Keeping the magic safely alive...

A message from James Basson, General Manager at Mont Rochelle Hotel & Vineyard

With the doors of our beautiful hideaway in the Franschhoek Valley re-opened on 21st August, both myself and the team are so looking forward to welcoming you back to Mont Rochelle.

We have truly been missing our guests here at Mont Rochelle and the vast views of the winelands that surround us are as stunning as ever, ready and waiting for you to enjoy again.

Whether you are visiting us for lunch in one of the most picturesque locations in the whole of the Cape Winelands, or we are lucky enough to have you stay with us, you can be assured that you will always be greeted with the same Virgin Limited Edition magic that we are renowned for. We may be keeping a social distance and our face masks might well hide our smiles, but we will still have smiling eyes, ready and waiting to create your own truly unique experience.

It goes without saying that you can have complete peace of mind that we will be carrying out the most meticulous of cleaning measures even before you have set foot through our doors; ensuring that every single touchpoint is covered throughout your stay. Each member of my team has received new COVID-19 training and we will be continuing to refresh, adapt and improve our processes, to ensure we are always one step ahead.

Your Safety

Checking In & Out

We want to make your stay as simple and relaxed as possible and that’s why we have created our own little welcome pack that you can expect with all the usual little luxuries that we will never compromise on. Each of our guests will receive a face mask (Virgin Limited Edition in style of course!), sanitiser and antibacterial wipes for your convenience, to use as you wish.

We will then talk you through all the different options available during your stay to ensure you feel as at home as possible, whilst still getting the outstanding service we're known for.

As hard as goodbyes are, when it comes to it, we'll make it as seamless and easy as possible for you.

Flexibility & Simplicity

We understand that everybody’s level of concern is entirely personal and while our promise is that your safety is our number one priority, we want to ensure that we are working to your comfort level.

So, whether that’s choosing not to have housekeeping during your stay, or providing you with the same member of staff every day, you can have complete confidence that we remain fully flexible, adapting our processes around your preferences and ensuring that you have as memorable a stay with us as ever.

Keeping It Clean

We give you our absolute word that we will be carrying out the most meticulous cleaning measures, which will also as a minimum meet any new local regulations now in place throughout South Africa.

You may notice a few temporary alterations to some of our rooms, The Country Kitchen restaurant, MIKO Restaruant, The Spa and public spaces as we do our very best to keep our guests safe. For those staying with us, our rooms will still have the same beauty and comfort that they have always done, but as we strive to increase safety measures we ask you to kindly bear with us.

Clean Hands

For the comfort of our guests, we have placed hand sanitiser stations throughout the public areas at Mont Rochelle, The Country Kitchen and MIKO Restaurant.

Hand cloths have also been replaced with disposable cloths for your convenience and we encourage all our guests to make use of these and the sanitiser throughout their visit.

Masks

For the safety of both our staff and guests, our staff will be wearing face masks at all times. Whilst these may well hide our smiles, we will most certainly still have smiling eyes!

We kindly ask our guests to respect the mandatory government guidelines which require guests to wear a face mask in all communal areas. Unless of course you are enjoying our incredible dining experience at MIKO Restaurant, The Country Kitchen or savouring a delicious picnic in the vineyards or down by the dam, while taking in the stunning views of the Franschhoek valley.

Temperature Checks

It is our number one priority to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of all of our guests and staff, and with that in mind, we hope you’ll understand that we’ll be carrying out temperature checks and a brief medical questionnaire for any guests arriving at Mont Rochelle, The Country Kitchen, MIKO Restaurant or The Spa.

In addition, our staff will undergo daily temperature checks before they start work every day so, you can have complete trust that you are always in safe hands.

Medical Support

Should any of our guests have health concerns, we have access to a paramedic – readily available 24/7. We are also located just a short drive from several outstanding GP practices in the Franschhoek Valley and private hospitals in Paarl and Stellenbosch.

Spa

We all love to be pampered every now and then - and that’s why we’re doing our very best to continue with our spa offering at Mont Rochelle. The Hammam will be closed, and our offering will be a little limited compared to normal with fewer treatment slots available to ensure we can thoroughly sanitise after each treatment. Rest assured we will still be doing everything we can to leave you feeling relaxed and recharged.

Needless to say, by its very nature, our spa has always had very strict hygiene protocols, so you can be confident our therapists will be carrying out your treatments in the safest way possible.

We will do our very best to keep you informed about our spa services prior to arrival and recommend booking in advance where possible.

Activities

We know lots of our guests like to stay active during their stay by playing tennis or exploring the local area by bike and whilst we still strongly encourage this, some things might look a little different at this time.

With your health and safety top of our mind, we have also implemented rigorous cleaning measures for all sports equipment. As with everything else, we will ask you to kindly respect social distancing during sporting activities, so you, your guests and our staff can confidently enjoy all the experiences we have on offer.

Some activities take place away from the Mont Rochelle estate and are booked through third-parties, but rest assured that we have been liaising closely with our partners to ensure our guests' health and safety is a top priority and our same rigorous cleaning and social distancing measures are applied.

Children's Activities

From scavenger hunts to lawn games, there are plenty of fun things to do around the estate for our ‘Little Corkers’, that’s our younger guests at Mont Rochelle. Some of these activities may look a little different at this time, but you can have every confidence your children will always be in the safest of hands.

We will be providing masks for children aged two years and over to use and just like the thorough cleaning processes we have in place for the adult activities, we will be implementing these same measures for our children’s activities too.

The team will take the time to talk through these measures in more depth on your arrival, so you can relax in the knowledge that your children will be having just as much fun as their parents.

FAQs

How long will these measures be in place?
We can't put a date on that as it very much depends on local South African government advice, but we will continue to review all of our measures and ensure they remain in line with local law whilst keeping both our guests and staff safe.

Where can I find out more about local regulations?
The South African government currently require a paper copy of a negative PCR Covid-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. All visitors to the country must have travel insurance and must provide proof of accommodation for the duration of their stay in South Africa. Additional screening processes have also been put in place at all airports for arrivals and departures. For more information on local regulations and the latest updates on travel guidelines from your destination, we highly recommend visiting the official website for the South African Government.

Can I hire Mont Rochelle exclusively?
The simple answer is yes! Our 26 rooms and suites can be booked exclusively, meaning you'll have the whole estate to yourself. Or, if you have a smaller group you can still enjoy exclusivity by booking Manor House, our stunning standalone four-bedroom villa which comfortably sleeps up to eight adults and six children. Located just a short walk from the main hotel building, the Manor House with its two private pools, spacious common areas and gym is ideal for families or small groups looking for ultimate privacy in the heart of the winelands. To enquire, just contact us.

Will the pool and gym be open?
While it may not be optimum pool weather just yet in South Africa, our stunning outside unheated pool, surrounded by 360-degree views will still be available – ready for the more hardy swimmers. Loungers will be readily available and spaced out to observe social distancing rules and will be thoroughly sanitised after each use. Our gym will remain closed for now, but there are plenty of other activities on offer, guaranteed to get the heart rate up!

What happens to my luggage?
Your luggage will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised at every single touchpoint upon arrival and departure, so that’s one less thing for you to worry about.

What if I don't want housekeeping?
That's completely fine! We will be limiting housekeeping services, but should you wish not to have housekeeping during your stay just let us know and we'll ensure our team are aware.

What are the procedures for any of your suppliers coming to the hotel?
All of our suppliers and third-party contractors are fully briefed before they even set foot inside the hotel and are required to follow the exact same guidelines and measures as our own Mont Rochelle team. The wellbeing of our guests and staff remains our number one priority, so we will never compromise on the rigorous measures we have in place for whomever visits us.

Is babysitting still available at the hotel?
As much as we love to look after your little ones and allow you some “me” time in our beautiful surrounds, sadly social distancing restrictions around COVID-19 do not allow us to look after your children in the safest way possible. We will of course continue to monitor this and as soon as restrictions lift and we are able to safely do so, we will be delighted to re-introduce this service.