Holiday for less: The best winter specials!

Set on a working wine estate in the Stellenbosch Kloof, Jordan Estate offers the kind of winter escape where you can check in and almost forget to leave. It’s a destination overflowing with vineyard views, quiet spaces, country air and some of the Cape’s best wines, just a short stroll away when you visit The Cellar Door for wine tasting. The Jordan Winter Warmer Special runs until 30 September 2026, with suites from R3,625.25. The package includes a one-night stay, estate wine tasting for two, a bottle of Jordan Estate wine in-room, a dinner basket for two and breakfast the following morning. The Winter Romance package, from R6005,25, adds an hour-long massage to the mix and upgrades the wine to Cap Classique. Just remember the catch with this great deal: it’s only bookable 24 hours in advance and subject to availability. 

Perched high on the Franschhoek Pass, La Petite Ferme blends vineyard views, polished country-house rooms and one of the valley’s most established restaurants, all set in an unforgettable location high above the village. It’s an easy choice if your idea of a cold-weather break leans towards long lunches, fireside red wine and no need to drive after dinner. The Winter Wonder offer is for South African residents only, valid until 31 August 2026, and includes discounted winter rates, breakfast daily, a complimentary bottle of wine on arrival, well-stocked minibar, wine tasting, afternoon cake in the lounge and a complimentary dinner at La Petite Ferme Restaurant every evening of your stay. With an acclaimed chef recently taking charge of the kitchen, you’ll definitely want to dine in! There’s also a stay-three-pay-two offer. 

Tucked into a valley beneath Bainskloof Pass, Doolhof Country House offers a Winelands break without the crowds. Wellington offers spectacular mountain scenery and low-key wine estates to explore, with Doolhof as a comfortable boutique country base. The Winter Whispers packages are valid until 31 August 2026 for weekday and weekend bookings. The one-night escape costs R6000 per room for two guests and includes a full-body massage, a two-course dinner and complimentary wine tasting. A two-night retreat is available from R9800 per room and adds lunch to the experience.

If you’re looking for a dose of small-town charm, Montagu is a very good reason to head out on Route 62. The town offers hot springs, heritage architecture, mountain walks, muscadel, country hospitality and a slower pace that is oh-so-suited to the season. The two-night Full Montagu Sensory Experience Package is valid until 31 August 2026. Priced from R2235 per person sharing for a two-night stay, it includes a welcome glass of Montagu Muskadel, a full English and a cold buffet breakfast each morning, a R250 Charlestons dinner voucher, a R250 Montagu Garden Spa voucher, a complimentary Esse Hand Treatment and a wine tasting at Montagu Winery’s newly upgraded tasting room.

Camissa Farm is tailor-made for a cold-weather Winelands escape, with a choice of stylish self-catering cabins, mountain views, indoor fireplaces, wood-fired hot tubs, and enough farm trails to make you feel you’ve earned that steak on the braai. That said, with its location in the Banhoek Valley, it’s close to Stellenbosch restaurants and wine estates if you want to indulge and let someone else do the washing up. The winter special is a pay-for-two, stay-for-three offer, with a complimentary bottle of limited-edition The Menagerie Syrah and wood for your first hot-tub session. Accommodation ranges from one-bedroom cabins to larger cottages sleeping up to six, all with decks, braai areas or firepits, and hot tubs. 

Love a hot tub? Camissa is also on our list of unbeatable wood-fired tubs!

Spier’s ‘The Slow Season Stay’ is another comprehensive winter package, that starts from R23 325 for two people sharing, and is valid until 30 September, 2026. OK, that is also not cheap, but it includes a three-night stay for two, daily farm breakfasts, a 60-minute couple’s massage, and a seasonal wine and soup pairing in the tasting room.

The hotel – which was recently renovated and upgraded – offers a heated guest pool and access to an incredible collection of contemporary South African art scattered throughout the grounds. You can explore the farm on complimentary bicycles or take a self-guided walk through the wild Cape gardens. The surrounding Stellenbosch area offers plenty to see and do, from wine tasting to wandering historic streets.

For an easy, self-catering escape in nature, AfriCamps remains one of South Africa’s most reliable glamping options. With 19 locations across the country – and nine in the Western Cape – the brand’s fully furnished two-bedroom tents suit families, couples and groups of friends alike, with proper beds, kitchen facilities, braai spots and, in some units, wood-fired hot tubs. Their Three-Night Glamping Special runs until 22 September 2026 and saves guests R500 on a three-night stay at any AfriCamps location. The offer excludes long weekends, public holidays, school holidays and peak season. Book online and select the three-night special option.

When Michael Lutzeyer started Grootbos in 1996 with a dream of running ‘fynbos safaris’, many people thought he was mad. Well, he is a little mad, but in all the good ways. Either way, he was right, and over the past 30 years, Grootbos has become one of the country’s most celebrated lodges. 

And now is the time for South African residents to take advantage of their excellent low-season rates. Until 30 September rates start from R8450 per person per night sharing. That’s a 50% discount on what you’ll pay in high-season! Rates also include a complimentary bottle of wine and a further 50% off spa treatments.

It’s not cheap, but it’s oh-so-worth the splurge for the experience. Your stay includes five-star dining, guided 4x4 fynbos safaris, and explorations of ancient sea caves along the coast. Each suite features a private deck and a cosy fireplace. Winter is also the best time for whale watching in Walker Bay, and the nearby town of Gansbaai offers world-famous marine adventures, including shark cage diving.

The mercury may be in the teens, and swimming is only for the Wim Hof wannabes, but without the southeasterly wind, winter truly is the best time of year on the West Coast. Throw in the chance to spot whales, perhaps some spring flowers, and you should start packing your bags!

Up in Paternoster, that white-washed idyllic little getaway village, Gonana Guesthouse offers 25% off standard rates until September 2026 when you book with the code LOCALISLEKKER. This virtually off-grid retreat features Scandi-African décor that perfectly complements the misty West Coast views. Your stay includes a daily organic breakfast. Speaking of dining, be sure to book a seat well in advance at the world-renowned Wolfgat restaurant. Work up an appetite with a wander in nearby Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.

AfriCamps is offering three signature deals for the 2026 winter season: a ‘3-Night Special’ that saves you R500 on any three-night getaway between 3 May and 22 September; a ‘Single Parent Special’ (we love this!) where kids stay for free (using code SingleParentSpecial), and a ‘Golden Glamping’ discount of 15 percent for guests over 60 who book midweek stays (using code GoldenGlamping).

There are nine Africamps across the Western Cape, allowing you to explore from the Cederberg to the Winelands. Worried about the cold? Each luxury glamping tent features a private wood-fired hot tub, an indoor fireplace, outdoor braai and electric blankets.