It’s a rare find, the accommodation option that offers the friendly welcome of a guest house and the facilities and level of privacy that a hotel promises. The Last Word, part of a small chain that also has properties in Cape Town, seems to strike the balance well. Officially, this is a hotel, though the rooms have plenty of character and would also fit in well at an upmarket guest house. Colour schemes are muted and the rooms somehow feel like a very relaxing place to be – stylish yet cosy and if everything that Franschhoek has to offer wasn’t such a short walk away, you might be tempted to stick around in your room all day.

The Last Word is tucked away at the western end of Huguenot Street, Franschhoek’s main road. It’s no more than a 30-minute stroll to reach the Huguenot Museum at the opposite end of town, passing by Franschhoek’s boutiques, chocolate-making shops and of course its restaurants en-route. This town has proclaimed itself as the culinary capital of South Africa, and you don’t see many other places trying to take the crown (though Cape Town of course can give it a run for its money!).

Back at the guest house, there’s a complimentary mini bar in your room and each room has a patio or balcony to sit out on after a hard day’s shopping and eating. Staff are very happy to make restaurant recommendations and will call and make any reservations for you while you enjoy an evening cocktail on the pool deck in summer or next to the lounge’s fireplace in the winter months when temperatures in Franschhoek plummet.

Luckily rooms remain cosy even in the dead of winter – a pretty rare thing in many South African accommodation establishments. Heating comes in both underfloor and wall-mounted varieties and of course there’s air-con, for Franschhoek gets as stifling in summer as it does freezing in winter.

Look out for specials, particularly for last minute bookings.