Summer has arrived, and we have news worth celebrating. Spier has been named #4 Best Hotel in South Africa by Condé Nast Traveler US and #12 Best Hotel in East & Southern Africa by Condé Nast Traveller UK in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. Rather than travel industry accolades, these endorsements are from actual travellers, like you, who’ve experienced what makes a stay here special.
If you’ve been thinking about a summer escape, now is the time. As our guest, you’ll enjoy exclusive privileges designed to make your stay unforgettable, from private access to our heated pool and Rooftop Bar to priority reservations at our spa and restaurants. Here are 10 compelling reasons to check in soon.
1. We’ve been recognised as one of Africa’s very best hotels
Being voted among the top hotels in South Africa and across East and Southern Africa by Condé Nast readers is an honour we don’t take lightly. It means travellers from around the world have stayed with us and appreciated everything our farm has to offer. This is your invitation to come see why.
2. Space for families – private villas and family suites
Summer is family time, and we’ve designed accommodation that gives you room to breathe, play, and be together. Our two private three-bedroom villas are luxurious residences ideal for families seeking space and privacy – think open-plan living, private gardens with heated pools, and the kind of indoor-outdoor flow that defines the best of South African summer living. If you’re looking for something a little smaller but equally elegant, our family suites offer both comfort and sophistication. You’ll all have space to unwind after days spent exploring the farm, and create lasting holiday memories.
3. The rooftop bar – your exclusive retreat
Our Rooftop Bar is open exclusively for hotel guests – yet another reason to come and stay, taste wonderful wines, and enjoy views across the vineyards, and the kind of golden-hour magic that makes summer evenings on our farm unforgettable. It’s the perfect spot to toast the day’s adventures while the kids are happily occupied (more on that in a moment).
4. The pool and pool bar – a private oasis
The same goes for our heated pool and pool bar. Reserved exclusively for hotel guests, this is where you’ll want to spend lazy mornings with a book, afternoons watching the kids splash about, and that delicious in-between time when you’re debating whether it’s too early for a chilled glass of something wonderful. The answer is always yes when you’re on holiday.
5. Summer magic you won’t find anywhere else
This summer brings two extraordinary experiences, exclusive to Spier. From 12–14 December, A Summer Dream transforms our amphitheatre into a world of pure festive enchantment. As night falls, dancers, musicians, singers, and actors will create a show designed to captivate all ages.
Don’t miss Water-Verse – Traces of the Traceless, Hanien Conradie’s extraordinary new exhibition in the Old Wine Cellar, on until the end of January 2026. This is an invitation to slow down and listen to rivers, rain, floods, and silence, while providing insight into the artist’s practice and the life-giving work of water stewardship – a theme that resonates deeply with our own story.
6. A new bridge to adventure
We’ve just completed a suspension bridge that connects the hotel directly to The Wilds, where boardwalks wind through swathes of fynbos and Cape blooms. Step across and you’re immediately immersed in nature. Choose from biking or walking trails, and explore our regenerative farm, discovering where almost everything on your plate comes from.
7. Buzz Club and farm experiences for kids
While you’re sipping that glass of wine at the pool or indulging at the spa, your little ones can be living their best lives at Buzz Club, where interactive, fun activities happen every day. Beyond that, the farm itself is a playground: the Elemental Play Garden offers water play, and the Food Garden invites kids to harvest their own vegetables. This is the kind of holiday where children run free, get properly tired, and sleep soundly.
8. Rejuvenation at the spa
As a hotel guest, you have priority reservations at our spa, in particular, the Cape Herbal Bath House. Book yourself in for treatments that draw on indigenous botanicals and ancient healing traditions. Sink into deep relaxation and emerge feeling gloriously restored. You’re on holiday. You deserve this.
9. New-season menus that taste of summer
Our chefs have been busy, and you can look forward to new menus this summer season at both Veld, our dinner-only restaurant, and the Garden Room, where we serve breakfast and lunch. Start your day with unhurried mornings, deliciously nourishing food, and the knowledge that you have the entire day ahead to do exactly as you please.
10. Celebrate the festive season with us
Summer at Spier means live music on the werf, coffee and pasteis de nata at Vadas Smokehouse & Bakery, shopping for locally crafted goods at the Cowshed shop, generous picnics on the lawn under shady trees or down by the riverside, and leisurely wine tastings (new this summer is a mixologist experience and a special tasting designed just for kids). Find out more about our festive events here.
Ready to book your summer escape?
With summer in full bloom and the festive season approaching, now is the time to secure your stay at one of Africa’s very best hotels. Contact our reservations team at reservations@spier.co.za or +27 21 809 1100.
