Wellness at Spier has always drawn its energy from the farm itself, from the rewilded Cape fynbos gardens, the trails along the Eerste River, the spa’s botanical plant rituals, the Movement Studio, the heated pool, and the nourishing food on the Veld and Garden Room menus. The latest addition to Spier Hotel is a fully equipped gym on the banks of the Eerste River. It joins the hotel spa and pool as part of a considered approach to guest wellbeing, inspired by the farm and its rewilded Cape gardens.

A walk through the forest

The new gym is reached by a path that follows the river beyond the hotel pool and forks into an indigenous forest. A low-slung timber pavilion sits at the end of it, clad in Shou Sugi Ban, the Japanese technique of charring wood that gives it a deep, dark exterior. In time, the building will recede into the forest, becoming part of it rather than imposing upon it. Inside, the untreated timber walls give off a woody fragrance. The glassed front facade faces the Eerste River, and a deck extends toward the water. It feels like a sanctuary, as much as a place to train.

At roughly 120 square metres, the space accommodates several guests comfortably while retaining the sense of privacy that the forest setting naturally provides. A river-facing window seat offers a place to rest between sessions, or simply to enjoy the view. Inside, the light shifts throughout the day as it filters through the trees.

Equipment and facilities

The gym is equipped with a full suite of Technogym machines – treadmill, exercise bikes, steppers, rowing machines, a multi-gym and free weights – alongside a freestanding boxing tower, a dedicated stretching area and yoga mats. Changing facilities, a water station and a smoothie fridge complete the space. The equipment suits guests who train seriously as readily as those looking for something gentler to begin or end the day.

Wellness on the farm

The gym joins a broader set of possibilities for hotel guests seeking a restorative stay. A footbridge over the Eerste River leads into The Wilds, a rewilded expanse of Cape landscape well suited to walking and running. The spa offers the Cape Herbal Bath House ritual among many other treatments informed by the region’s indigenous botanical heritage, and resident phytotherapist Dr Caren Hauptfleisch is available for personal consultations. Mindful movement classes run in the Movement Studio on selected days, and the heated pool is reserved for hotel guests.

The Veld and Garden Room menus draw on the farm’s own seasonal produce, nourishing and nutrient-dense, carefully grown in soil the farm has spent years regenerating. For guests interested in the connection between food and wellbeing, it is a natural extension of everything else on offer here.

Access to the gym is reserved for hotel guests only. To book your stay, contact reservations@spier.co.za