In an ideal world, I’d have a medical prescription to visit Majeka House at least once a month. It’s essential for my wellbeing, I think. And probably yours too.
The spa, the restaurant, the pocket-sized hotel – heck, even just a glass or two in the glorious M Bar would do. Whatever life knocks out of you, Majeka House will restore. With bells on.
It is, quite simply, a piece of paradise that leaves you refreshed, replenished and somehow vastly improved in body, mind and soul after any visit. Not too far from home either: you’ll find it tucked away at the end of a discreet little cul de sac in a quiet Stellenbosch ‘hood aptly named Paradyskloof (Paradise Valley).
How perfect is that?
I’ve had my fair share of stays in top-end joints and, as boutique hotels go, this is about as good as it gets. Anywhere in the world. Anytime. Any way you slice or dice it.
Don’t trust me? Read this: In November of 2016, this luxury small hotel scooped a coveted international award in recognition of their world class interior design. Named as the Best Design Hotel in Africa & the Middle East at the Condé Nast Johansens Awards for Excellence 2017, the property was praised as a ‘wining, dining and super styling destination’.
What’s really remarkable about Majeka House though, is its incredibly personal vibe. It feels like visiting the beautiful home of your very best friends – if those friends also happen to be masters at next-level entertaining and hosting, with a superlative knack for creating quirky, comfortable, drop-dead glam interiors that soothe and surprise in equal measures.
There is nothing at Majeka House that isn’t perfect. From the moment you arrive in the lobby to be greeted like a long-lost friend by hostess Maria, until you snuggle down late at night in your outsize bed, wrapped in a downy-soft house-supplied dressing gown, every little thing will make you sigh with pleasure. Deeply. Contentedly.
Check-in at the entrance proceeds smoothly while you kick back in the opulent M Bar – pictured above – to sip on a restorative local craft gin, bubbly or cocktail. From there on onwards, I advise you to practise radical surrender to the discreet ministrations of the brilliant staff. They know more about the fine art of gracious living than you do, pal, and their gentle suggestions are absolutely spot-on in every respect.
This we discovered during a recent stay as lucky guests of the hotel and Stellenbosch Wine Routes; an overnight sleepover that included a dazzling dinner at the hotel’s famed restaurant Makaron.
Chef Luc Carstens honed his skills under some heavyweight local greats like chefs Michael Broughton, Reuben Riffel and Nic van Wyk. Currently in complete command of his domain at Majeka House, Carstens serves a menu of small plates with big flavours that blew us away. Deftly composed dishes deliver a range of textures, tastes and colours so sublime I could hardly imagine such pleasure might exist on an earthly plane.
Astonishing. Amazing. Ambrosia!
Over dinner there was that moment when my partner and I looked at each other and burst out laughing, our toes literally curling with delight. If there is really One Last Meal to be had before we shuffle off this mortal coil, dinner at Makaron would be it for me. No question.
The wine list is a tightly edited showcase from local Stellenbosch vineyards and our waiter Clever smoothly steered us towards the perfect choices to match our food. Like every staff member at Majeka House, he had that rare knack of appearing genuinely pleased to see and serve us, with not a hint of deference or awkwardness displayed. The art of perfect service is abundantly evident at this jewel of a place. Competitors, take note.
I splashed out on a pre-dinner pamper treatment at the in-house spa that left me floating on a cloud of bliss for days afterwards. Very reasonably priced, the Spa boasts a luscious indoors pool too, where you can sip champagne pre- or post treatment. All the more reason to visit, I’d say.
But wait, there’s more! Majeka House is currently offering a special until the end of September so if you act fast, you might just make it in time. Yes, hurry!
Spring is the perfect time of year to visit the beautiful Cape Winelands, and this September the luxurious Majeka House & Spa is boasting a fantastic spring special.
The Pamper Package includes one nights’ accommodation for two guests in a Premier room, a 60 minute spa treatment per person, a 4-course dinner at Makaron restaurant as well as breakfast. Cost is R1855.00 per person sharing per night and is valid from 1 September to 30 September 2017.
Visitors will be pampered from start to finish: accommodation, meals and a 60-minute spa treatment are included.
It’s hard to pick a highlight, but the food is what made my stay one to treasure forever.
Serious food lovers, read on:
Sophisticated and stylish, the intimately scaled Makaron Restaurant is at the heart of Majeka House and Spa. In look, style and delivery the menu is bang on trend, ticking off all the latest, hottest global faves.
Chef Luc takes pride in using only the freshest and most seasonal ingredients,
strictly sourced for their quality and provenance. He explores new meat cuts and cooks with consciousness of our carbon footprint by relying heavily on local produce. “We’ve really shifted to making whatever we can on our own, right here in the kitchen,” explains Carstens.
Fermenting plays a key role in the new menu, with the team making kombucha, malt vinegars and ginger beer.
“We’re really trying to bring out the umami flavours in the dishes, using charring, pickling and fermenting,” explains Carstens, who uses a wood-fired Little Green Egg in the kitchen for roasting carrots in the coals, and finishing before playing.
Freshness and flavour zings from the plates, using unique fruits and vegetables from the hotel’s beautiful garden.
“Diners who come to Makaron are looking for a more adventurous dining experience, and we wanted to cater for that,” explains Carstens.
Although the inspiration may be global, there’s a striking inclusion of homegrown South African flavours and ingredients here too. For example, a ‘mielie pap’ croquette with sheba (spicy tomato and onion sauce) brioche is served as amuse bouche; slivers of suckling pig are given a lift by naartjie notes, while spekboom and buchu are a tip of the hat to the Cape’s rich floral kingdom.
Perhaps the best is left for last though, with an original milk tart recipe from C. Louis Leipoldt providing the inspiration for a playful cinnamon-infused ‘ice cream sandwich’:
“The Stellenbosch Winelands offers a lifestyle second to none. We have access to beautiful ingredients, great local talent and an endless wine supply. What more could one want?” Luc says.
Indeed.
Check out the pictures below for some Makaron and Majeka House magic:
Makaron Restaurant is open daily for dinner from 18h30 – 20h30. Diners can choose four/five/six courses from the 18 dishes on ’small plates’ menu for R450/R565/R675 respectively. An optional wine pairing is also available, at a cost of R770/R940/R1100 for both food and wine.
Majeka House & Spa and Makaron restaurant are situated at 26-32
Houtkapper Street, Paradyskloof, Stellenbosch. For bookings call 021 880 1549
or email reservations@majekahouse.co.za. For more information visit
www.majekahouse.com
Why #visitStellenbosch? Out of high season the mood in Stellenbosch is quieter, more reflective, less hurried. Days are conducive to exploring the historic town centre, browsing its galleries and shops, visiting surrounding wine farms, and indulging in leisurely lunches.
