Spier Hotel is the ultimate Winelands getaway: warm and welcoming hospitality, great food and wine, a massive modern art collection, and loads of leisure activities including picnics for the entire family. Start planning now for quick breaks over the kids school holidays, a solo spoil, or retreat for a couple’s escape.
When it comes to accommodation in the Cape Winelands, Spier Hotel has fine-tuned their experience to something unique that’s more geared towards comfort and sensory. Whether that’s through a wander around the gorgeous walking trails or dinner in the restaurant adorned with the best of South African art.
So what can you expect? Eighty luxe rooms and suites spread in synergy with nature. Think views of the quietly flowing Eerste River or rooms clustered around six courtyards. Choose between five light and airy options, from intimate rooms for a couples getaway to family-friendly rooms or suites that can accommodate kids.
Interiors follow a timeless elegance aesthetic with a faint rustic mood and modern elements. Cosy up after dark with a bottle of red next to the wood fireplace. The extra-large linen-covered bed says comfort, while the fireplaces in all spaces tempt an opportunity to cosy up after dark with a bottle of red.
Spier’s affinity and investment in the South African art industry come to the fore through carefully decorated wall art made by local artists in each room.
Things to do at Spier Hotel
Endless activities for kids at the Buzz Club
Reserved for hotel guests only, Spier’s Buzz Club offers guests aged 3 to 12 a safe and engaging space to experience farm life through creative and nature-based play. Guided by experienced supervisors, children explore both indoor and outdoor environments designed to encourage imagination, independence, and curiosity.
Daily activities reflect the farm’s changing seasons, with projects such as collage-making, flower threading, bug spotting, leaf pressing, charcoal drawing, and crafting with natural materials. These experiences introduce children to the rhythms of the outdoors in a relaxed and age-appropriate way.
Parents can join their children or enjoy some time at the wine-tasting centre, spa, or restaurants while the Buzz Club team leads supervised play sessions. The Clubhouse also hosts crafts, baking sessions, farm walks, and storytime, providing a calm and creative setting for younger guests to enjoy their stay.
Cost: Complimentary for Spier Hotel guests
When: Daily, from 8am to 5pm.
Where: The Clubhouse, Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch
Beautiful landscape scenery on a guided Segway tour
This is undoubtedly a hilariously fun and surprisingly efficient way to experience the Stellenbosch Winelands. Guests glide through vineyards and farm landscapes on self-balancing Segways, touring daily operations and sustainable farming practices while surrounded by views of the Helderberg mountains.
A short training session ensures even first-time riders feel confident before setting out. Routes vary in duration, from one-hour vineyard circuits to two-hour excursions that include a signature wine tasting. Evening and sunset tours provide a stunning atmosphere with panoramic views at dusk.
Riders must be at least ten years old for the standard tour or twelve for the extended option, and each participant must weigh under 120 kg. Helmets are provided, and flat shoes, sunscreen, and weather-appropriate clothing are recommended. Whether joining for a family outing, small event, or relaxed weekend experience, these tours provide an enjoyable and unconventional way to explore Spier’s historic farmland.
Cost: From R399pp to R1265pp, see here
When: Daily from 9am to sunset, weather permitting
Where: Segway Tours, Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch
A haven for all things handmade at The Cowshed
Located in one of the oldest buildings on The Werf, The Cowshed is both shop and gallery that celebrates South African craftsmanship and community artistry. Visitors can browse a thoughtfully curated range of locally made goods that blend the spirit of a farm padstal with the elegance of a design boutique.
Shelves are filled with hand-thrown ceramics, handwoven textiles, hand-carved homeware, books, candles, bags, and seasonal collections by local makers. A section of the store also features organic produce, deli items, and wines from the farm, including Farmer Angus’s frozen range.
The shop’s warm atmosphere invites visitors to linger, with Persian rugs and a wood-burning stove blazing during the colder winter days. A small apothecary corner displays herbal teas and tinctures, and every purchase is wrapped with care in ribbon-tied packaging. The Cowshed is a marvellous display of craftsmanship, ethical sourcing, and the creativity of South African artisans.
When: Daily 9am to 5pm
Where: The Werf, Spier Wine Farm, R310 Baden Powell Dr, Stellenbosch
Award-winning wines and perfect pairings
Overlooking the peaceful farm dam and framed by mountain views, Spier’s Wine Tasting invites guests to explore the estate’s award-winning wines. Visitors can enjoy tastings indoors among art displays or outdoors on the terrace, accompanied by artisanal cheese, charcuterie, and farm-grown olives.
The Spier Tasting offers a curated introduction, with selections from the Signature, Seaward, Creative Block, and 21 Gables ranges. The Chocolate & Wine Tasting pairs Creative Block blends with handmade chocolates, while the Winemaker Selection highlights the estate’s most refined wines, including its organic red blend, First Stone. Those interested in sustainable winemaking can try the Organic Wine Tasting, featuring six wines from Spier’s regenerative vineyards.
Groups of ten or more can book the Wine Blending Experience, a guided session where participants craft their own custom blend. For younger visitors, the Garden Mixologist Adventure offers a playful, hands-on experience creating herbal cordials using ingredients from the farm, an age-appropriate introduction to the art of flavour for children aged three and up.
Cost: From R85pp to R300pp, see here
When: Daily from 9am to 4pm
Where: Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch
A hands-on experience of life on the farm
Once a paddock, Spier’s Food Garden is now a thriving space where visitors can experience regenerative farming in action. The garden produces a wide variety of herbs, fruits, and vegetables using compost, worm castings, and natural sprays instead of synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. Its seasonal harvests supply Spier’s restaurants and are also available for purchase at The Cowshed Shop.
Open daily from 9am until sunset, the garden welcomes visitors to explore at their own pace or chat with the gardeners for practical advice on organic growing. Guests can also take part in self-harvesting sessions, offered Tuesday to Saturday mornings from 9am to 11am. For R170, participants can handpick their own fresh produce to take home, a hands-on way to experience life on the farm.
Cost: Free entry | R170pp for the Morning Harvest, see here
When: Daily from 9am to 5pm
Where: Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch
Personalised, deeply rejuvenating spa experiences
Spier Spa offers a restorative wellness experience grounded in natural science and Cape botanicals. Surrounded by vineyards and gardens, the spa combines modern skincare innovation with centuries-old plant-based healing. Each treatment is individually aligned to the guest’s physical and emotional needs, using hand-crafted formulations and the exclusive Vine Therapy range, a natural fusion of aromatherapy oils, fynbos extracts, and medicinal Cape herbs designed to restore balance and promote lasting skin health.
Guests can unwind in the tranquil apothecary-inspired interiors, complete with treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, herbal gardens, and a poolside area for post-treatment rest. Signature experiences include the Cape Herbal Bath House (a three-hour private ritual combining exfoliation, herbal immersion, and a River Stone massage) as well as tailored massages, facials, body wraps, and reflexology sessions. The spa’s healing philosophy addresses both internal and external well-being, from cellular renewal and detoxification to the easing of muscular and emotional tension.
Visitors may also join classes in the Mindful Movement Studio for yoga, Pilates, or meditation, or enjoy a manicure or pedicure in the spa’s relaxed lounge. With seasonal packages, day visits, and hotel stays available, Spier Spa provides a full day of rejuvenation that reflects the rhythm of the surrounding landscape.
Cost: R200 to R4500pp, see here
When: Daily from 9am to 5pm
Where: Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch
Fascinating deep dives into the history of the estate
Spier invites visitors to experience one of South Africa’s largest private contemporary art collections, spread across the estate’s gardens, walkways, and historic buildings. Every piece adds to the ongoing narrative of Spier’s creative and cultural legacy, blending art, heritage, and nature into a single, evolving exhibition.
Through a series of self-guided routes and audio walks, guests can explore stories of art, agriculture, and community at their own pace using the VoiceMap app. There are three main audio tours, namely: Spier History: Sannie’s Story (15 minutes), Art Walk (20 minutes), and Farm Walk (60 minutes). Each walk reveals another layer of the farm’s identity. “Sannie’s Story,” written by playwright Brett Bailey, shares a moving perspective on slavery in the Cape through the eyes of a woman on the eve of her freedom in 1836. The Art Walk, guided by Mariota Enthoven, explores Spier’s support for local artists and artisans, while the Farm Walk highlights the estate’s environmental and architectural heritage.
Featured installations include Jenna Burchell’s Songsmith (The Great Karoo), a collection of interactive sound sculptures, alongside works that celebrate biodiversity and human connection. Visitors can begin their journey by downloading the VoiceMap app, selecting a tour, and following the designated start points at the Spier Hotel or Wine Tasting Room.
Cost: Free, see here
When: Daily from 9am to 5pm
Where: Spier Wine Farm R310, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch
Running or mountain biking through incredible biodiversity
Two scenic mountain biking routes wind through vineyards and Renosterveld at Spier, offering visitors the chance to experience the Winelands by mountain bike. Maintained by the Wine Lands Cycling Club, these routes balance gentle farm roads with sections of single track suitable for recreational and experienced riders alike.
The trails form part of the broader Wine Lands Cycling network, linking over 200 kilometres of routes across Helderberg Farm, Ernie Els, Avontuur, Dornier, Stellenzicht, and Faure. Spier’s 10 km and 20 km loops pass through working farmland and native vegetation, giving cyclists open views of the surrounding landscapes at every turn.
Access requires a Wine Lands Cycling Club permit, available as an annual membership or a day pass sold at the Picnickery. Day permit riders receive wristbands for the trails, which start across the bridge near the Food Garden. Cyclists are asked to use designated routes rather than pedestrian paths.
Those preferring to explore at a slower pace can use the farm’s marked walking and running trails, ranging from 5 km to 10 km, with an audio app available for learning about the estate’s art, landmarks, and history along the way.
Cost: Day passes are R100pp
When: Passes available for purchase from 9am daily at the Picnickery
Where: Routes begin across the bridge from the Food Garden
Splashing around a beautifully constructed, nature-guided playground
The Elemental Play Garden beside the Werf invites children to explore the four natural elements through imaginative outdoor play. Designed as an interactive landscape, it transforms natural features into opportunities for discovery, from earthen slides and tunnels to water channels and bridges, encouraging children to connect with nature through movement and curiosity.
Created by landscape architects Ed Brooks and Danielle Croly, the garden blends indigenous vegetation with creative design, celebrating earth, air, fire, and water in four themed zones. Gentle mounds and textured surfaces invite tactile exploration in the earth section, while splash pools and lily pads offer cooling fun in the water area. The air quadrant features Charl Conradie’s kinetic wind sculpture, and the fire section uses bold colours and shapes to inspire creativity.
Open daily until sunset, the Elemental Play Garden provides a space where families can relax and children can play freely in a safe, natural setting.
Cost: Free
When: From 9am till sunset
Where: Next to the Werf
Lavish outdoor dining among the rolling vineyards
Spier’s Picnickery invite visitors to unwind beneath ancient oaks or beside the Eerste River, enjoying farm-fresh fare on their peaceful, picture-perfect Winelands. Each basket highlights seasonal produce from Spier’s gardens and local suppliers, prepared with care and available in classic, vegan, and children’s options. Guests can build their own selection from the Picnickery or pre-order a complete picnic 24 hours in advance, with everything provided, from cutlery and glassware to blankets.
Picnics can be enjoyed across many of the farm’s scenic spaces, from the historic Werf lawns to the tranquil riverside. Those seeking an easy afternoon can relax on the grass or under shaded trees while sampling locally inspired dishes that reflect the farm’s heritage and natural rhythms.
Baskets are collected at the Picnickery between 12pm and 2pm and returned by 4.30pm, with group bookings available on request. Whether shared with family or friends, Spier’s picnics offer a simple and memorable way to experience the beauty and flavours of the farm.
Cost: R395 pp | R180 U12, see here
When: Basket collections: 12pm to 2pm | Baskets must be returned by 4.30pm
Where: Spier Picnickery
Website: spier.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 021 809 1100
Instagram: @spierwinefarm
Facebook: @spierwinefarm
