Leeu Estates — Hotel in Stellenbosch Local Municipality

Immaculate hedges, shocking service!!

We were looking forward to our reservation at petit Colombe and highly disappointed. Coming to the end of our trip, experiencing a fantastic meal at La Colombe constantia and countless amazing wine farms, plus warm welcoming service throughout SA - Leeu estate was a damper on the otherwise stellar places South Africa has to offer. The kindest person on Leeu property was the golf buggy driver. (Thank you for brightening our day with your big smile)! The restaurant food was good! Our server was not - she was completely unfriendly and uninterested in the food she was presenting, rushing us through courses. Upon showing us the wagyu meat it fell out the display box onto our table (plop! Not once, but twice). We planned to tip her regardless but tip was included in the check which explains the lack of incentive … Where we met the end of our patience was at the wine shop. We asked to test their house selects, This wasn’t allowed as it was 5pm and tasting time ended at 4pm. Fair enough. Although there were 10 + people still drinking wine in the tasting room we couldn’t help but feel the “cut off time” Was obsolete. We purchased their best - a recommended bottle of Leeu Passant, despite the snub from the staff to “check the prices first” (without being able to pay for a glass or taste test). We then asked for a buggy (golf cart) back to reception over which the blonde teller had much glee in telling us it’s reserved only for in house guests. Again, absolutely fine had it been said in a friendly way and not a dismissive tone. Especially as the buggy driver had been nothing but friendly and eager to drop visitors off in the heavy wind rather than walk the 15 min to and fro. It was quiet and no other guests were waiting for transport so again, it came across unnecessarily rude, more so in tone and manner than anything else. We left feeling grateful we hadn’t booked to stay (we came close). I hope their staff become more welcoming to both foreigners and locals, attitude is everything and the bad rep will catch up to them...

Leeu Estates was, without question, the most luxurious place we've ever stayed. It was our first stop on our honeymoon, and after a long day of travel and serious jetlag, we couldn’t have imagined a more perfect welcome. From the moment we arrived, we felt like royalty — the warmth, attentiveness, and professionalism of the entire team set a new standard in hospitality. They strike that rare balance of being both refined and genuinely friendly, which made our stay feel both special and comfortable.

The property itself is breathtaking, with a cozy and grounding energy that immediately made us feel at home.

We stayed in one of the studio rooms with a private terrace overlooking the mountains — incredibly romantic, serene, and relaxing. One of our favorite touches was the fireplace in our room, which the staff would light while we were at dinner — such a thoughtful and intimate detail. And the scent of the estate! Everything smelled of warm embers, which added to the already dreamy atmosphere.

Dining at Le Petite Colombe was nothing short of extraordinary — the finest dining experience we've ever had. The fact that it was just a short walk from our room was the cherry on top.

A true highlight for us was the Couples Connection experience at the spa. We both get massages regularly, but this was easily the best we’ve ever had. It was deeply relaxing and intimate, and something we’ll never forget.

We also did a wine tasting on our last day — and only regret not doing it sooner! It surpassed many of the tastings we experienced in the region. The wine cellar is beautiful, and sipping wine while enjoying the grounds was the perfect end to our stay.

We’re already feeling nostalgic and can't wait to return! It was a dream from start to finish, and we couldn’t...

We had a lovely stay at the Vineyard Cottage, and honestly, it was on track to be a 5-star review... until we dealt with the checkout process.

Our experience was incredibly frustrating and highlighted a baffling lack of common sense. After being asked to get out of my car to officially "check out" and completing that process, we proceeded to the exit. To our disbelief, we were stopped and told we couldn't leave due to another outstanding charge. We soon found out it was a $15 charge for simply opening a bottle from the mini-bar. This was despite the hotel already having our credit card securely on file from our stay. Instead of simply using the credit card they already possessed – which would have been the sensible and convenient solution – they demanded we go back to the lobby to resolve this minor charge. We refused, pointing out how absurd the situation was given they had all our payment details. After a short, unnecessary delay, someone eventually came out with a credit card machine.

This entire situation was completely avoidable and unnecessary. A well-managed establishment would simply process such a minor charge on the card already on file and promptly send an updated receipt. Creating a roadblock over a $15 item when payment details are readily available is exceptionally poor customer service and a huge waste of everyone's time. It left a very negative final impression on what could have been an otherwise pleasant stay. Management seriously needs to re-evaluate their checkout procedures and empower their staff with more logical, customer-focused solutions.

What could have easily been a 5-star experience was unfortunately downgraded to a 3-star due to this avoidable and frustrating...