La Grenadine

"Set the scene for us: Where is this hotel, and what does it look like? What's the vibe?Stumbling across a quirky little hotel (five rooms and a self-contained cottage), squeezed into a restored 19th-century farmhouse in a walled garden, seems too good to be true. It’s down a quiet cul-de-sac, but minutes from Kloof Street’s hopping nightlife and restaurant scene. Through a wooden gate, you enter La Grenadine’s private garden with vintage garden chairs in the shade of an old orchard of guava, avocado, pomegranate, and lemon trees. The French owners, creative couple Maxime & Mélodie, have recreated a little piece of Provence oozing with Gallic charm in the middle of Cape Town. Edith Piaf vinyl on the record player wafts across the shady garden, terra cotta pots overflow with flowers and herbs, and a couple of barefoot children frolic on the grass. It’s rather idyllic! Sounds divine! Who's staying here?European models and families with young children. Well, those are two opposite ends of the spectrum. But we digress—how was check-in?The place is owner run, so don’t expect a seamless hotel check-in. You may have to holler to get someone’s attention, but that's part of the attraction—it feels like you’re staying with friends. There's always someone around to answer questions or point you in the direction of a lunch spot or yoga class. That's helpful. Now, onto the good stuff: Tell us about your room.Two of the five rooms are upstairs, so obviously have the best outlook. From Room 4, you can walk out onto a shared terrace and gaze at Table Mountain and Lion’s Head. Furnishings are the owners' picks of secondhand, vintage, and contemporary pieces that work to create a charming whole. A revitalized cast-iron Victorian bath has pride of place alongside a dreamy looking bed made up in French hand-embroidered white linen. We can't wait to see it ourselves; that sounds so cute. How about the room service, and the food, more generally?A traditional French breakfast is included, and shouldn’t be missed as almost everything is homemade. Croissants, pain au chocolat and baguette are all freshly baked, there are French cheeses, ham from Hartlief, the local German deli, fruit salad, homemade muesli and yoghurt, freshly squeezed juices, jams and good coffee. It’s all served on antique Meakin crockery. The Meakin crockery really does it for us. Any other services or features you'd like to shout out?There’s no pool, but the city’s beaches are close enough to take a dip. The garden is sometimes used for modeling shoots, and the owners occasionally organize tango evenings, poetry or literature readings, or outdoor movie nights. The two-bedroom cottage is ideal for families. They can frolic safely in the walled garden. Parking is limited, so it’s best to Uber or take a cab, but there is so much within walking distance you may not need to." - Jane Broughton