ASARA Wine Estate and Hotel near Stellenbosch has become the 24th establishment in Southern Africa to be selected for the prestigious Relais and Chateaux membership and one of only two chosen in Africa for the association’s 2009 international guide.
 

Asara owners, Markus and Christiane Rahmann, transformed the wine farm they bought and restored in 2001 with the addition of a five-star hotel in May last year. Features include a cigar and whisky bar, a wine cellar and tasting centre, a fountain courtyard and an in-house delicatessen and confectionery. There are two restaurants - one formal and one informal - with indoor and outdoor dining areas overlooking a dam and mountain scenery. A stylish ballroom has already become a favourite venue for weddings and special occasions. General manager, Horst Frehse, joined Asara in November after having managed other Relais and Chateaux properties: Paarl’s Grande Roche Hotel and Singita Game Reserves in Tanzania and the Kruger National Park. He has been a member of the Southern, East African and Indian Ocean delegation of Relais and Chateaux since 2004 and an internationally elected member of its international board of directors since 2005. Relais and Chateaux has an international portfolio of 480 properties in 56 countries. Strict membership criteria include the commitment and presence of the owner, management and staff and a value system based on the five C’s: calm, courtesy, cuisine, character and charm.