central,” explains Sophie. “From the very beginning, they asked, ‘How do we tell our stories?’ That was the big brief: where and how does the storytelling come in? It needed to be woven into the design – subtle and immediate.
Despite the bustle of the hotel, the lobby’s homely central hearth forms a natural gathering point in the crispness of a Cape winter. Off the lobby, a curated boutique – a smaller version of the Cowshed shop on the estate – is filled with bespoke local creations.
Across the property, the hotel feels familiar yet reinvented. While most redevelopments aim to expand, Spier Hotel has reduced the number of guest rooms from 155 to just 80, reinforcing a boutique approach to hospitality.
Although the original Georgian-style room blocks remain, brick pathways and landscaped gardens create a more village-like atmosphere.
Craft, Comfort, and Conscious Interiors
Indoors, the rooms and suites have been reimagined thanks to the deft touch of Marguerite Louw Design, who has infused the spaces with contemporary interiors defined by organic tones, local textures, and handmade furnishings that pay homage to Cape heritage and the lush landscapes of the farm. The embroidered scatter cushions from Casamento balanced neatly by refurbished and upcycled pieces from the original hotel.
“Being resourceful and pushing myself to think a bit harder not only reduced the carbon footprint of this project but also freed up the budget to spend on crafting bespoke details,” says Marguerite. “In my experience, constraint very often leads to better design.”
Wellness Rooted in Terroir
Marguerite was also the creative force behind the new spa, where the Cape floral kingdom takes centre stage, informing both the aesthetic and the wellness philosophy. From the apothecary-style emporium welcoming guests, the herbal teas served in the serene relaxation lounge, and the botanicals picked from Spier’s own fynbos gardens, there’s a deeply rooted sense of terroir in the wellness offering.
That is best discovered at the Cape Herbal Bath House, where guests surrender to a three-hour ‘bathing ritual’; a multi-sensory wellness experience that rolls from a hot-slab massage and salt scrub, to steam and hot-stone therapies infused with the healing oils and aromas of Cape botanicals. It’s all set in vintage-style space with handcrafted tiles, marble basins, and antique brass windows.
Farm-to-Table Dining with Global Soul
Spier has always been a pioneer of regenerative farming in the winelands, and that philosophy underpins Spier Hotel’s new culinary offering.
The Garden Room offers casual daytime dining with a menu that leans happily into the flavours of heritage Cape cuisine.
Alongside, VELD delivers a more refined dining experience; an elegant space where an open kitchen and a cascade of greenery combine with saffron banquettes and intimate tables.
The menu’s seasonal dishes are curated with produce from Spier’s extensive food gardens and pastures, and what can’t be grown on the farm is sourced from local suppliers who share a similar sustainability ethos.
Beyond its farm-to-table philosophy, the menu draws on global inspiration. Deconstructed mushrooms are given an Asian twist in pickled shimejis, and a roasted Kashmiri masala cauliflower steak packs a punch.
For dessert, try the Cape Malay koe’sisters or the Kalahari Broffie, a seductive brandy tart with coffee crémeux, espresso ice cream and brandy snap crumble.
Wine, Naturally
Of course, wine remains at the heart of the Spier experience and the curated wine list offers both by-the-glass options and vintage gems.
Hotel guests are invited to sensory tastings in the Wine Library or can head upstairs to the rooftop bar for sundowners served with views across the estate to the Stellenbosch mountains.
