From Winelands hideaways and mountain retreats to barefoot coastal stays, discover ten beautiful Western Cape escapes where a Buitengewoon wood-fired hot tub is part of the experience.
Spring in the Western Cape has a way of making you want to get away. The days are getting longer, the landscape is coming back to life, and there’s still enough of a chill in the evening to make a wood-fired hot tub particularly inviting.
And if you need an excuse for a weekend away, we have ten.
You’ll find Buitengewoon hot tubs at some remarkable places to stay – overlooking vineyards, tucked into the mountains, surrounded by fynbos and within sight of the sea.
So, for the first of our Stay with Buitengewoon series, we’ve selected ten escapes worth adding to your spring travel list.
Camps Bay Retreat
Camps Bay, Cape Town
Hidden between mountain, forest and ocean, Camps Bay Retreat feels remarkably removed from the city despite being just minutes from central Cape Town. The private nature reserve combines heritage buildings, villas and contemporary accommodation with beautiful gardens, spa experiences and plenty of quiet corners in which to disappear for a while.
Among them are the Forest Pods, where Buitengewoon wood-fired hot tubs sit beneath the trees. It’s an unexpectedly secluded way to experience one of Cape Town’s best-known neighbourhoods – with the beach, mountain and city all within easy reach.
Perfect for: A nature escape without leaving Cape Town.
7 Koppies
Franschhoek
Perched high above the Franschhoek Valley, 7 Koppies manages to feel both wonderfully remote and remarkably close to everything the Cape Winelands has to offer.
This intimate guesthouse sits within 50 hectares of pristine fynbos on privately owned land within a working farm. The surrounding mountains and rugged landscape are very much part of the experience – and from the Buitengewoon hot tub, there’s little between you and that extraordinary view.
Perfect for: Switching off in the Winelands without being far from its restaurants and wine farms.
AfriCamps at Doolhof
Wellington
Set beneath Bainskloof Pass on Doolhof Wine Estate, AfriCamps at Doolhof combines boutique glamping with one of the Cape Winelands’ most dramatic settings.
Its 16 tents are positioned between vineyards, mountains, meadow and the Kromme River, with each offering its own private outdoor wood-fired hot tub. Days can be filled with wine tasting, vineyard walks, mountain biking and exploring the surrounding Wellington wine farms – before heading back to the tent for a soak beneath the mountains.
This one is also particularly close to home for us. Buitengewoon and AfriCamps share their roots, and today all 20 AfriCamps locations boast Buitengewoon hot tubs.
Perfect for: Glamping, wine and mountain views.
Explore AfriCamps at Doolhof →
Vygievlei
McGregor
If your idea of a weekend away involves slowing the pace considerably, McGregor is a very good place to start.
Vygievlei is a charming self-catering home set within the quiet village, with three bedrooms, generous living spaces and a beautiful garden filled with the indigenous vygies from which it takes its name. There’s an enclosed patio, braai area and plenty of space for long, unhurried days outside.
Tucked into the garden is a Buitengewoon snorkel wood-fired hot tub – just the spot to settle into after exploring the village, or to spend an evening under the McGregor sky.
Perfect for: A slow country weekend with family or friends.
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Mount Ceder
Cederberg
For big skies, rugged mountains and a genuine feeling of getting away from it all, it’s difficult to beat the Cederberg.
Mount Ceder lies in a picturesque valley along the main route through the mountain range, with a collection of self-catering villas surrounded by the extraordinary Cederberg landscape. Spring brings opportunities for walking, mountain biking, exploring rock formations, swimming in the river and enjoying the area’s wildflowers.
Then head back to your accommodation, pour something cold and settle into the hot tub as the mountains change colour around you.
Perfect for: Fresh air, mountain adventures and properly switching off.
Pure Sea
Romansbaai
Some escapes are all about the location, and Pure Sea has an exceptional one.
Tucked into pristine fynbos directly on the shores of Walker Bay, this intimate beachfront lodge has just four suites and describes its approach as barefoot luxury. Each suite looks towards the ocean, while the lodge’s position on a rare north-facing stretch of the southern Cape coastline makes it particularly special at sunset.
It’s quiet, considered and beautifully connected to its surroundings – exactly the kind of place where slowing down comes naturally. Add a Buitengewoon wood-fired hot tub to the experience and there are very few reasons to be anywhere else.
Perfect for: Barefoot luxury beside the ocean.
!Khwa ttu Nature Reserve
West Coast
At !Khwa ttu, the accommodation is only part of the reason to visit.
This unique West Coast destination combines nature, conservation and San culture in a landscape where zebra, eland and springbok roam. Accommodation ranges from beautifully designed farm cottages to secluded eco cabins hidden deep within the fynbos – each of the latter with its own private coil hot tub.
It’s an opportunity to slow down, explore and experience a part of the West Coast that feels a long way from everyday life.
Perfect for: Nature, culture and a secluded fynbos escape.
Oakhurst Farm Cottages
Hoekwil, Wilderness
If you’re travelling with children – or simply like the idea of escaping to a working farm – Oakhurst offers a very different kind of weekend.
Accommodation ranges from the historic converted Forge to family-friendly farm cottages and the newer Pastures Cottage, all surrounded by the forests, mountains and farmland of the Garden Route. There are waterfalls to hike to, dams for fishing, forest trails to cycle and plenty of old-fashioned farm fun along the way.
It’s relaxed, unpretentious and particularly good for a weekend where everyone gets to spend more time outdoors – with a Buitengewoon hot tub waiting when the day’s adventures are done.
Perfect for: Families, farm life and Garden Route adventures.
Explore Oakhurst Farm Cottages →
Pezula Nature Retreat
Knysna
Overlooking the Knysna estuary from the iconic Knysna Heads, Pezula Nature Retreat brings together nature, wellness and some of the Garden Route’s most spectacular scenery.
For the full Buitengewoon experience, choose one of the Nature Suites. These ground-floor suites have private terraces, fireplaces and their own wood-fired hot tubs, creating a secluded outdoor space in which to unwind.
Beyond your suite, there’s a wellness centre, spa, heated pool and gym, while hiking and exclusive access to Noetzie Beach provide plenty of reasons to head outside.
Perfect for: A wellness weekend with a Garden Route view.
Explore Pezula Nature Retreat →
Pat Busch Mountain Reserve
Robertson
At the very end of a country road beyond Robertson, Pat Busch Mountain Reserve sits high in a fynbos valley surrounded by the Langeberg Mountains.
The 2,000-hectare private reserve is made for getting outside. There are mountain trails to hike and cycle, clear dams for swimming, fishing and kayaking, abundant birdlife and plenty of space to simply enjoy the landscape.
For a more secluded stay, choose one of the reserve’s Nightjar, Hadeda or Oak cottages. Sleeping between two and four guests, these cottages are tucked away from the other accommodation and each has its own outdoor Buitengewoon wood-fired hot tub, along with a hammock, luxurious bathroom and all the comforts needed for a slow weekend in the mountains.
Perfect for: Mountain adventures followed by a long soak.
Explore Pat Busch Mountain Reserve →
Find Your Spring Escape
From a hot tub hidden among the trees in Camps Bay to one surrounded by mountains in Robertson, no two Buitengewoon settings are quite the same.
And perhaps that’s the point.
A wood-fired hot tub isn’t only about the hot water. It’s the ritual of lighting the fire, waiting for the water to warm and having nowhere particularly important to be while it does.
These ten stays offer the opportunity to experience that ritual somewhere rather special this spring.
Already imagining one at home?
Explore our handcrafted Buitengewoon wood-fired hot tubs and discover which model is right for your outdoor space.
Own or manage an accommodation property?
From boutique guesthouses and private villas to glamping camps and nature retreats, Buitengewoon hot tubs are already creating memorable guest experiences at accommodation properties across South Africa.
