Chapter House, Franschhoek: A boutique hotel in the heart of a gastronomic centre
This winelands stay puts all the town's top-notch restaurants within walking distance
- Sonya Schoeman
AT A GLANCE HOW CHAPTER HOUSE BOUTIQUE HOTEL RUNS ITS OPERATIONS
Energy usage Hybrid inverter/battery system in place; solar installation planned for this year.
Water usage Municipal and borehole supply; borehole potability testing under way to expand use.
Waste management Recycling in place; uses primarily glass amenity bottles, plastic being phased out.
Culture + community Staff development is its priority; two per cent of annual turnover ringfenced for it.
Biodiversity + ecosystems Indigenous, low-water planting throughout; no pesticides; motion-sensor lighting being retrofitted.
Carbon footprint To Chapter House Boutique Hotel from Cape Town return = 0.03 tCO2
TOP AND ABOVE The expansive views from the balcony of the contemporary annex to the hotel looks over the heritage building and the mountains beyond IMAGES Courtesy Chapter House Boutique Hotel
Chapter House Boutique Hotel is close to the town centre; explore this historic area on foot
Chapter House Boutique Hotel in Franschhoek is a gem tucked into the centre of the town’s suburbs, conveniently positioned almost behind the Woolworths in the main street (a convenient position for travellers wanting to grab a snack on the run).
The property runs from one parallel street (Akademie) to another (Dirkie Uys Street). Enter from the Akademie Street side and one steps into a sleek modern building of the 21st Century. From the Dirkie Uys side, one steps two centuries back — the building was built in 1888.
This contrast is the ‘secret sauce’ of the Living Journey Collection: Beautiful gems, often older, paired with a considered modern element.
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ABOVE Rooms in the heritage section have mostly retained an old-world feel; this one also has a courtyard with a sweet plunge pool BELOW The more modern annex has its own charms and gorgeous views onto the mountains IMAGES Courtesy Chapter House Boutique Hotel
The heritage wing has character and charm, the modern wing has clean lines and fabulous views
The reception is in the heritage building, which originally served as a mission house, then as the village school. None of the era’s strict schoolroom rules survive in Chapter House Boutique Hotel’s new incarnation, though.
The building opens into a double-volume lounge with wooden floors. In winter, a fire crackles in the open hearth, where we were drawn to generous and accommodating couches. Behind, stairs lead to the first floor, where two spacious and luxurious bedrooms, both with a modern feel, open off either side of the landing.
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I love a modern room, but have a soft spot for old buildings. Many of the rooms in this heritage wing lean into the past and have genuine character. Like the suite with a grand lady feel, a polished wooden floor and linen headboard with a blowsy bloom print. The bedroom’s old double doors open onto a porch with a couch, and steps lead down into a courtyard with a plunge pool and ivy-covered walls.
The modern sections offer a sleeker version of this comfort, some also with self-contained courtyard spaces and generous plunge pools. The walls are also covered with ivy, but are higher and give a more contained sense of privacy.
Each has a desk, for writing or work, and we also noticed there’s the option to plug into solar or grid electricity.
FROM LEFT The atmosphere at this boutique hotel is homely, with numerous seating arrangements for intimate or larger gatherings; the top floor of the modern annex has an open, airy feel IMAGES Courtesy Chapter House Boutique Hotel
Franschhoek's from the centre: 50+ restaurants in the surrounds and staff with informed advice
Chapter House offers a fine breakfast spread, plus there’s an all-day menu (and afternoon tea with a freshly baked cake every day), but it’s a hotel that understands it’s in one of the top gastronomic towns in the world. It is one of the most practical bases from which to explore the valley.
Franschhoek’s vibrant restaurant scene is within easy walking distance. The eateries spill onto pavements, into side streets, are located down alleyways. And this is the joy of Chapter House as a central base, no cars or complicated logistics needed.
We had dinner at Rueben’s Restaurant & Bar. Reuben Riffel grew up in the Franschhoek area and is a local boy-cum-celebrity chef who serves some of the best cuisine in town.
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There are plenty of options besides Rueben’s—more choice than is good for an indecisive mind—fortunately many Chapter House staff come from the area and give informed recommendations (and will book, if asked).
Reuben’s is fine dining and its winter menu is good value (go for two courses if your appetite is on the smaller side) IMAGE Courtesy Reuben’s Restaurant & Bar
Franschhoek’s history is far more interesting when looking beyond the French Huguenot framing
Most visitors step immediately into the Huguenot version of Franschhoek: The French Protestant refugees who arrived in 1688, planted vines and gave the valley its name. There were local Khoisan farmers here before them and there’s evidence that the new farmers benefited from their indigenous knowledge.
It’s worth looking into the more layered history, some of which can be gleaned from the Huguenot Memorial Museum, stories about power struggles, slaves, holy men (as in pastors) with slaves, and elephant routes. Franschhoek has a more complicated history than its wine-and-fine-dining positioning suggests, and knowing it adds some depth to a town that can otherwise feel like a pleasant bubble.
The modern annex’s Superior Pool Rooms have a lovely spacious feel, and the plunge pools are nice and deep IMAGE Courtesy Chapter House Boutique Hotel
The Living Journey group puts aside two per cent of its annual turnover for staff empowerment
Chapter House Boutique Hotel belongs to the Living Journey Collection, eight hotels in the Western Cape. It has just begun its certification journey with Fair Trade Tourism, but staff development has always been core to its sustainability strategy.
The company sets aside two per cent of its annual turnover into a fund called Ease the Journey. It has an Employment Equity Committee, and each year it decides how to direct that money. For example, this can be improving the leadership team’s leadership skills or providing bookkeeping training to staff.
Every year, all children of Living Journey staff are fully kitted with school starter packs, including new shoes. It also considers individual requests. In fact, Chapter House’s Operations Manager Nelson Mawema has just enrolled for an MBA, sponsored by the fund.
Group General Manager Desmond O’Connor says the benefits are obvious: When the company develops its people and raises their skills, and those staff are able to move into better positions with bigger salaries, those benefits flow directly back into their communities — to their children, their families, their neighbourhoods.
DETAILS
Stay The hotel has four types of room—Classic, Deluxe, Superior Deluxe and Superior Pool—all are lovely, and some are more luxe and spacious than others. In summer, opt for a pool room (although there is a shared hotel pool, too); Franschhoek gets hot. Prices start at around R4 100, but if you join its membership programme, you get 12% off.
Need to know This is the kind of place you can park your car and walk everywhere. Cars are only necessary when going further afield, or you can opt for the hotel’s transport. Winter in the valley is cold, so pack rain and warm gear. Summer can get as hot as its gets cold, so prepare for that, too.
ActivitiesThere’s so much to do in this area, from wine tours to hikes in the spectacular mountain scenery or walks in the area’s many gardens. Our advice is balance the wine and food outings with some physical activities!
Website thelivingjourneycollection.co.za
THIS STAY'S APPROACH TO OPERATIONS
ENERGY Chapter House’s stated goal for the year is solar installation. It currently runs on an inverter and battery system drawing from the grid. Once in place, the setup will run on solar during the day, switch to stored battery power in the evening, and fall back to grid only when the battery is depleted, says The Living Journey’s Group General Manager Desmond O’Connor. LED lighting is fitted throughout, and the kitchen runs on gas. Energy consumption is already tracked analytically; the team monitors usage data and looks for ways to drive it down, with more detailed statistical tracking to follow once the full hybrid system is operational.
WATER This drawn from both the municipal supply and an on-site borehole. Consumption is tracked via regular meter readings. The borehole is currently being tested for potability and volume — the intention is to understand how much it can reliably produce and whether it can take over laundry operations, which would reduce municipal draw. Guests are walked through the property’s water conservation approach at check-in, with a dedicated card used as a prompt and part of the standard arrival process.
WASTE Recycling is separated on-site. Glass is used for most in-room amenity bottles (the remaining few are being phased out, says O’Connor) and laundry bags have been replaced with baskets. A composting partnership for wet waste is being sourced; currently, organic waste goes to landfill. They are candid that the waste picture is still a work in progress.
CULTURE + COMMUNITY Staff development is its greatest emphasis. The Ease the Journey fund formalises this, saving two per cent of annual turnover specifically for training and development. Team members are assessed individually, and training happens across the board. Staff can also put forward their own development proposals, including for qualifications or training outside the business’s usual scope, and the company will consider bursaries case by case. The group will also consider requests from schools or community organisations connected to staff families. Every year, all employees’ children receive starter packs for the new school year. Wages are above market rate with annual increases.
BIODIVERSITY + ECOSYSTEMS The property is not within a formal conservation area and, being in a city, has no active wildlife programme; however, the grounds are planted exclusively with indigenous, climate-appropriate species selected for low-water demand. No pesticides are used and beds are fed with compost. Inside, living plants are preferred to flower arrangements. In terms of light pollution, lighting is being retrofitted with motion sensors, and day-night systems are already in place; interior spaces use low-level lighting throughout, says O’Connor.