Curated by Jenny’s Travel

A 30-acre wine estate, a Liz Biden vision, and one of the Cape Winelands’ most distinctive country retreats — just an hour from Cape Town

Location: Franschhoek Valley, Cape Winelands, Western Cape
Perfect for: Couples, honeymooners, milestone celebrations, design-led travellers, families (in the right suites) Style: Theatrical country-house grandeur, surrounded by working vineyards

The Backstory: A Family Vision Made Public

Some hotels are built. La Residence was imagined — and that’s what makes it different.

Originally a private retreat for Liz and Phil Biden, the property was opened to guests in 2008 and folded into The Royal Portfolio, the collection the family has been quietly building since 1999. Today it remains the most personal expression of Liz Biden’s design sensibility — each suite individually designed, each room a different chapter, the whole estate run with the warmth of a country house with the rigour of a five-star hotel.

You don’t come here to tick off the Winelands. You come to settle in, slow down, and live inside someone else’s beautiful vision for a few days.

The Setting: 30 Private Acres in the Heart of the Valley

Set on a private 30-acre estate at the end of Elandskloof Road, La Residence is surrounded by:

The Suites: Three Distinct Ways to Stay

La Residence isn’t one experience — it’s three, and choosing the right one matters.

The Main Hotel Suites (for couples)

• 11 suites in the original residence, each individually designed by Liz Biden

• Every room a different story — the Tibetan Suite, the Chambre Bleu, the Maharaja, and others, each with its own colour palette, antiques, and inspiration
• Glittering Indian chandeliers, deep baths, mountain or vineyard views, fires lit on arrival in winter
• Reserved for guests aged 12 and over

The Vineyard Suites (for families)

• 5 standalone suites tucked into the vineyards

• Private gardens, heated pools, and elevated beds beneath vaulted ceilings

• Two- and three-bedroom configurations

• Children of all ages welcome

Franschhoek House (for groups)

• A six-bedroom exclusive-use villa added to the estate in late 2024

• Sleeps up to 12, with private chef, host, heated pool, billiard room, and “The Long Room” central lounge
• Full access to the wider La Residence estate and its facilities

• Ideal for milestone family gatherings or groups of friends

The Design: The Real Reason Guests Return

Here’s where La Residence steps into a category of its own.

Liz Biden’s interiors are maximalist, layered, theatrical — Indian chandeliers, Provençal antiques, Tibetan textiles, gilded mirrors, original African artwork, hand-collected pieces from decades of travel. Each suite is unlike the last, and the public spaces — The Great Hall, the Persian Alley terrace, the salons and verandas — feel like rooms in a beloved old country house someone has spent a lifetime decorating.

It’s the kind of place that photographs beautifully, but it’s even better in person.

Jenny’s Tip: Stay at least two nights. La Residence is a destination in itself — not just a base for vineyard hopping. You’ll want a full day on the estate before exploring the valley.

The Food and Wine

The estate produces its own La Residence wines — a Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend, and a Shiraz rosé. Both are served at the table, and both are deeply tied to the family story behind the property.

Days here move around the food:

• A generous buffet and à la carte breakfast in the Great Hall

• Light, seasonal lunches by the pool or on the Persian Alley terrace

• Afternoon tea, elaborately set

• Dinner in the Great Hall under thatched ceilings and Indian chandeliers

A complimentary shuttle into Franschhoek village makes the rest of the valley easy to explore — and the staff will book you into the best tables in town if you’d rather dine out.

What We Love

• The way every suite tells a different story — guests genuinely choose their room with care
• That it’s family-owned at heart, even within a larger group

• The theatre of the public spaces — chandeliers, art, antiques, all considered

• The estate’s own wines, woven into the experience

• That it’s an hour from Cape Town but feels a world away

• Winter at La Residence — fires, fewer guests, soft light, the valley at its most romantic

Perfect for anniversaries, honeymoons, milestone birthdays, and quiet family gatherings.

Why Book with Jenny’s Travel?

Because La Residence sits beautifully inside a longer Cape itinerary — a few nights in Cape Town beforehand, a Garden Route stretch afterwards, or a pairing with one of the wilderness lodges we’ve featured recently.

We’ll handle:

• The drive or private transfer from Cape Town

• Choosing between the Hotel Suites, the Vineyard Suites or Franschhoek House for your trip
• Restaurant bookings at the valley’s most sought-after tables

• Wine estate visits and private tastings

• Spa, hot air balloon, and helicopter experiences

• Honeymoon, anniversary or family-celebration touches

We’ll also flag any current Royal Portfolio offers — including SA-resident specials when they’re running — so the rate you book is the best available.

Email us: ho******@*************co.za Call us: +27 12 347 8891

Final Word

La Residence isn’t loud about what makes it special. It doesn’t need to be — the house does the talking.

An hour from Cape Town, on a private estate framed by vineyards and mountains, you can sit by a fire in a room someone has spent years dressing, drink wine made on the land outside your window, and feel — very quietly — that you’ve found one of South Africa’s most beloved country retreats.

This is what a Winelands winter is for.

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