Devastated by a fire in the early hours of Sunday morning, 28 May 2017, the heart of the iconic and beloved Lanzerac Hotel of Stellenbosch’s Jonkershoek Valley now lies in ashes. The cause of the fire is still being assessed by specialists, however at this stage it can be confirmed that the stark realization of an outbreak in the building was made at approximately 02h30 on Sunday morning, after which authorities were alerted and called for assistance. Personnel acted quickly to cease the power and gas supply to the Hotel, whilst local fire authorities were on scene and proceeded to work on the affected area until later that morning.

The fire affected the following areas: the Hotel Reception, Governors Hall Restaurant, Craven Lounge, Taphuis Bar and all administrative staff offices. No harm was caused to guests or staff, and no damage was caused to the Manor House, guest rooms, wine cellar or vineyards.

As a result of the severe damage to the main operational and guest areas of the Hotel, and the infrastructure thereof, a decision has been made by the owners to close the Estate until further notice. Reassuringly at this stage, the unofficial statement from the assessors this week has been that many of the walls of the affected area still hold integrity and can be used during the rebuild. This means that the façade of the historical building will still hold true and many of the gables can be saved.

“Our historical Estate claims a rich legacy and for this reason, we are devastated by the recent developments”, says Winston Cowie, Lanzerac’s CEO. “Lanzerac has come to represent so much to local Stellenbosch, so you have our utmost assurance to rebuild this iconic property with great care”.

The Lanzerac team is positive that glory can be restored to the old grande dame of Stellenbosch and feel privileged to be a part of rebuilding the legacy of such a landmark property. Furthermore, we are sincerely thankful to the local community for the overwhelming messages of support and care.