La Grenadine Petit Hotel

The open-plan main area is supremely cosy, with a wood-burning stove, dark wood floors and the home's original stone wall. There's a long table, a little lounge and a corner with a record player and a collection of vinyls (Edith Piaf too, of course!). Upstairs is the loft, undergirded with the farmhouse's original beams; there you'll find a well-stocked bookshelf (help yourself) and some exceptional sofas for a midday siesta. The space is simple but full of character, and comfortable.

Five double rooms and a family cottage are each simply but charmingly furnished with details like antique artefacts and French hand-embroidered linens. En-suite bathrooms (all have showers, all but one have a cast-iron tub) and king-sized beds are standard. Three rooms open to the garden; two lead to a rooftop terrace with Table Mountain views. The cottage, ideal for families and longer stays, has a well-equipped kitchen, two bedrooms, a lounge and French doors to the courtyard - très beau!

Cape Town's attractions are world-renowned – beaches, gourmet weekend markets, restaurants, museums, fabulous art and theatre, and vibrant nightlife mean you're not short of things to do. Do visit Robben Island to pay tribute to the country's beloved Nelson Mandela, explore the museums and parks of the Company Gardens, soak up the action in vibrant Long Street, drive to Boulder's Beach to see penguins waddling across the sand. When your senses are bursting with it all, your enchanting retreat awaits.