fountains and a palm-fringed courtyard edged with a rim-flow, infinity pool overlooking the vine yards and fruit orchards.jpg)
Palm-fringed courtyard fountains and a palm-fringed courtyard edged with a rim-flow, infinity pool overlooking the vine yards and fruit orchards.jpg)
A lily-fronded fountain infinity pool overlooking the vine yards and fruit orchards.jpg)
Infinity pool overlooking vineyards Franschhoek vine yards and fruit orchards.jpg)
Franschhoek vineyards and orchards Tuscan arches & rattan chairs.jpg)
Tuscan arches and rattan chair cut roses.jpg)
Cut roses regal dining hall.jpg)
Regal dining hall entrance hall.jpg)
Entrance hall four-meter indian chandelier & rustic exposed beams.jpg)
Indian chandelierRococo style armchair.jpg)
Rococo style armchair lounge - French and Asian antiques.jpg)
French and Asian antiquesbutter-yellow, lemon and gold sofa.jpg)
Butter-yellow, lemon and gold sofa lounge - French and Asian antiques.jpg)
French and Asian antiques oriental day beds.jpg)
Oriental daybeds rest room queen an winged chair and gallery.jpg)
Queen Anne winged chair Room 4 The Disa Suite French themed boudoirs.jpg)
French-themed boudoir Room 4 The Disa Suite colonial bed frame.jpg)
Colonial bedframe
Hotel, palmtrees and Franschhoek views
Programme 5
Overview
The product of a union between an interior designer and an art historian, this small hotel is a montage of exposed roof beams, Tuscan arches and loggias, period pieces and Victorian art deco set in the Franschhoek wine region of South Africa.
Owners
Liz and Phil Biden
History
La Residence is a Tuscan-influenced Cape Dutch Farmhouse influenced by the period of Louis XV. This is a new version of the original Franschhoek property, built from scratch on a different site but with the same vibe, and appeals to those who wish to be close to the action but out of the limelight. The brand new villa has been built on a larger scale, but in the same regal style as its predecessor, with floor to ceiling hand-carved doors, over 3 metres high. Franschhoek is a Dutch region in South Africa, named when the Huguenot exiles from France arrived in South Africa in the late 1600s and early 1700s - escaping from the religious persecution of Louis XIV - they were given land, tools and farming necessities by the Dutch. In fact, they were given everything they needed to make wine, because the Dutch East India Company needed wine for the crews of their thousands of ships. The meaning of the word Franschhoek in Dutch is ‘French corner'.
Features
La Residence offers eleven luxurious suites decorated with ornate antiques, plush Persian carpets and an eclectic mix of local artworks and palatial bathrooms. Owner Liz Biden has filled the place with antiques and rare treasures from around the world. There are French-themed boudoirs with imported antiques and glamorous mirrored dressers, layered with French and Asian antiques, and each has its own personality, from a girly boudoir in pink and lime green to a honeymoon suite in white marble. The chandeliers are handmade crystal from India. They arrived in 25 boxes. The Bidens have even had scaffolding made to change the bulbs!