Sizzling summer venues for special occasions
he natural beauty and laid-back country hospitality of the Overberg make it a sought-after destination not only for holidaymakers but also for those looking for a unique setting to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays, reunions, anniversaries, weddings or corporate functions.
There is no shortage of attractive destinations in our area, where the owners are passionate about catering for your needs and ensuring that your special celebration is a unique and unforgettable experience.
STANFORD VALLEY GUEST FARM
Stanford Valley Guest Farm and Conference Centre nestles in the picturesque Kleinrivier Valley, 10 km from Stanford. The property is covered in a wide variety of fynbos, and 250 ha of the 440 ha farm is part of a Nature Conservancy. In this safe and peaceful haven, you can experience a real working farm while enjoying luxury accommodation in one of the self-catering cottages (of which two are family cottages).
All the accommodation is built around a central werf, giving it the feeling of a small village whilst allowing each guest unit the privacy of its own stoep and garden. Up to 44 people sharing can be accommodated in the well-appointed units, which were designed and decorated with your utmost comfort in mind.
This enchanting venue is perfect for family holidays, birthday celebrations, year-end functions, conferences, weddings, retreats, workshops and team-building groups requiring a tranquil and secluded setting. The conference rooms can accommodate groups of up to about 80 delegates and are equipped with a data projector, TV, DVD, screen and flip charts. Catering is also available – in fact, the highly-acclaimed Manor House Restaurant on Stanford Valley Guest Farm is one of its main attractions.
Not only is the Manor House Restaurant voted as one of the top 75 SA restaurants for 2019 by the Gourmet Guide, but the guest farm itself was also voted as Getaway’s top group-gathering venue for this year. From the Manor House, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of the Akkedisberg Mountains while tucking into contemporary country cuisine prepared by the talented Manor House kitchen team. The food can best be described as wholesome and ample – and the team strives to cook only what is close to their hearts and close to their doorstep!
Visit stanfordvalley.co.za
BELOFTEBOS
Beloftebos Wedding Venue is situated on a working farm, Paardenberg, where the sixth generation De Villiers family lives and farms with sheep, beef cattle and flowers. A perfect getaway, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Beloftebos is considered one of the best forest and garden wedding venues that host both ceremonies and receptions.
Everything at Beloftebos has been crafted with love and inspired by nature, providing an idyllic backdrop for your dream wedding. The grove of oak trees just beyond the farmhouse, on the banks of the Paardenberg River, creates the most romantic setting for a unique and memorable ceremony, with the leaves of the huge trees creating a natural green roof, dense enough for the legal signing of the marriage register.
The newly-renovated tented reception area offers unexpected luxury, with a huge fireplace and glass windows with sliding doors. Here guests can celebrate in cosy comfort while being enveloped by the magical forest. Beloftebos’s talented chef, Corneli de Villiers, is available to organise your catering requirements and much of the produce she uses comes from the large organic vegetable garden on the farm. Between 40 and 50 wedding guests can be accommodated in the delightful self-catering cottages.
Beloftebos is also a great choice for conferences in the country, and up to 100 delegates can be accommodated at the venue. Apart from catering and accommodation, a projector, screen and flip charts are also available. With the peace and tranquillity of the beautiful surroundings, you will leave feeling refreshed and revitalised, ready to tackle that new project!
For the adventurous at heart, there are more than 30 km of mountain bike trails on the farm and the surrounding area offers many other attractions, including shark-cage diving in nearby Gansbaai and the Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary, which is only 10 minutes away. For more gentle souls, there is birdwatching, a tractor and trailer trip through the fynbos or a river cruise down the Klein River in Stanford.
Visit beloftebos.co.za for more information.
DE UIJLENES
This unique family-run Overberg venue specialises in forest and barn weddings and is just the place for those looking for a fun, creative, rustic and magical experience.
Nestling in a scenic valley near the seaside village of Gansbaai, De Uijlenes is a working dairy and vegetable farm and has been home to the same family for nearly 200 years. The owners and their team will ensure that your wedding reflects your individual personality and knocks the socks off your guests. Whether you want a magical fairytale, boho festival chic, a rustic affair or just downright quirky wedding, there are a range of packages and catering options to suit your individual tastes and requirements.
De Uijlenes has two equally unique wedding venues on the farm to choose from, both surrounded by glorious countryside. The Forest & Old Barn wedding venue offers a true woodland experience, with an enchanting spot for your ceremony under giant oak trees in the depths of an indigenous forest, surrounded by a sea of white arum lilies. The reception is then held in the Old Barn, a rustic 19th-century former dairy that has been lovingly converted into a cosy and romantic haven. Guests can stay within staggering distance of the bar in one of 20 rustic, but comfortable rooms at the Old Barn which can accommodate up to 75 people.
For smaller, more intimate weddings, the Nightjar venue offers an open-air koffieklip chapel next to a waterfall for your romantic ceremony, followed by the reception in a log cabin that was built by hand from materials largely sourced from the farm or valley. Here you and your guests can boogie the night away before retiring to your accommodation in the simple farmstead and stable rooms, which sleep up to 50 people.
Visit deuijlenes.co.za for more information.
FELICITA
The Italian word Felicita (pronounced as Fè-litch-ita) means happiness, satisfaction and bliss – an apt name for this beautiful and secluded 100-hectare property surrounded by pristine fynbos, an enchanting milkwood forest and uninterrupted views of the Kleinrivier Mountains.
A mere 15-minute drive from the quaint village of Stanford, Felicita is a self-sustaining and eco-friendly destination, with all its facilities powered by solar and gas, and the water supply sourced from a natural spring that cascades into a stream running through the farmland. The sound of the ocean in the distance, the chirping birdlife and early morning roaring of the big cats at the Panthera Sanctuary nearby add to the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere of Felicita.
The facilities include the manor house, Dimora, and the self-catering Villa Felicita, a contemporary three-bedroom home that can comfortably accommodate up to eight guests. Situated in a remote corner of the reserve, Villa Felicita offers the ultimate in privacy so that guests can relax, unwind and enjoy the natural landscape.
The Tuscan-style Felicita Dimora offers a unique setting for your fairy-tale wedding, vow renewals, special birthday celebrations, reunions or any type of special occasion. The interior boasts a 100m2, triple-volume banqueting hall with exposed wooden beams, rustic chandeliers and a medieval fireplace, which can comfortably seat up to 70 guests while retaining an intimate ambience. The undercover terrace opens up onto the pool area, with breathtaking panoramic views across the valley from every angle.
For more information, visit felicita.co.za
BOSCHRIVIER
Boschrivier Wines is located on two farms that lie at the foot of the Klein River Mountain range on the R326 near Stanford. Remhoogte farm hosts the vineyards from which Boschrivier wines are produced and a traditional manor house that has been turned into a wine house/coffee shop. The adjacent farm, Boschkloof, offers three different accommodation units for guests longing to experience the unspoilt nature of this beautiful region and the tranquillity of country life.
Boschrivier pays homage to the agricultural heritage of the De Villiers family who, in 1998, decided to plant the first vines on the farm. Now producing a range of acclaimed wines, the sheep farming of yesteryear has made way for winemaking. The wine house is wheelchair-friendly and open to the public for wine tasting, light snacks, coffee and other beverages. Here you can stretch your legs and relax, either on the tasting room deck or at picnic-style benches on the lawn while the little ones keep themselves occupied in the kiddies’ play area.
The tasting room deck can be booked for functions, whether your need is for a buffet breakfast for business associates or a birthday party with family and friends. The deck seats up to 60 guests and offers a braai area and bar facilities. Catering is available on request.
For those wishing to extend their stay, Boschrivier has three accommodation units where you can enjoy a relaxing breakaway, surrounded only by the sounds of nature and scenic landscapes. With their spacious open-plan living areas and multiple bedrooms, all units are perfectly suited for festive gatherings of families or groups of friends. Outdoor activities on the farm include canoeing on the dam, hiking in the mountains, swimming in the river, mountain biking and, of course, wine tasting.
Visit boschrivierwines.co.za for all the details.
SUMARIDGE
Sumaridge Estate Wines is proudly owned by the Bellingham-Turner family, who are based in the UK but have made Hermanus their second home. Nestling in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, the winery and tasting venue are housed in an elegant stone building overlooking a dam, in a picture-book setting surrounded by mountains and vineyards, and glorious views across the valley that stretch as far as the ocean in the distance.
Sumaridge
Here visitors can indulge in a tasting of the estate’s highly-acclaimed wines, including award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for which the Hemel-en-Aarde region is well known. Platters can be ordered to accompany your tasting, as well as food and wine pairing tapas, and summer picnics that can be enjoyed next to the dam under a shady tree. The extensive lawn and jungle gym provide an irresistible playground for children, leaving the grownups to relax in peace.
The Sumaridge Tasting Room offers the perfect location for private dinners, evening functions and intimate weddings. The resident chef will cater to your needs, from sit-down dinners for up to 30 people, to informal buffets. You would be hard-pressed to find a more romantic way to enjoy an idyllic summer evening – and it doesn’t have to end there, as the luxury guest lodge at Sumaridge sleeps ten people.
The Sumaridge website is currently being updated; contact 028 312 1097 or info@sumaridge.co.za for more information or to make a booking.