The original timber-framed building was built in 1947 and initially called the Cedarwood Hotel. It was renamed Devon Valley Hotel in the early nineteen sixties and soon became a very well known Stellenbosch landmark. In 2003, with the ownership transferring to LGI, the hotel and estate, has undergone a significant rejuvenation process.

Both the Devon Valley Hotel and the SylvanVale Vineyards are a majority-owned subsidiary which falls within the Venture Capital sector of Louis Group International (LGI).

LGI established in 1914, is active in Property, Financial Services, Technology and Venture Capital endeavours. With offices in South Africa, Namibia, United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Switzerland, the Group is able to offer a broad array of services to the global market.

This hospitality offering is complimented by a leisure division and a general interest media division and enjoys all the consolidated benefits associated with being a member company of the Group.

Further renovations at the Devon Valley Hotel

Over the past 18 months extensive planning has gone into the latest alterations to be completed at the Devon Valley Hotel.

Occupancies at the Hotel have climbed over the past years and I know that a number of our regulars have often experienced frustration due to the lack of availability and thus the decision to add additional rooms this year. By October 2008 we will have a total of 50 rooms at the Devon Valley. We will be building 20 new rooms on the site of the current Cellar Rooms and these brand new Vineyard Rooms will be fitted with all the modern luxuries expected from a four star boutique hotel.

The new rooms will be housed in two separate buildings which have been designed to optimise the majestic views of the valley and the Helderberg Mountains. There will be eight Luxury rooms with fireplaces and plantation shutters dividing the beautiful spacious bathrooms. The remaining twelve Classic rooms will be spacious (40m2) with wooden floors and large windows to take in the view. The interior are a touch contemporary and yet still full of Winelands charm. The fabrics will once again be out of the top draw with only imported 300 stitch count cotton percale linen being used.

At the same time we will be extending Flavours, our signature restaurant, to be able to accommodate the increased demand. Although Flavours will be given a refreshed look it will remain in the contemporary colonial style that our guests so enjoy. However the biggest reward is for our kitchen brigade who are eagerly anticipating a brand new kitchen almost double the size of the existing one! The new kitchen has been purpose designed by Markus, our executive chef, and we wait with baited breath for the gastronomic creations he and his team will produce from this state of the art kitchen.

BELOW IS A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE PROJECTS FOR 2008:

Construction of new 20 Vineyard Rooms
11 April - 30 September (122 days)
(Behind closed hording with separate entrance to the hotel. out of the sight of guests)
New Kitchen
27 April - 17 August (80 days)
(Behind the hotel and out of the sight of guests - the kitchen will be relocated so a limited menu will still be offered)
Extention to Flavours
20 July - 14 September (45 days)
(This is in front of the hotel and will be horded off, but will impact public areas)
New Admin offices
13 July - 28 September (60 days)
(Behind the hotel and out of the sight of guests)

It is hoped that this exciting endeavour will not keep you away over the next few months and it is emphasised that the contractors are a highly professional team and are fully aware of the constraints of working on the site of an operating hotel. The impact to guests will be kept to a minimum as the estate is 8 hectares and the majority building work will be taking place on one end of the property.