Akademie Street Guesthouses is a unique property, covering five buildings linked by a central garden, in a historic and quiet corner of Franschhoek. With the town being so small, you’re still close enough to the action, but once you get back to the guesthouse, you really do feel like you’re in your own slice of Eden, surrounded by gorgeous gardens and insulated from the outside world. The rooms vary in size from the simply spacious, through to the absolute indulgence of having your own private cottage complete with swimming pool. The rooms are all decorated in comfortable style: modern, but without being minimalist, and with a couple of throwback touches like wooden benches and claw-footed bathtubs. The breakfasts here, taken in a sun-drenched conservatory, are superb: varied, plentiful and really tasty. Arthur and Katherine run Akademie Street, and they and their staff not only put a very high premium on service, but they also know Franschhoek and the surrounding area like the back of their hands: they will prove no end of help when planning your days in this beautiful part of South Africa.