Inside South Africa’s most expensive luxury retirement villages

While many take retirement as an opportunity to move to a smaller home and cut back on their expenses, South Africa’s wealthiest are spending their retirement in the country’s exclusive, luxury retirement villages.

Many view retirement as a time to downsize, either because they don’t feel up to maintaining a larger property anymore, or because they need to find something more affordable. 

In fact, most retired South Africans live on less than a third of their pre-retirement income.

This makes the cost and effort of maintaining even a moderate-sized home impractical for many people. 

With children out of the house and increasing healthcare needs, moving to a smaller and more affordable home is a sensible choice. 

However, for the affluent, retirement is a time to indulge rather than cut back. South Africa offers numerous high-end retirement villages that provide medical care, accessibility, and opulent amenities like spas, golf courses, and billiards.

Below are some of South Africa’s most exclusive luxury retirement villages. 

Val de Vie Evergreen

Val de Vie Evergreen is a luxury retirement village in the heart of Val de Vie Estate in the Paarl-Franschhoek valley.

Established in 2017, Val de Vie Evergreen now has over 260 homes and 50 Luxury Suites sold and a vibrant community of approximately 450 residents.

With its exceptional blend of luxury homes, vineyards, wide open spaces, lush polo fields, equestrian facilities, and outdoor activities, Val de Vie Estate is the proud recipient of ten international property awards. 

New World Wealth has consecutively rated Val de Vie Estate as the number one residential estate in South Africa and Val de Vie Evergreen has been honoured with the title of ‘Best Leisure Development in the World’ at the 2021 International Property Awards. 

Its Pearl Valley Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course is recognised among the top three golf courses in South Africa by SA’s Top 100 Courses.

Currently, Evergreen also has a new lifestyle centre in the works, which, at an impressive 1500m2, will include multi-purpose spaces, wellness areas, social rooms and studios.

Facilities include:

• Comprehensive gym, indoor swimming pool, indoor fitness studios and open-air fitness areas.
• Occupational therapy and other wellness offices.
• Spa, hair salon and relaxation areas.
• Coffee bar, community dining space with restaurant and deli services.
• Games rooms, arts and crafts studios and a library with a reading room.
• Tennis and padel courts, lawn bowls and croquet greens.
• Large communal gardens and walking paths, including a dog park. 
• Outdoor open terrace for dining and gatherings.
• Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
• Wine Tasting
• Private Clubhouse
• Equestrian activities, including scenic outrides and personalised lessons from experienced instructors.
• Polo
• Picnic Spots
• Wellness Farm
• Running & Cycling

“Wild Olive”, the fourth phase of Val de Vie Evergreen, offers 86 homes for those over the age of 65. 

Starting from R5.1 million, homes range between 148m² – 263m².

These properties feature modern two-and-three-bedroom homes equipped with a 5kW inverter, lithium battery backup system and 540W glass solar panels, ensuring that residents can enjoy uninterrupted power supply, without concerns about load shedding.

Val de Vie also offers luxury suites between 44m² and 66m², which start from R2.05 million.

Oasis Luxury Retirement Resort

Conveniently located in acres of beautifully landscaped gardens in the heart of Century City, Oasis is Cape Town’s most comprehensively equipped luxury retirement resort. 

This establishment consists of six residential high-rise towers, an opulent clubhouse and gym, a state-of-the-art care centre, and a 200-seat entertainment venue with a giant cinema screen and café.

Set in acres of Indigenous gardens with ponds, fountains and streams, residents can enjoy five-star dining, entertainment and leisure facilities.

Oasis also offers a wide variety of social, health and sporting facilities. Residents automatically enjoy membership of the Oasis Club, a luxurious and well-equipped indoor and outdoor centre managed by skilled experts.

Facilities include:

• 25-metre heated indoor swimming pool
• Regular water aerobics classes given by a qualified teacher
• Bio-kineticists trained to conduct fitness assessments
• Massage room, sauna & steam room
• Exercise room for aerobics, yoga and Pilates
• Well-equipped gym
• Multi-function entertainment room with giant cinema-style screen
• Library
• Bar & Café Royale Coffee Bar
• Restaurant
• Bridge room
• Billiard room
• Lounge areas
• Croquet oval

Properties here range from R2.4 million for a 65m2 one-bedroom apartment, to R12.8 million for a 247m2 penthouse, completed with a view of Table Mountain. 

Rentals at this retirement village range from R19,500 per month to R36,500 per month.

Waterfall City

Waterfall City, a walkable, bike-friendly neighborhood in Midrand, offers a premium living experience with a private hospital, 14 gyms, and an athletics club.

It also features two high-end retirement estates: Waterfall Hills Mature Lifestyle Estate and Waterfall Valley Mature Lifestyle Estate.

Waterfall Hills is renowned for winning international awards, including Best Mature Lifestyle Estate Development in the world (2009) and Best International Mature Lifestyle Resort (2011).

It offers an array of amenities such as a clubhouse with a restaurant, cinema, bakery, billiards, bowls, a gym, and even a golf course.

This secure lifestyle estate has 192 free-standing houses, 82 apartment suites, and a 33-bed frail care centre with 24-hour medical supervision.

Residents also have access to the amenities of Waterfall City’s other mature lifestyle estate and over 35km of hiking and biking trails.

Waterfall Hills Clubhouse features include:

• Restaurant
• Cinema
• Deli
• Bakery
• Beauty salon
• Library
• Billiards room
• Cigar lounge
• Business centre
• Formal lounges
• Gym
• Indoor heated swimming pool
• Aerobics training room
• Tennis courts
• Putting green
• Competition bowls green
• Arts and crafts centre
• Horticultural centre

Homes at Waterfall Hills are available from R2 million to R5.5 million, and apartment suites for can be bought for R1.5 million to R5 million with no transfer duties.

Waterfall Valley features 241 free-standing homes, a clubhouse, scenic walking trails along the Jukskei River, and full reciprocity with Waterfall Hills.

Residents enjoy access to over 35km of hiking and biking trails, a restaurant, business centre, and more.

Clubhouse features include:

• A restaurant
• Function room
• Business centre
• Library
• Bridge and billiard room
• Cinema
• Gym
• Aerobics and Pilates room
• Outdoor pool
• 3-tee chip-and-putt course

Homes here range from R3.5 million to R8 million, or rental options from R23,000 to R27,000 per month.

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