Owner-managed and blissfully private, Majeka House is an ideal base from which to explore the historical town of Stellenbosch with its interesting shops, galleries, museums, and alfresco café culture. Numerous famous vineyards and award-winning restaurants, dotted along the Stellenbosch wine route, are within striking distance. This prime location combines with luxurious accommodation, thoughtful service, a sophisticated bar and restaurant, a professionally run spa and spacious grounds to create what is undoubtedly one of the most stylish boltholes in the Cape Winelands.After extensive renovations and a designer makeover in 2011, Majeka House now boasts 22 rooms and sophisticated yet witty interiors. There are two new luxury mountain suites above the main hotel with large mountain-view balconies, and three new junior garden suites overlooking a shared, exclusive-use pool area. And, while the entire hotel is ‘parent friendly’, there’s also a fully self- contained villa – set apart from the main hotel and with a large private pool and garden – that is designed specifically with families in mind.The new suites were all conceptualised and decorated by interior design wunderkind Etienne Hanekom, who is also responsible for the award-winning interiors of Makaron Restaurant, the lobby and bar. They capture a sense of drama with boldcolours, rich textures and eye-catching custom-designed wallpapers but are also comfortable, inviting spaces for complete rest and relaxation.All contain thoughtful extras, such as comfy Crocs instead of hotel slippers, a Lavazza espresso machine, Wi-Fi internet and a DVD player with a wide choice of movies. The spacious and cleverly designed en suite bathrooms are fragrant with local toiletries made with indigenous plant extracts.In Makaron Restaurant, a stylish, contemporary interior using a clever mix of repurposed and recycled furniture complemented by modern statement pieces has been created. The result is a visually stimulating space that offers extreme comfort and encourages complete immersion in the dining experience. The overall effect is an understated feeling of luxury.Airy and light, the restaurant overlooks lush gardens and leads onto a sheltered terrace for alfresco dining. It is in this stimulating setting that resident chef Tanja Kruger presents her menu of fresh, modern cuisine grounded in the French classics.