River Oak CottageBook
Chairs around a fire bowl on a gravel clearing under an old oak, the river running past behind them

Self-catering in Franschhoek

Wake up to the sound of the river

A private two-bedroom cottage with a hot tub above the water, a 10-minute walk from the village. Sleeps four.

Read on

A quiet cottage by the water, among the wine farms of Franschhoek. The river runs past the bottom of the garden and the village is a short walk away.

  • The dining table with proteas in a vase, the kitchen counter and a green stable door beyond
  • Bedroom one: a king bed in white linen against a warm terracotta wall hung with framed prints
  • A wooden dining table with a vase of roses at the foot of the black steel stairs up to the loft
  • The lounge: a grey corner couch facing a TV on a wooden unit, glass doors and a window onto the garden
  • Bedroom two: a king bed with a striped upholstered frame and a protea painting on the wall

The cottage

Two bedrooms, a loft and a garden of your own

Two bedrooms with king beds, two bathrooms, an open-plan kitchen and dining room, a lounge that opens onto the garden and a loft upstairs. Open the loft windows in the morning and you will hear the birds before anything else.

See the cottage
  • The Franschhoek River running shallow over pale stones between green trees
  • The covered hot tub on its wooden deck above the river, a chair beside it
  • A table and chairs on a brick deck in the shade of an old oak, the river below

The river

The garden runs down to the water

Picnic on the bank, sit under the old oak, or listen to the water from a two-seater hot tub on a deck above the river. Guests have private access to the river and to a small lake on the property.

Made for the outdoors
A glass dining table and chairs in the walled courtyard at night, fairy lights in the tree and the cottage's stone walls behind

The village

Franschhoek, a 10-minute walk

The centre of Franschhoek, with its restaurants, galleries and coffee shops, is about a 10-minute walk, and the Wine Tram stop is 900 metres away, so you can leave the car behind for dinner, a tasting or coffee.

Franschhoek, close by

Days at River Oak

  • The kitchen: sage-green cupboards, a dark granite counter, a gas stove and a shelf of plants under pendant lights

    Coffee in the kitchen

  • The kitchen's breakfast counter with four bar stools under pendant lights

    Breakfast at the counter

  • A corner of the lounge: a TV on a wooden unit under a window onto the garden, plants on the shelves

    Doors to the garden

  • The loft: a cream couch and a small round table under tall windows full of trees

    The loft

  • A writing desk and chair at the window of bedroom one, the end of the bed in front

    A desk by the window

Trip planner

Plan your days here

Our picks around Franschhoek, and ready-made plans you can make your own.

Our picks

  • The Uitkyk trail, Mont Rochelle

    3 min drive

    “Pack a flask: the lookout is made for coffee.”

  • Dinner in the village

    1 min drive

    “Walk down the lane, so nobody has to drive home.”

  • Sundowners above the valley

    2 min drive

    “Take a bottle up the slopes before the sun drops.”

Plan your trip

Getting here

On the river, near the village

The cottage stands on the banks of the Franschhoek River, about 900 metres from the village's main street. Walk in for dinner, or stay by the water and listen to the birds.

River Oak CottageFranschhoek, Western Cape 7690

  • Franschhoek village centreOn foot10 min
  • Mont Rochelle Nature ReserveHiking and cycling above the village10 min
  • StellenboschOver the Helshoogte Pass30 min
  • Cape Town International AirportVia the R45 and the N21 h
  • Cape TownVia the N1 and Paarl1 h 15

Get directionsWhatsApp Dean

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