Plumwood Inn

About Plumwood Inn

Roel & Lucienne Rutten, proud owners of Plumwood Inn:

We thoroughly enjoyed staying in guesthouses and B&B’s when we first holidayed in South Africa in 1998. We were soon encumbered by the dream of owning our own special haven, and soon after returning to our homeland in the Netherlands, we decided to make our dream a reality. Taking enthusiastic steps to reach our goal, we booked our tickets to South Africa, put our home on the market and left the rest to chance.

After only 5 days of being back in South-Africa, we came across and immediately fell in love with the sanctuary that was to be ours – Plumwood Inn. Within a week, we received notification that our house in the Netherlands was to be sold. All the pieces in our life puzzle were falling meticulously into place.

On 11 January 2001, we made the official move to South Africa. A mere 2 days later, we opened our doors to the first guests.

Over the years we gradually added some neighboring houses, renovated them and added to the guesthouse. The guesthouse is now 11 rooms in 3 adjacent buildings.

We look forward to welcoming and treating you to an unforgettable and cherished stay.

With magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and a secluded garden with a pool, this owner managed guesthouse is a well-reviewed and sought-after accommodation venue for travelers to Franschhoek.

Our outstanding accommodation is but a piece in the Plumwood Inn encounter and is offered in three alternate varieties, catering to the classical cottage-style or more modern tastes of guests. Be it in the four rooms of the Main House or the seven rooms in the more contemporary, modern-styled Villas – all rooms boast the same luxuries and offer an exceptional sense of unique style and elegant design.

After awakening to glorious views and birdsong, a plentiful and splendid breakfast can be enjoyed alfresco on the sunny terrace overlooking the pool or in the elegant breakfast area.

Please note that NO CHILDREN under 18 are allowed in the guesthouse.

About Franschhoek

The Franschhoek valley has treasures that make it one of the most magical places to visit in South Africa, not only for its scenic beauty, but also for its historical interest, wonderful wine farms and many gourmet restaurants.

The town’s original name was Olifantshoek (meaning ‘elephant corner’), a reference to the large herds of elephants that used to migrate into this sheltered valley.

But, it later became Franschhoek (or ‘French corner’) after 176 French Huguenot refugees were settled here back in 1688 by the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch were careful, however, to intersperse French families with Dutch families in a bid to promote integration, so consequently the French language was lost within 3 generations.

The elephants, too, are long gone, but the French influence lingers on in the names of the wine farms that dot this valley, like La Provence, La Motte and Cabrière, as well as French surnames, like du Toit and Marais, which can be traced back to the Huguenots.

A very popular Franschhoek activity is wine tasting and you can visit some of the world’s most-acclaimed wine estates here. Most of these wine estates started out as humble farms. Today, this is some of the most expensive real estate in the country.

About the Breakfast

What our guests say about our breakfasts:

So pleased that we got to enjoy the most delicious breakfast at Plumwood Inn. From crepes and french toast to a hot breakfast with the most yummy bacon and eggs, bircher muesli, fresh crunchy rolls and the sweetest of fresh fruit, salmon, cold cuts, and cheeses all enjoyed with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Breakfast is normally served from 8h00 until 10h00, but we can do as early as 7h15 if you notify us at least a day before.

Gluten-free breakfast is available by prior notice.