Inside the New Erinvale Spa: A Week-Long Holiday in a Few Short Hours
Even if you have been to Erinvale before, it’s time for a return visit. Located in the Helderberg Winelands, close to Somerset West in Cape Town, the “Spa” in “The Erinvale Hotel & Spa” is brand new. This now world-class wellness spa was shut down in May last year and completely recreated: extensively reimagined to be immensely revitalising!
*I was a guest of Erinvale Spa but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was recently invited to experience it first hand and a few hours there felt like a week-long vacation. Here’s why:
What You Can Expect from the New Erinvale Spa
Luxury Spa Facilities
The new Erinvale Spa has all the features you would expect from a spa:
- A thermal suite consisting of a sauna and a steam room
- Treatment rooms (single & double)
- An extensive menu of treatments
But it also has:
A Relaxing Recovery Area
Once you have had an amazing massage (more on that to follow) and reached a certain level of intense relaxation, you need a space where you can slowly ease your way into reality and generally just be upright again. Re-entering the real world is a process, and Erinvale gets that! The recovery area is the perfect place to sip on some tea or infused water or both - because for some reason you’re always thirsty after a massage.
I lay there almost stunned for a few minutes, completely blissed out, “recovering”. An area like this is a necessity for any spa that has a René.
A Beautiful Outdoor Pool
I don’t know of many spas in Cape Town that have outdoor swimming pools. Not only does Erinvale have one but it looks like it could be the set of an international feature film. (And that’s coming from someone who once trespassed at a hotel pool in the Bahamas that was featured in a James Bond movie! - But that’s a story for another time.)
The 25-metre lap pool, lined with sun loungers and umbrellas, is so picturesque, I felt my stress levels drop just by looking at it. The water temperature is 28 degrees, cool enough to be refreshing but warm enough to not feel like you’re Wim Hoffing it!
Jasmine Terrace: Erinvale Spa’s Poolside Restaurant
While you might be forgiven for thinking that you have to make yourself look presentable and leave the spa area in order to dine at one of Erinvale’s esteemed restaurants, you would be wrong. The Jasmine Terrace is located alongside the pool. Here you can dine al fresco in your spa robe, completely makeup-free. Talk about winning at life!
As it is a wellness spa, most of what’s on the menu is relatively healthy with a number of vegetarian and gluten-free options. The wraps come highly recommended as well as the poke bowls. But, after having eaten my fair share of raw fish at the opening of Konnichiwa the week of my visit, I opted for the bacon & feta toasted sandwich on sourdough bread. It’s amazing how lying around getting pampered all morning can make you quite hungry! It came with vegetable crisps (a healthier alternative to fries) and slaw. It was all very tasty.
Nothing says relaxation quite like a cocktail by the pool. The drinks menu includes a number of cocktails, most of which contain some form of fruit, making them what I consider “healthy cocktails”. I complemented my lunch with a Triple Three Raspberry Gin with pink tonic and berries — you know, purely for the antioxidants!
A State of the Art Gym
The most strenuous part of my day was touring the new gym. (I didn't actually use the equipment, I just had a look around.) The new spa is equipped with a state-of-the-art techno gym (a technologically advanced gym - techno music optional). Using the equipment available, you can log in online to whatever fitness program you are doing and continue it or log your progress. There is also a studio space for yoga/floor work with views of the garden.
My Massage Experience
No spa visit is complete without a treatment. With a focus on holistic wellness, the options include a selection of different massages, sound bowl therapy, various exfoliation treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures, laser hair removal and waxing, as well as IV drips, personal training, dietician consults and even medical aesthetics (botox and fillers).
I was treated to the Pacific Islands Massage. René was my spa therapist and she has magic hands. The massage included Coconut & Monoi Massage oils with warm sand pouches and Llomi Llomi movements. It reminded me of my cruise ship days and it gave me the sensation of walking across a hot tropical beach …or maybe rather that a hot tropical beach was walking all over me. Either way, it was super relaxing.
Normally, when you have a massage and you say you’d like a lot of pressure, you get a medium amount of pressure. René understood the assignment. I got what I asked for and I left all the knots in my upper back (the little stress-induced souvenirs) I had been collecting for months and months, in that treatment room.
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| A rarely-sighted relaxed Sharon |
A Holistic Wellness Destination
Between the amazing massage, enjoying the steam room and sauna, savouring a delicious meal, sipping on a delightful cocktail and having a dip in a beautiful pool when I wasn’t reclining nearby in a bubble of sheer relaxation, by the time I left, I felt like I had been on holiday for at least a week.
I also took advantage of Erinvale’s shuttle service so I didn’t have to collect any new knots in the traffic on the way home.
Since reopening in December 2024, Erinvale Spa has redefined luxury wellness in the Helderberg Winelands. Aiming to offer an “unparalleled sensory journey”, they do seem to appeal to all the senses — from the feeling of the incredible massage to the sights of the stunning pool, the smells of the tropical massage oils, the flavour of the food and drinks, and the sounds of people immersed in sheer relaxation.
Because it is so multi-sensory, it is really hard to describe it in writing. All I can say is if you want to pamper yourself (or someone else) and you’re looking for a place to have a spa day near Cape Town, you should definitely consider Erinvale. In fact, just rereading this, I’m jealous of myself.
If you are not sure which treatment to experience, ask them about the specially curated spa promotions they have each month.
Book Your Erinvale Spa Experience:
E-mail: spa@erinvale.co.za
Tel: +27 21 847 1682 /
Browse their treatment menu here.
Operating Hours:
Monday – Saturday 08:00 – 18:00
Sunday & Public Holiday 08:00 – 17:00
In the area:
- While you’re in the area, here is some inspiration for things you can do in Stellenbosch. (40 mins away)
- Or if you want to stress yourself out a little before you relax, try the Cape Canopy Tour (45 mins away)
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