Babylonstoren

Simondium, South Africa

Cellar door, boutique-chic rooms, farm-to-fork dining, coffee roastery, olive press, spa... Babylonstoren really does have it all. To step into this idiosyncratic farm stay is to surrender to the senses. But perhaps more than that, it’s to submit to nature. Surrounded by the Simonsberg mountains in the heart of Cape Winelands, it’s close to both Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Set in carefully resurrected working Cape Dutch farm that dates back to 1692, it’s perhaps best known for its eight-acre garden (one of just two RHS-partnered gardens in Africa, complete with a prickly pear maze, orchards, and indigenous plants), and the award-winning vineyards that provide eye candy throughout. You’ll find bedrooms of all shapes and sizes, from delightful cottages, to multi-room houses and villas. Owner Karen Roos is clearly a virtuoso of style, and the bright-white interiors complete with fireplaces, textured furniture and gleaming bathrooms epitomise confident elegance. Epicureans come for the superlative food served at flagship Babel and the dramatic Greenhouse found tucked under striking oaks. Starters aren’t starters here, they’re ‘stirrings’, and the provenance-first fare certainly stirs up emotions. Elsewhere, a large indoor-outdoor pool, Rasul chamber, hammam and sauna make up the unmissable spa. For a well-heeled bucolic retreat, look no further.

Key Information

• Rooms: 35
• Starting Rate: $536
• Dining: Babel Restaurant
• At the Hotel: Spa, pool, gardens, coffee roastery, gelato room, garden shop, wine cellar, olive press, essential oil distillery, nut roastery, fishing, mountain biking, event spaces, family friendly
• 27218633852
• Visit Babylonstoren's Website

Location

Klapmuts Simondium Rd, Simondium, Cape Winelands District, Western Cape, 7670