Mountain View Villa absorbs the energy of the verdant landscape of Bishopscourt, where a compelling tale is told, about a luxury family home and its abounding attributes, tied together with Cape Town’s infinite attractions.

There’s a reason why we choose Bishopscourt as a place to reside for a period of time. It portrays a monarchal side of the Mother City, with an almost rural ambience. A placid suburb that panders to our yearning for a lavish encounter with the mountain. Where we get to explore the real heartbeat of Cape Town, her culture, her boundless nature, and her mesmerising characteristics that define her as a city. All the while, ensconced in the utter bliss of the Southern Suburbs.

Mountain View Villa harnesses all of the elements that make Cape Town so singular. Crisp, invigorating mountain air, generous light and a landscape that relentlessly wanders indoors. The emerald back side of Table Mountain rises beyond the garden like a vast, evolving canvas, framing the view from wherever you plant yourself. It’s the subtle organising principle of the house, lending its presence to every room, terrace and pathway, that furnishes your holiday with a distinctly restorative rhythm.

Classically furnished with all of the contemporary essentials, the villa settles into the soil it shares with its magnificent grounds. The house unfolds across two levels, with six bedrooms, cleverly configured to ensure your travelling clan has the perfect doses of cohesion and seclusion. Downstairs, a fantastic games room centres around a billiards table, with a double-sided fireplace dividing it from an elegant sitting room. The open-plan kitchen, with its generous island, becomes the heart of the home, opening directly towards the garden and up to the mountain peaks. There’s a proper gym, well-equipped for those serious about earning their freedom with the holiday feasting.

As you travel upstairs, that sublime African sunlight continues to move through the rooms. The main ensuite is like having your own expansive residence all to yourselves. Down the corridor to one ensuite with a lovely large bay window, another with its separate bathroom across the hall, and two further bedrooms make this hideaway ideal for multigenerational family holidays.

The real living happens outside

The large verandahs and terraces wrap themselves around the home, dissolving onto the lawn. You’ll spend plenty of hours gathering around the tables, on the sofas, beside the swimming pool and meandering the gardens. Beyond the manicured lawns, pathways lead through the fynbos and fragranced rose gardens, enticing you to take the occasional stroll while the others enjoy a set on the tennis court, or a round of snooker. Some of you might like to claim a patch of lawn with a blanket, a verandah chair or a shaded corner on a lounger, with a juicy novel.

Some of your afternoons will naturally lead towards the revered Constantia Wine Route, sampling the finest vintages in the country. Some mornings you’ll venture to the nearest beach for a surf, or traverse the nature trails by foot or by bike. The urban amusements are only a brief drive away, as are the esteemed golf courses, and contemporary African art galleries and sculptural gardens.

Mountain View Villa is ultimately about discovering another side of Cape Town. The mountain supplies the energy, the garden gives its utopian texture, and the home provides the space in which everyone can establish their own pace. By the time you leave, you may find that your clan has acquired a new way of being together. One that’s more cohesive, and more whimsical, inspired by the mountain’s light.

Written by Colleen Ogilvie