Eendracht Hotel in Stellenbosch – review

We arrived at Eendracht Hotel in Stellenbosch (an owner-run member of the Cape Country Routes‘ selection of authentic South African hotels) one rainy Friday afternoon recently. Situated on historic Dorp Street in the heart of the oldest part of Stellenbosch, which is in turn one of the oldest towns in South Africa, this village hotel boasts an absolutely enviable location. It is located within walking distance of many excellent restaurants and coffee shops, providing the perfect base for Stellenbosch no matter whether you are travelling for business or leisure. However, being on Dorp Street, we were a bit worried about parking and noise. Two fears which we needn’t have worried about, as on arrival we were directed to complimentary parking at the back of the hotel where we could quickly enter without getting wet. Once inside we were greeted by a roaring fire, friendly staff and an adorable old-world charm. Then it was up to our spacious room, which was set up on the second floor, overlooking a beautiful pool and courtyard area, providing a good buffer from the busy street noise. The hotel was equipped with smart TV, good WiFi and even had a sweet little balcony with views of the mountains. And speaking of good WiFi, the hotel boasts what they refer to as a ‘huddle room’. This is essentially a private room that can be booked for private groups, whether that be a business breakfast, lazy lunch meeting, or even a global check-in thanks to their state-of-the-art zoom equipment. Often when I’m travelling, even if its with my family, there is that one important meeting I simply can’t miss and to have a private meeting room at a hotel just allows the space necessary to get work done quickly and efficiently, allowing more time for exploring. Which we promptly did. After we had settled in, we decided to take a walk down the road to see if we could find something quick to eat for dinner. This was easier said than done, not because of a lack of choice, but as within a few hundred metres from the hotel we discovered so many restaurants to choose from. Later the owner informed us that in fact there is no fewer than 60 different dining options within walking distance of the hotel! But not only did the Eendracht prove to be a great spot for exploring the historic town centre, but also the world-famous wine farms that Stellenbosch is known for. That’s because the hotel has an agreement with The Adventure Shop, also a Cape Country Routes member, and can easily arrange exciting bike tours to explore everything Stellenbosch had to offer. If you’re worried about your cycling skills, you needn’t be as they have e-bikes too and the road through the historical part of town if relatively flat in case. After learning a bit more about the history of Stellenbosch, their typical tour stops in at two of the area’s best known wine farms for some delicious tastings. If you prefer to travel a bit further afield and on four wheels instead of two, they also operate the Vine Hopper. This is a hop on, hop off bus that really allows you to get the most out of each wine farm visit. They will pick you up and drop you off at the Eendracht before embarking on a route that covers between four and five different farms in the valley for a fun, wine-filled day. After all that wine, we were delighted to discover that check out was only at 11am in the morning, which meant we could take our time with breakfast. Indulging in freshly baked muffins and fruit salad from the continental buffet we then moved on to a tasty traditional, plated English breakfast, leaving just enough time for another quick stroll down the road to take in some of the amazing art galleries and look at the quirky shops, before it was time to reluctantly head home.