How Jewelers Are Leading the Next Generation of Design Hotels
"Meticulous attention to detail goes into designing each piece of Graff jewelry. But it can work on a bigger scale too. Such is the case at the Delaire Graff Estate, a bonafide classic high above Stellenbosch. Its high-altitude vineyards and excellent terroir combine to make first-rate vintages, the winery has its own restaurant with gunshot views of the smoky-blue Simonsberg mountain range, and a cluster of designer boutiques includes one of the smallest Graff stores in the world. The 10 lodges—brilliant examples of artisanal craftsmanship conjured by the David Collins Studio a decade ago—are so in demand that six new ones have just been added, all with heated pools and their own displays of original art and photography. For king-of-the-castle sophistication, there’s the enormous four-bedroom villa, carved into the mountainside, with a 45-foot pool. The gallery-like wall space has been filled with Laurence Graff’s personal selection of works from his vast collection of contemporary South African art: Find William Kentridge charcoal drawings and other masterpieces alongside mid-century-style furniture by Vladimir Kagan and side tables by artist Atang Tshikare. Delaire’s spa is fabulously well run, and guests settle into their surroundings on hiking and biking trails below the Botmaskop Peak, returning to roam the sculpture-filled estate gardens. This may be a high-achieving big hitter, but it’s totally rooted in the landscape and local culture. —Jane Broughton"
