If you are seeking rustic-country charm and a relaxed getaway, then Carignan Cottages, situated on Welgegund Farm in Wellington, offers the perfect break. Welgegund, like any fine wine, has been some time in the making. Situated on the road aptly referred to as 'horseshoe', this 50-hectare farm has a historic pedigree.
Established in 1837, Welgegund was once owned by Cecil John Rhodes who, in his later life, bought 27 of the best farms in the Boland. On his death, the farm was incorporated as part of Rhodes Fruit Farms. The Manor House is featured in the book 'The Old Buildings of the Cape' and is on the register of provincial heritage sites.
During Rhodes lifetime, apricots were the main harvest and tobacco has also grown here. It is, however, as a wine farm that Welgegund has truly come into its own and award-winning wines have been produced over the past 10 years since the first vintage was bottled in 1997.
Carignan Cottages offers a choice of three en-suite bedrooms, named Chiara, Ricco and Pinotage, with two of the cottages containing double beds and the third containing two single beds. Each room features tea and coffee-making facilities and all linen and towels are provided.
In addition to the use of the tennis court, guests can choose to relax in the sparkling swimming pool and barbecue facilities are available on request. In the evening, when the mountains turn pink, enjoy a walk in the vineyards with a spectacular view over Wellington.
Carignan Cottages @ Welgegund Farm
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"Disappointing stay"
25 Mar 2014
By Megan, South Africa
"We had a less than satisfactory stay at Carrigan. Firstly the Bath and Basin were dirty when we arrived. We let this slide and went off to a wedding in the area. Upon our return our room was riddled with small black worms. They were everywhere. On the walls, carpet and bedding. We did our best to clear them off. We had our three year old son with us so we did our best to make him comfortable as it was late when we returned. However when we pulled back the covers and my wife got into bed something bit her. Upon inspection we noticed little bugs in the bed. Being that it was 1 am in the morning there was no one to call. We slept on top of the covers and adding insult to injury my son was so cold he was shivering through the night. We decided to cover him up with my suit jacket while my wife and i braved the wellington night. They did provide a blanket but after seeing the sheet we refused to use this recourse. The next morning the owner (i assume) approached us about our stay and we made our displeasure noted upon which he apologised and promptly wanted the rest of the payment. This i thought was in bad taste having come from the industry myself i felt that this was not the way to go about it. I paid my bill and left the property with a very bad taste in my mouth. The breakfast was definitely not worth it either."
"Unimpressed"
17 Dec 2013
By Christina, South Africa
"While the farm itself was gorgeous, the service could have been much better. The owners asked us to pay the full balance within moments of arriving, and then no one was seen the rest of our stay, which could be nice if you want privacy, but was frustrating as we ran out of toilet paper, etc. and no one refreshed it for the course of our stay. We weren't given a key to our room and so had to leave everything open when going out. Also, the walls between rooms are quite thin, so we heard everything going on with the neighbors. The dog on the property is really lovely, but barked all night long, and it seemed that no one was around to tend to him. Although the price was reasonable, for what we got we felt overcharged."
"A lovely stay"
16 Oct 2013
By Ross, South Africa
"We really enjoyed our stay at Carignan Cottages. The room was comfortable but what really amazed us was the gorgeous breakfast with a view of the forest, beautiful table setting and personal attention from the owner and staff. We felt very welcome and they even supplied us with braai facilities and coals on our second night. Thanks again for such a great weekend."
"Weekend away"
06 May 2013
By ian, South Africa
"We decided to spend the weekend in Wellington mountain biking, eating and drinking wine.
We did all of those!
Carignan Cottages were perfect for our needs.
A wonderful peaceful wine farm with great hospitality and excellent wine. The wine maker, Daniel went out of his way to make our stay enjoyable.
If you want to chill in the wine lands this is the place!"
"Great Stay!"
18 Mar 2013
By Genevieve, South Africa
"Really enjoyed our stay at this quaint little wine farm! Daniel was an amazing host and really made us feel at home.
The farm is so quiet and peaceful and is perfect for a weekend getaway!"
"Pleasant stay"
11 Jun 2012
By Jana, South Africa
"We had a very pleasant stay at Carigan Cottages. Cozy and comfortable and close to town - yet nice and quiet on the farm."
"Very nice"
31 Oct 2011
By Anne, South Africa
"We had a very nice stay in two of the cottages as we attended a wedding in the town. Rooms were cosy and the beds super comfy. It was nicer to be in the country rather than in a town B&B but unfortunately the weather was rainy so we were not able to explore more of the farm or area."
