Merindol Manor is one of the oldest heritage homes in the picturesque wine and olive producing Riebeek Valley in the heart of the Swartland, about an hour’s drive from Cape Town in South Africa. Once a stately family home, now a lovingly restored boutique guesthouse, Merindol Manor has landscaped gardens, its own olive grove and freshly-picked fruit and vegetables from its bountiful gardens. Breakfast eggs are collected from the fluffy hens each morning. The four spacious double rooms have crisp white linen and en-suite facilities. Each room has a mountain, pool or garden view. There is WiFi throughout and the Manor’s Littlest Library is lovingly stocked with both French and South African literature, including comic books for small people. Your hands-on host at Merindol Manor is the affable Vincent. After 17 years in the banking world of Geneva, London and Luxembourg, he founded a tourism business in his homeland of Belgium. Vince moved to South Africa in 2016 and loves to share his passion for travel, cycling, good food and wine with his guests. Riebeek Valley is in the wine-producing Swartland – a region known for its world-class Shiraz and award-winning Chenin wines. The valley is also home to a host of independent olive oil producers. The luxury guesthouse is the perfect hub to explore the surrounding regions such as the quaint fishing village of Paternoster on the West Coast which is a 45 minutes drive away, the lush winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, also 45 minutes away and then the rugged Cederberg mountains which is an hour’s drive away. And then it’s only an hour to the city of Cape Town and the V&A Waterfront for the bustling city experience. Return at the end of the day to the peaceful Manor an authentic Swiss fondue prepared by Vince. Merindol is the place to relax, explore the local restaurants and wineries and enjoy a peaceful time in the scenic countryside.