Nestled beneath rocky tipped, sky surging mountains, bejewelled in vineyards and verdant forests, with circling eagles; the setting alone is priceless. But La Residence appears to have made a pact with Nature’s wonders: by creating a sparkling sanctuary, with a positively radiant ambiance, which complements both the scale and the grandeur of its vibrant setting.

La Residence is a bold terracotta mansion/palazzo/villa, with European and Moroccan architectural influences; loggia, arches, fountains, palms, courtyards, to name but a few. As with all of Liz Biden’s properties, there is a piquant uniqueness that renders the property as a crowd stand out. A feeling of ‘princess’ came over both of us as we entered one of the most spectacular reception-halls, with a cathedral sized magnitude, beneath a soaring, beamed ceiling with crystal beaded and engraved lantern chandeliers glowing from the rafters.

Our chosen suite looked across a terrace to God’s mountain. The chamber was flavoured in a palette of fine Burgundy and olive with a splash of ruby, in luxuriant velvets and silks, on a chaise longue and classic reproduction Hepplewhite, wingdesigned, chairs: the emperor-sized bed was dressed to soporific perfection. Chinese rugs are lavished throughout the property and ours was a very fine one indeed, which worked wonders with the room’s Eastern idiosyncrasies.

The bathroom was utterly divine: complete with a freestanding cast iron roll top bath, resting on thick wooden casters beneath another dreamy chandelier.

With this life-style now entwined in our inner ‘chi’, we went back for a royal soak and change, followed by drinks with the host of hosts, Edward. We sipped champagne on a butter-soft sofa by the roaring fire beneath the galleried library, stacked to the beams with vintage, watermarked books. The villa’s striking luminosity by day was matched by the magical ambiance at night. The precious pair of black swans that glide on the private lake took to their nest as the sky turned from crimson to amethyst twilight. Each performance that unfurls here is so remarkable; it’s hard to believe it’s not stage-managed.

The dining tables that beckoned, atop the glamorous marble floor, were a veritable vision in white, silver and crystal, while the accompanying chairs were fantastically luxuriant: hide upholstered high backs in a rich ruby beside lipstick rouge velvet banquettes.

Wayne, one of the Cape’s greatest culinary talents, conjured up an exceptional menu ‘prestige’, delighting our palates in a style worthy of many gastronomic accolades, while the sommelier surprised us with excellent local matches. After dinner we took our Sauternes styled digestif into the Moorish courtyard for a gaze at the velvet-black-and-diamante sky.

Find out more and book direct with the hotel at www.luxuryexplorer.com