Blue Gum Country Estate

A blissfully peaceful rural retreat with superb food, close to the sea, the Winelands and the Overberg mountains (2 hours from Cape Town)

The setting could hardly be more bucolic: a group of low buildings festooned in greenery, wrapped in a huge stand of ancient blue gum trees, looking over a small lake to the leafy banks of the Klein river. Arriving at this small country hotel you instinctively slow down a pace or two and the ethos is to make sure that each guest has a peaceful, utterly relaxing stay.

Blue Gum could hardly be more Cape: a low cream and white gabled farmstead with neat lawns and flower beds, and a predominantly English-country-style interior of stripes, checks and floral prints. Sitting in the cosy carpeted and panelled bar, looking out through curtained windows to the starkly beautiful foothills of the Overberg, you could be in Scotland - if it wasn’t for the weather, of course. The 12 guest bedrooms are deeply comfortable, and the food is simply fantastic. And you're perfectly positioned for discovering the myriad treasures of the Cape's 'Whale Coast'.

Highs

• A quiet, rural setting with 130 acres of estate cushioning you from the outside world
• A perfect choice for foodies: head chef Isaac has a wealth of experience and his cooking is superb, plus there’s a wine list to match the food
• Relaxed, happy, easy-mannered staff who really help you get into that ‘I’m on holiday’ mood
• Masses of activities at the farm as well as an amazing range of excursions
• Just 20km from Hermanus, and 2 hours from Cape Town and the Winelands

Lows

• There’s a distinctly ‘hotelly’ feel to the dining room/lounge/bar area, which has been expanded to accommodate wedding parties
• We could have done without the muzak which was present at all meals
• You can sometimes hear noise from the road