Inside Africa's Most Exclusive Polo Club

Val de Vie, the pinnacle of polo and luxury living in SA.

Cape Town, the celebrated Mother of South Africa, commands a landscape of dramatic beauty. Framed by the iconic Table Mountain and spectacular ocean vistas, the city's dazzling natural backdrop is complemented by a rich history, multicultural fabric, and vibrant nightlife. Thus, the South African metropolis offers a unique blend of adventure, gastronomy, shopping, and a profound cultural heritage, making it a popular and captivating destination.

Within this setting, its equestrian tradition solidifies its status as one of the busiest destinations on the global polo calendar. With tournaments across the country and clubs that allow for play almost year-round thanks to the privileged climate and extensive territory, polo thrives here.

Val de Vie is one of the world's most exclusive luxury estates. Nestled in the Cape Winelands, it features vineyards, polo fields, an equestrian center, the highly acclaimed Pearl Valley golf course, natural fynbos (indigenous vegetation), parks, lakes, and panoramic mountain views.

The mastermind behind this exclusive project is Martin Venter, who founded Val de Vie in 2004. A corporate commercial lawyer graduated from the University of Pretoria, Venter has been passionate about horses since childhood.

An amateur polo player, Venter was working as a lawyer in property development when he met the founders of Atterbury Property, Louis van der Watt and Francois van Niekerk—now the country's leading real estate company—one afternoon in the early 1990s.

Though the company was still small at the time, its founders recognized Venter's potential and hired him at just 27 years old. He gradually acquired tremendous experience in real estate development before resigning two years later to pursue his own path focused on luxury properties.

After a sabbatical year spent traveling the world to study luxury estates and the lifestyle his target clientele sought, he returned to his home country and began searching for the perfect land for what was initially envisioned as a small luxury development. Following a three-year search, he settled on the Winelands for its unparalleled setting, proximity to Cape Town, and its international airport.

Being near the city of Paarl was a plus: it offered residents access to quality schools, hospitals, and shopping centers close to home. The door to success was opening. In 2002, he purchased a declining historic wine farm for $1.22 million, which would later become Val de Vie.

Venter's knowledge of the equine industry was the key differentiator. The first thing he built was a standard-size Hurlingham polo field. It was there he discovered that homes adjacent to a polo field sold for a significantly higher premium than those next to a golf course.

Construction at Val de Vie began with a $25 million investment allocated to infrastructure and security. The first properties were also sold that year.

Later, another polo field, stables, a clubhouse, gyms, a 25-meter indoor pool, squash courts, tennis courts, a spa, delicatessen shops, a wellness farm, a multi-purpose sports field, mountain biking trails, and its L'Huguenot winery—now owned by the Chinese company Perfect China—were added. A concert area, which has hosted 12,000 people for a performance by Andrea Bocelli, completes the picture. A true walled city of luxury.

Within its nearly 1,000 hectares of parks, lakes, and mountains, Val de Vie Estate is South Africa's only residential polo estate and the home of the annual Veuve Clicquot Masters Polo Cape Town, which draws nearly 3,000 spectators. It also hosts events like the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, organized by Prince Harry, and the annual Pink Polo fundraising event.

The estate continued to grow, and in 2008, Val de Vie acquired 320 hectares of undeveloped land to launch Polo Village Apartments, Gentleman’s Estate, The Vines, The Oaks, River Reserve, La Vue, and Le Domaine, in addition to the complex known for its Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, one of the most prestigious in the world.

According to New World Wealth, it is estimated that by 2050, 50% of centi-millionaires—those with a net worth exceeding $100 million—will live in private estates or have second homes within them.

The total value of the 1,300 completed homes and apartments at Val de Vie, plus the estate's amenities and facilities—including the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pearl Valley golf course—amounts to $833 million, with an average home value exceeding $555,000.

According to the latest listings, home prices range from $194,000 for a one-bedroom apartment to over $1.11 million for a five-bedroom house.

Among properties currently for sale, the average listing price for a one-bedroom apartment is $266,000, while homes with five or more bedrooms average $1.32 million.

However, active listings with Pam Golding show houses selling for up to $3.47 million, while others have sold in the past for over $5.55 million. A 12-room, 2,080-square-meter house with a 2.6-hectare garden is listed for $6.67 million.

For those who wish to build their own property, a 700-square-meter plot costs $311,000, and a 3,750-square-meter plot alongside the polo field costs approximately $1.89 million. Despite the high prices, property sales exceeded $167 million in 2022.

Polo enthusiasts can choose between 31 fully equipped suites in the luxurious Pearl Valley Hotel, exquisitely built by the Mantis group, or one of 60 fully serviced luxury boutique ‘Polo Pad’ apartments that make up the Polo Village.

Apartments designed by award-winning architect Stefan Antoni come in three sizes: the 68m² ‘Polo Pad,’ best suited for solo travelers; while couples and groups might prefer one of the two-bedroom Ambrosia Suites or two-bedroom en-suite Hurlingham Suites.

All apartments are tastefully furnished with a bright and fully equipped open-plan kitchen, lounge, shower room, and spacious bedroom/s. Inside each fresh yet timelessly designed apartment, all modern living needs are catered for.

Val de Vie has won numerous awards, including Best Multi-Generational Resort in the World and Best Residential Development in South Africa. At the 2021 International Property Awards, it was also named the World's Best Leisure Development. Venter told the South African press that Val de Vie holds total asset value of over $833 million and recently announced plans to build its own solar power plant within the top residential estate, embarking on a journey to provide its own power through a new green energy project.