The Grande Roche Hotel is situated on the site of the historic De Nieuwe Plantatie farm in the quaint town of Paarl, Drakenstein Valley, Cape Winelands, South Africa.
Its heritage dates back to 1715 when a grant of land was given to Hermanus Bosman, the ‘sick comforter’ and assistant to the Reverend Simond. The original house grew along with the fortunes and needs of the Bosman family who called it home for nearly 200 years. The homestead was then renovated in the fashionable Victorian style in late 1876.
The farm was bought and modernised by the Du Toit family in 1926 and, after a fire in 1953, it was rebuilt as a Victorian manor house.
It was finally restored to its original Cape Dutch splendour after careful research in 1991 and transformed into a luxury hotel. In 1993, the fastidious restoration was acknowledged when the 23 hectare farm was granted national monument status.
A stroll around the estate will reveal many treasures some of which are marked with a brass plaque, from ancient oak trees to the tiny chapel, which is one of the oldest buildings in South Africa.
Factsheet
Fact SheetTestimonials
“a very fine lunch!”
April 15, 2013 NEW
We really enjoyed our lunch at Bosman's on Saturday 14th April. It was a birthday celebration and the food and service reminded us of the good ole days in the Roche almost 13 years ago. The starter was flawless, The main, would have preferred the duck skin crispy but the brioche dessert was inspired! The wines were amazing and the service with a smile, cannot wait to return. Thank you.
“Paradise in the vines of Paarl”
Reviewed April 21, 2013 NEW
Our favourite hotel in the world. Great rooms (Letitia is our favourite) each with a balcony and sitting room. Bosmann's restaurant is outstanding and another favourite. Staff, service, pool, grounds, walks, wines, food, all are excellent. Breakfast on the terrace is just magical, exceeded only by the view of the mountains at sunset.
“Grand venue for special occassions”
Reviewed April 23, 2013 NEW
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We booked this venue for our sons 21st birthday party and it was a huge success.We had no hesitation to use the Grand for a small family wedding which was conducted in the old slave chappel with drinks and a celebratory meal afterwards . Again it was a fine experience and met our expectations very well .More recently we have visited for a casual refreshments and really enjoyed the location,ambiance and quality.
“Wedding fit for a princess”
Reviewed April 1, 2013 NEW
What an amazing time. The grande Roche hosted my wedding in march this year. It was amazing. The staff cannot do enough for you. The whole estate is beautifully manicured. The rooms are beautiful and clean all with gorgeous views of the rolling mountains and vineyard. The food was divine, a braai, then wedding breakfast and then a buffet. All food was served with great attention to detail and flavour. All of my guests had an amazing time and they came from uk, SA, Australia and Ireland! Thank you for making my day so special!
“A fantastic wedding venue”
Reviewed March 25, 2013 NEW
Arriving for my daughters wedding I knew this was the place to be. Accommodation, food and wine and the attention to detail. The staff were amazing so helpful and friendly and always with a smile.
The backdrop of the mountains was breathtaking. All the guests were impressed by the efficiency
And courtesy of the fantastic staff. This is one of the best hotels I have stayed at and deserves 5 stars. I know I sound biased because it was my daughters wedding but she picked it and her sister in law who is a wedding planner helped so I think that speaks volumes about their choice. Yes it was a dream wedding.
I was sorry to say goodbye when we left but I have my memories.
Thanks to all you wonderful staff who helped to make Charlotte and Simon's perfect day
Proud father of the bride.
Terry
"Bosman's and Grand Roche in a train"
Reviewed March 15, 2013
Everything your heart desires. The service, the staff, the menu's. Everything is absolutely great! Whether one sits inside, or on the beautiful terrace. It's just wonderful.
Alles was das Herz begehrt. Der Service, das Personal, die Menu's. Alles ist absolut Spitze !!! Ob man nun drinnen, oder auf der wunderschönen Terrasse sitzt. Es ist einfach wunderbar.
"A little paradise"
Reviewed March 15, 2013
The reception promises a lot. The suites and the restaurant "Bosman" at its finest. Absolutely highly recommended. The staff is very attentive. The very likeable Swiss intern recognizes everything would have the guest.
Der Empfang verspricht schon sehr viel. Die Suiten und das Restaurant "Bosman" sind vom
Feinsten. Absolut sehr empfehlenswert. Das Personal ist sehr aufmerksam. Die sehr sympatische Schweizer-Praktikantin erkennt alles was der Gast haben möchte.
“As good as it can get”
Reviewed March 13, 2013 NEW
We are frequent travelers and have seen most of the globe and a lot of 5 star restaurants. When we arrived at Grande Roche for a week we had many addresses of excellent restaurants in the area of Paarl and Stellenbosch. But we didn't go to one of them. We just fell in love with the kitchen of michelin trained chef Roland Gorgosilich. If you want to have lunch or dinner, in the bistro Allegro or in the restaurant, it is all as good as it can get. The menu is not very big but you can choose between the different courses of the menu and after a week we hadn't even tried all of them because some times you just want to taste that one dish again that you loved so much. Experience yourself this outstanding cuisine, the wonderful setting, the very friendly and attentive staff and be overwhelmed. It is worth it. Price-performance: excellent
“As good as it can get”
Reviewed March 13, 2013 NEW
We are frequent travelers and have seen most of the globe and a lot of 5 star restaurants. When we arrived at Grande Roche for a week we had many addresses of excellent restaurants in the area of Paarl and Stellenbosch. But we didn't go to one of them. We just fell in love with the kitchen of michelin trained chef Roland Gorgosilich. If you want to have lunch or dinner, in the bistro Allegro or in the restaurant, it is all as good as it can get. The menu is not very big but you can choose between the different courses of the menu and after a week we hadn't even tried all of them because some times you just want to taste that one dish again that you loved so much. Experience yourself this outstanding cuisine, the wonderful setting, the very friendly and attentive staff and be overwhelmed. It is worth it. Price-performance: excellent
"Here everything was right!"
Reviewed March 10, 2013
At the end of our trip to South Africa we wanted to still make something special. Therefore we tried to spontaneously and unannounced, to find a free suite at the Grande Roche. At the reception, we were greeted by a very friendly Swiss - and from that moment on, everything went like clockwork. Perfect, exactly as one would expect from such an operation actually expected, but very rarely actually gets. We especially want to mention the absolutely superb dinner at Bosman's. The sommelier has served us tailored to each course the perfect wine and us to know much to tell. Conclusion: The optimal degree of a beautiful journey with the only drawback is that you would just much rather stay still ...
Zum Schluss unserer Südafrikareise wollten wir uns noch etwas ganz Besonderes leisten. Daher versuchten wir, spontan und unangemeldet, im Grande Roche eine freie Suite zu finden. An der Reception wurden wir von einer überaus freundlichen Schweizerin empfangen - und von diesem Moment an lief alles wie am Schnürchen. Perfekt, genau so, wie man es von so einem Betrieb eigentlich erwartet, aber ganz selten tatsächlich bekommt. Ganz speziell erwähnen möchten wir das absolut hervorragende Nachtessen im Bosman's. Der Sommelier hat uns massgeschneidert zu jedem Gang den passenden Wein kredenzt und uns dazu viel zu erzählen gewusst.
Fazit: Der optimale Abschluss einer wunderschönen Reise mit dem einzigen Nachteil, dass man halt viel lieber noch bleiben würde...
“Luxury outside dining with a view for a screensaver!”
Reviewed March 7, 2013
When I wa here in November I took a picture of the Paarl mountains,which is now my sreen saver on my notebook!This is a 40 minute drive from Cape Town,but it is worth it.Paarl taxis picked me up spot on time and enjoyed the scenic drive.As the weather was glorious the dining was on the terrace.The views are magnificent as the sun causes the mountains to go red as it sets.I started off with a lovely glass of rose bubbles out of a chilled glass.I opted for the 5 course menu.The flavours from the asian style of the amuse bouche to the utterly decadent Mango-pecan nut slice were extraordinary.This is cooking of the highest standard.The starter of the duo of beef,with a runny quail egg was divine! The pan fried Salmon trout was esquisitely cooked and couple with the tomato essence and garden vegatables was probably the best dish for originality and taste.The springbok was again cooked to perfection.Pairing the wine was good fun as the banter with the wine steward was full of humour.What makes this place so special though is the service,great food needs excellent service.Petro,who is a tiny lady with the biggest smile in South Africa,just loves looking after her guests.I often joke that she would fit in my suitcase but Anja tells me she is irreplaceable!!Ilke and Nicole are fantastic as well.
I was telling Petro about the best main I had ever eaten,which was here about 10 years ago,a spingbok loin wrapped in a cherry pancake on a bed of green cabbage on a pinotage jus.When I said I could still taste it she just beamed!!
I was asked when I got back to Cape town why do you go 40 minutes just for a meal!This place is NOT just a meal it is an experience.It gives me memories.
Heavenly food, a beautiful scenic view and professional, elegant,friendly service what more can you ask for in a restaurant.Enjoy!
Kendal mint
“Beautiful Little Hotel!!”
Reviewed January 31, 2013 NEW
Booked this hotel online and I wasn't quite expecting much, but it turned out to be a great little hotel. I was here with my wife on honeymoon and it was nice to know that there weren't too many rooms. The rooms are well seperated and we didn't know we had a neighbor till we saw some of their luggage outside on the terrace. The hotel is nestled between a nice little vineyard on the foot of the Paarl Rock. The views from the hotel are simply amazing and it is truly peaceful. Did not like the water in the pool though as it was unbelievable salty. The attention paid to us be Anja the General Manager was great and we had a really nice time.
Room Tip: Select any of the terrace rooms they are all good and well seperated from one another.
Services
Luxury transfers and tours may be arranged on request.
Lina's Gallery
The Grande Roche Hotel is privileged to host the gallery of an international artist whose drawings grace our newly renovated suites. For more information and to view the paintings & artwork, please visit www.linasgallery.net
Associations
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What makes us proud
The staff at the Grande Roche Hotel are passionate about the place where they work, and are dedicated to the guests they serve. This dedication has not gone unnoticed, and we are proud to have continued an award winning tradition, which began almost 20 years ago when the hotel first opened its doors.
Accolades we have received in the past two years include:
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2011 |
American Express Platinum Fine Dining Restaurant Award Bosman’s Wine List: Diners Club Diamond Award. Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence”
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2010 |
Named one of the world’s top establishments and noted with the Fodor’s Choice Distinction by leading American guidebook publishers Fodor’s. South African Tourism: No. 1 Fine Dining Restaurant in SA. American Express Platinum Fine Dining Restaurant Award Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” South African Wine Steward of the Year Award Bosman’s Wine List: Diners Club Diamond Award and Diners Club Best Wine List in South Africa. Bistro Allegro’s Wine List: Diners Club Diamond Award
Eat Out: Top 10, 4th place
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