Leeu Estates

Hotel · Cape Winelands

Leeu Estates

Hotel · Cape Winelands

Dassenberg Rd, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa

Highlights

Plush rooms & suites in a hotel set on a wine estate, plus elegant dining, an outdoor pool & a spa. On a wine estate in the Franschhoek Valley, this upscale hotel is 68 km from Cape Town International Airport. Luxe rooms offer sitting areas, and marble bathrooms with heated floors, plus free Wi-Fi, flat-screens, minibars, and tea and coffeemaking equipment. Upgraded rooms feature fireplaces and terraces, while suites add separate living rooms. There's room service 24/7. An elegant restaurant with a fireplace serves posh international cuisine, plus afternoon tea. There's also a hip bar with a wood-burning stove, in addition to a glass-enclosed eatery which serves breakfast and tapas. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, a spa and a gym.

Dassenberg Rd, Franschhoek, 7690, South Africa Get directions

leeucollection.com

@leeucollection

@cntraveler

"Tell us about this place. What should we know from the outset?A whitewashed Cape Dutch–style cellar at Leeu Estates and Spa in Franschhoek is the perfect setting to taste Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines. It's a collaboration between wine industry pioneers from the Swartland region, Chris and Andrea Mullineux, and Leeu Collection owner Analjit Singh. Uncluttered and stylishly spartan, the wine studio is an intimate space, with several tables for two and two large tables for 10 to 15. It’s worth peeking at the art collection, too, which includes many life-size bronzes and paintings largely by South African artists. An art collection—that's a nice touch. What are the other patrons like?Everyone here is interested in wine—fine wines in particular. About half the guests are international—folks who will gamely pay to have their favorite bottles shipped directly to their door. Got it. Speaking of favorite bottles—how's the vino? They're especially known for their Chenins and Syrahs, beautiful and elegant wines that stand up to any Old World wines. Each selection is a true expression of the Swartland, a wine region north of Cape Town known for its maverick winemakers. Perfect. Can we get a bite to eat here, or should we nosh on something beforehand?There’s no food in the wine studio; the focus is exclusively on the grape. There are, however, breadsticks to cleanse the palate, and a plethora of restaurants nearby in the village of Franschhoek. Alright, noted. How about the staff—did they know their stuff?Knowledgeable and educated in wine, the staff all holds qualifications from either WSET, the Cape Wine Academy or PYDA. Everyone’s very passionate about what they’re pouring, and about viticulture generally. Excellent. Now, tell us: With so many other wineries in the area, why are we coming here?The Leeu tasting studio offers an opportunity to sample highly rated limited-availability wines; in fact, some may be sold out but still available for tasting on the farm in Franschhoek. This is definitely a setting to impress; book a table for two in winter and you’ll be treated to an intimate, romantic setting in front of a warming fire." - Jane Broughton

Leeu Estates

View Postcard for Leeu Estates

@cntraveler

"Leeu Estates is known for its cozy retreat atmosphere during the low season in Cape Town, where guests can enjoy a goblet of Pinot Gris while chatting with legendary winemakers Andrea and Chris Mullineux. The estate offers an only-in-the-low-season experience with its crisp air, clean surroundings, and the unique smell of fynbos shrubs."

Winter in the Winelands Is South Africa's Best-Kept Secret

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@cntraveler

"The Gallic-inflected village of Franschhoek has been transformed in recent years, most of it due to the efforts of a wealthy Indian businessman who fell in love with the town and began investing heavily in it. Leeu Estates, a 17-room hotel and winery on a 168-acre estate in Franschhoek, is just one manifestation of that love. The elegant manor house doubles as a private gallery filled with paintings and sculptures from some of South Africa’s top contemporary artists (a Lionel Smit painting in the dining room, a Beezy Bailey sculpture in the foyer, and Angus Taylor’s massive bronze and granite figure titled Reflective Resonance in the garden). Don’t miss a complimentary tasting at the Wine Studio: the estate’s Mullineaux & Leeu Family Wines are constantly hailed as some of the best in the country." - Sarah Khan

3 Best Day Trips From Cape Town

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@cntraveler

"A whitewashed Cape Dutch–style cellar at Leeu Estates and Spa in Franschhoek is an intimate, romantic setting in which you can taste the highly rated limited-availability Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines, which are made by Chris and Andrea Mullineux in partnership with Analjit Singh, Leeu Collection’s owner. Uncluttered and stylishly spartan, the wine studio is an intimate space, with several tables for two and two large tables for 10 to 15. It’s worth peeking at the art collection, too." - Jane Broughton

10 Best Wineries & Tasting Rooms in Cape Town

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OSUBuckeyesNJ

Google

We cannot say enough good things about this property. It is absolutely spectacular. The staff is top notch. Specifically, Zim and Marcus went above and beyond to make our stay special. They arranged for an anniversary celebration for us, which was terrific. The breakfast is very good, and offers a lot of choices. We will return!

Sebastian Cancio

Google

We had a lovely stay at the Vineyard Cottage, and honestly, it was on track to be a 5-star review... until we dealt with the checkout process. Our experience was incredibly frustrating and highlighted a baffling lack of common sense. After being asked to get out of my car to officially "check out" and completing that process, we proceeded to the exit. To our disbelief, we were stopped and told we couldn't leave due to another outstanding charge. We soon found out it was a $15 charge for simply opening a bottle from the mini-bar. This was despite the hotel already having our credit card securely on file from our stay. Instead of simply using the credit card they already possessed – which would have been the sensible and convenient solution – they demanded we go back to the lobby to resolve this minor charge. We refused, pointing out how absurd the situation was given they had all our payment details. After a short, unnecessary delay, someone eventually came out with a credit card machine. This entire situation was completely avoidable and unnecessary. A well-managed establishment would simply process such a minor charge on the card already on file and promptly send an updated receipt. Creating a roadblock over a $15 item when payment details are readily available is exceptionally poor customer service and a huge waste of everyone's time. It left a very negative final impression on what could have been an otherwise pleasant stay. Management seriously needs to re-evaluate their checkout procedures and empower their staff with more logical, customer-focused solutions. What could have easily been a 5-star experience was unfortunately downgraded to a 3-star due to this avoidable and frustrating checkout debacle.

F S

Google

We used the Spa at Leeu Estates, we were a bit disappointed at the start because the plunge pool was quite dirty but we had our massage with Alicia and Dieketseng and it was amazing, one of the best we’ve ever had so would definitely go back!

JamesCM2014

Google

An excellent and polished hotel. A lot of time and effort has gone into making this hotel one of the best in the Winelands. We had a great stay in February 2025 and would highly recommend it. ||1. Rooms: very comfortable, luxurious and well thought out. Our room had a lovely balcony looking over the valley, which we really enjoyed using at the end of each day. One minor point - we would suggest the hotel includes some form of music device in the room; we were quite surprised there wasn't a sound system. ||2. Food: we didnt eat at La Petite Colombe (in the hotel grounds), but there main hotel restaurant was very good. It has a lovely terrace for breakfast and lunch, and a varied menu which was delivered well. ||3. Pool/ Spa: pool and spa were excellent. The pool is right on the edge of the vineyards with a lovely view. The Spa just above it and provides a great range of treatments. One minor point - there were at times a shortage of umbrellas, which in the late afternoon can be problematic if the pool area is full given the lack of natural shade. Suggest the hotel gives each pair of sunloungers an umbrella to address this. ||4. Location: great location for exploring Franschhoek which is just down the road. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle in to town each evening. ||5. Service: very good. Everyone knows you by name and really tries to make your stay as great as possible.

LaurieGray_9

Google

We had the most amazing day, morning coffee followed by spa treatments for both my wife and I, wine tasting then a wonderful lunch, while the rain battered down we totally loved our day at the resort - will recommend and look forward to coming back.

andyrF2503ZX

Google

An absolute gem! Beautiful location, exquisite accommodation, fabulous food. The attention to detail is immediately obvious and the pride of the estate staff is infectious. I couldn't recommend this piece of paradise more highly. Lynn, as our host and event organizer, was next level. Thank you Leeu, for an unforgettable experience.

RamblingRambler

Google

I enjoyed my wine tasting at Leeu but was a bit disappointed by lunch - they committed the cardinal sin, and served a totally flavourless curry! It was so dull I left half of it unfinished. The hotel and grounds look quite nice, but for a lunch stop I can't really recommend it.

Christy Linder

Google

Immaculate hedges, shocking service!! We were looking forward to our reservation at petit Colombe and highly disappointed. Coming to the end of our trip, experiencing a fantastic meal at La Colombe constantia and countless amazing wine farms, plus warm welcoming service throughout SA - Leeu estate was a damper on the otherwise stellar places South Africa has to offer. The kindest person on Leeu property was the golf buggy driver. (Thank you for brightening our day with your big smile)! The restaurant food was good! Our server was not - she was completely unfriendly and uninterested in the food she was presenting, rushing us through courses. Upon showing us the wagyu meat it fell out the display box onto our table (plop! Not once, but twice). We planned to tip her regardless but tip was included in the check which explains the lack of incentive … Where we met the end of our patience was at the wine shop. We asked to test their house selects, This wasn’t allowed as it was 5pm and tasting time ended at 4pm. Fair enough. Although there were 10 + people still drinking wine in the tasting room we couldn’t help but feel the “cut off time” Was obsolete. We purchased their best - a recommended bottle of Leeu Passant, despite the snub from the staff to “check the prices first” (without being able to pay for a glass or taste test). We then asked for a buggy (golf cart) back to reception over which the blonde teller had much glee in telling us it’s reserved only for in house guests. Again, absolutely fine had it been said in a friendly way and not a dismissive tone. Especially as the buggy driver had been nothing but friendly and eager to drop visitors off in the heavy wind rather than walk the 15 min to and fro. It was quiet and no other guests were waiting for transport so again, it came across unnecessarily rude, more so in tone and manner than anything else. We left feeling grateful we hadn’t booked to stay (we came close). I hope their staff become more welcoming to both foreigners and locals, attitude is everything and the bad rep will catch up to them soon enough.