I rarely go back to the same place twice on my travels – but I’ll make an exception for Babylonstoren every time I’m in South Africa. Even if I only have 48 hours in Cape Town, I’ll make it work. It was husband-and-wife duo Koos Bekker and Karen Roos’ first foray into hotels and hospitality. And since then, sister property The Newt in Somerset has sprung up – which, IYKYK.
“Babylonstoren’s history and beauty were something we could never keep to ourselves. This we realised during our very first visit.”
You’ll find this working farm hotel at the foot of the Simonsberg mountains in South Africa’s winelands. Not far from Franschhoek, where wine is the word (and taste) on everyone’s lips. But wine is just one word – and Babylonstoren is the whole damn dictionary.
Yes, the estate’s wine tasting experience is a whopping 10 courses (plus food pairings, mind you). Yes, the farm recently planted its first Pinot Noir vines. But to come here for a crisp Chenin Blanc or punchy Pinotage alone is a bit like visiting the Louvre just for the gift shop – you’ve barely scratched the surface.
To borrow the vocabulary of this luxury hotel’s own logo – the farmer's pipe, the garden flower, the bird in flight – Babylonstoren is an entire ecosystem; a way of life that goes far beyond the bottle.
“Above all, we’d like visitors to ground themselves again. To enjoy the mountains all around as much as we do, pick their own healthy fruit and veg, play pétanque, swim in the farm dam, enjoy an hour in the spa, eat a simple fresh dish at one of the restaurants, walk up the conical Babylonstoren hill, await sunset with a glass of wine in hand, and then slip in between sheets of crisp linen and drift away...”
The gardens of Babylon(storen)
If this name sounds familiar, you might be thinking of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World whose existence has never been proven. Now, obviously I’m not suggesting the gardens at Babylonstoren are these legendary lost gardens. But one lazy afternoon spent getting lost between Babylonstoren’s prickly pear maze, beehives, chamomile lawn, and citrus groves leaves you wondering whether this is as close to an ancient wonderland as we have in the modern world.
We have French architect Patrice Taravell to thank for this slice of paradise. You’d never know it, but this five-hectare formal garden is formed of fifteen distinct sections that unfold along an axis that runs east to west. Surprisingly geometric for a space so serene, I know. But it’s deliberately designed to slow you down. The kind of place where Children float leaf boats in the channels and chase chickens around vegetable patches, and adults splash barefoot through Delft-tiled ponds and pick fresh fruit off trees.
“He really understands the movement of people: how to make a garden hold you and calm you down.”
Beyond the formal sections, you’ll find a Healing Garden with medicinal plants and herbs aligned to the head, heart, lungs and digestive system; a Succulent House where thousands of clivia lilies erupt along the stream that flows from Simonsberg to the Berg River every spring; and a Byzantium that offers you a rare chance to step into the hive mind and discover the world through the eyes of the honeybee.
A farm that feeds itself
It’s 2am. Master baker Peachy Jacobs is kneading, mixing, and proving the pastry and dough that will end up on your breakfast buffet this morning. It’s 7am. Water buffalo whisperer Leonie Botha is milking the cows for today’s buffaccinos (and gelato, butter, mozzarella – the list goes on). It’s 11am. Olive guru Petrus van Eeden is harvesting the orchards and cold-pressing oil for the chefs to drizzle on your dinner tonight.
“What ends up on your plate is the result of years of work and care. It helps create a mindfulness of where your food comes from.”
This is far from the full the picture – but you get the idea. Every second of the day someone is turning something estate-grown into something estate-enjoyed. The best part: Babylonstoren is an open book. All these fascinating food processes are available for you to experience first-hand through tours and workshops.
“We hold regular workshops at Babylonstoren because we see it as an ideal opportunity to share what we’ve learned and also to learn from others.”
The phrase farm-to-fork dining feels too overused to apply to Babylonstoren’s “pick, clean, serve” approach. Almost all food consumed onsite is grown onsite – the rest is sourced from local farmers and artisans – and any waste is returned to the soil via their worm farm (what else?).
Babel Restaurant
Best for: a breakfast buffet to remember.
The old cowshed has been lovingly repurposed into this light and airy space that feels as organic as the food it serves. The dinner menu is everchanging and inventive in its combinations. But the breakfast buffet (only for overnighters) is really something to behold: juicy figs, golden honeycomb, fresh garden crudités, pastries with farm butter, flame-grilled boerewors…
Greenhouse Restaurant
Best for: post-garden stroll snacks.
Hidden between ancient oaks at the garden's rear, this fairytale-like spot serves effortless, picnic-style food inspired by the gardens surrounding it. Think artisanal bread with handcrafted cheeses, boerewors made from the farm's own Chianina cattle, and fresh garden juices. The fan-favourite combo, however, is a freshly baked scone with seasonal preserves and a cup of farm-grown honeybush tea.
Old Bakery
Best for: dining with little ones.
This is where you come for a cosy, kid-friendly dinner. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday evenings see a scrumptious four-course Italian-inspired feast served up family-style. Wednesdays and Sundays see carnivore evenings come to life in an authentic celebration of the beloved South African braai – enjoyed at communal long tables and accompanied by foot-tapping live folk music.
A sense of place not to be slept on
At the end of the day (literally), Babylonstoren is a hotel, and despite its abundance of experiences to keep you out and about, where you’ll be resting your head each night matters. At a glance…
Garden Cottages
Best for: an authentic farm-stay experience.
Sleeps: 2–4.Farmhouse Suites
Best for: its rare butterfly collection.
Sleeps: 2.Fynbos Cottages
Best for: vineyard views.
Sleeps: 2–4.Koornhuis
Best for: reading by the fireplace.
Sleeps: 4.Fowl House
Best for: artistic souls and romantic retreats.
Sleeps: 2.Red Studio
Best for: outdoor showers in a secluded garden.
Sleeps: 2.Manor House
Best for: group games on the private lawn.
Sleeps: 6.Fynbos Family House
Best for: the private crystal pool in a private courtyard.
Sleeps: 10.
But listing accommodation categories misses the point somewhat. The real achievement of Babylonstoren's accommodation is that it feels inseparable from the farm itself. In short: it redefines what it means to have a sense of place.
“…the abundance of space which makes one feel that you can breathe. The design honours true Cape Dutch style while adding a modern touch for comfort.”
Take the Garden Cottages, for example. They occupy the footprints of the original labourers' cottages, their thick whitewashed walls, deep fireplaces, and Cape Dutch proportions softly echoing the estate's past. Then, at the other end of the spectrum, there’s the larger Manor House, where your private pool is fed by the same water channels that thread through the gardens below. Nothing feels accidental, and every detail serves a purpose.
And beyond…
You’ve probably clocked by now that Babylonstoren isn't your average hotel – it's a working farm spread across hundreds of acres of orchards, vineyards, mountains, and wilderness. So, while you could happily spend days wandering the gardens with a coffee in hand, some experiences are worth seeking out a bit further afield – and I’ve rounded up a few of my favourites below.
The Garden Spa
The spa is open to overnight guests and day visitors – if you know how to find it, that is. Hint: it’s hidden far, far away from the hotel’s main hubbub in a forest of estate-grown golden goddess bamboo. Which, ironically, is exactly how you’ll feel after a few hours spent unwinding here. I’d recommend trying the Rasul chamber – but you can’t go wrong with signature deep-tissue bamboo massage, too.
Water buffalo tour at Rietvlei
On your way to Rietvlei – home to Babylonstoren’s water buffalo and free-roaming chickens – you’ll see corners (and animals) of the farm most never get to see. Once there, you'll watch the daily milking, help feed the cute calves, watch the stars of Babylonstoren's famous buffaccinos wallow, graze, and generally go about their morning business. The early alarm is worth it – trust me.
Sunset mountain drive
Wine tasting with a view is one thing. Wine tasting on top of a mountain as the sun disappears behind Table Mountain is quite another. Hop into a 4x4 and rumble up the slopes of Simonsberg, passing vineyards and fynbos, before reaching a lookout known as In the Clouds. There, Babylonstoren wines and garden-grown crudités. Delicious.
Soetmelksvlei
History lessons rarely come this alive. A short shuttle ride from the main farm, Soetmelksvlei recreates life on a Cape farm in the late 1800s, complete with working tradespeople, period buildings, and hands-on workshops. One minute you're watching traditional milling and distilling techniques, the next you're wandering through beautifully restored cottages or tucking into hearty farmhouse fare.
The more time you spend at Babylonstoren, the harder it becomes to define. A hotel? Definitely. A winery? Undoubtedly. A garden, a farm, a dining destination, a wellness retreat, an agricultural experiment, a design project… Yes to all the above. But none of those labels quite capture the big, beautiful biome that it is.
What makes it special isn't any single experience, but how harmoniously everything works together. The way the gardeners speak about the soil; the way the bakers speak about the grain; the way the guides speak about the mountains… I could go on. There is a genuine sense that everyone here is part of the same story.
In an age of hotels hopping on the next trend, Babylonstoren feels refreshingly rooted to me. Not in nostalgia, but in possibility. It offers a vision of what hospitality – and, by extension, life – can look like when nature, food, design, people, and place are all working towards the same goal. And it’s bliss.
