In Stellenbosch it makes sense to stay within the historic center -- attractions and a great selection of restaurants and coffee shops are only a short stroll away along the oak-lined streets. Given this, the best option is River Manor , but you may also want to investigate the following: Roosenwijn Guest House (tel. 021/883-3338; www.stellenguest.co.za) offers comfortable rooms tastefully decorated in Afrikaans-Afro chic for between R590 and R990 ($82/£42-$138/£71) double, depending on the season. Given its location (a 2-min. walk from the center) and the attractive decor, this is one of the best deals in town, but it doesn't have a great pool or any real garden to speak of. Opposite is Bonne Esperance (tel. 021/887-0225; www.bonneesperance.com; R590/$82/£42 double), which you should consider only if you can get an upstairs room, specifically no. 5, 14, or 15. Even more central, but not as good value, are Eendracht (tel. 021/883-8843; www.eendracht-hotel.com; R970-R1,140/$135-$158/£69-£81), which has bright but impersonal rooms and no real public spaces, right in the center of historic Dorp Street; and D'Ouwe Werf: The oldest inn in South Africa, popular for its old-fashioned hospitality, this has -- in the original building -- some wonderful rooms, but many are of the bland hotel variety (tel. 021/887-1608; www.ouwewerf.com; R1,200-R1,500/$167-$208/£86-£107). Life and Leisure is a new rental agency (tel. 021/886-6955; www.lifeandleisure.co.za) managing 20 apartments -- some very stylishly decorated, and all within the historical center and restaurant district; the studio apartments, located in a house with a pool, are a steal at R780 ($108/£56) double.
If you don't mind having to drive everywhere, you should also take a look at Summerwood (tel. 021/887-4112; www.summerwood.co.za; R1,120-R1,550/$156-$207/£80-£111 double), a top-caliber guesthouse on the Jonkershoek Road. Your hosts, Ann and Christian Baret, offer an intimate atmosphere (only nine rooms, of which I recommend no. 8 for the best views), large rooms, and a great pool and garden. If you find guesthouses too claustrophobic and Lanzerac too pricey, I'd opt for Devon Valley Hotel (tel. 021/865-2012; www.devonvalleyhotel.com; high season R1,280/$178/£91 double, low season R720/$100/£51): Situated a few kilometers outside of town, amid rolling hills carpeted with vines, it's popular with conference groups, but the location is great and the sunsets memorable; book the cellar rooms for the best views.
