There are a handful of places I have on my bucket list now that I am living in South Africa. Babylonstoren in the beautiful Cape Winelands has long been at the top of that list. Recently I had the pleasure of visiting and needless to say, the farm lived up to the hype.
Newcomers and visitors to Cape Town often ask me where they should go during their stay. Cape Town is a city with a lot to offer foreigners, however once you have visited the main attractions, there is more to discover nearby. My favourite getaway is the Cape Winelands – a short forty minute drive from Cape Town. Being so close by, we try to visit at least once every couple of months. For this visit, I checked in to Babylonstoren, one of the area’s most celebrated farm stays.
Checking In to the Fynbos Cottages
For my stay at Babylonstoren I checked in to the Fynbos Cottages. These are the newest rooms on the property and undeniably the most sought after. The drive from Cape Town to Babylonstoren will take on average 40 minutes. I would recommend departing from Cape Town between 10:00am and 3:00pm to skip the traffic.
Once you arrive at Babylonstoren the signs on the farm will direct you to the reception, where a team member will welcome you and show you the way to your cottage. The journey to your cottage will be via your own personal golf cart that will be yours to enjoy for the entirety of your stay. This makes it easy to get around the farm quickly and better yet, it is a lot of fun after a few wines at the cellar door.
The Fynbos Cottages feel like a home away from home. They possess endless charm, high ceilings and unlimited daylight that pours through the many windows. In the front area of the cottage you can enjoy light-filled mornings and sunny afternoons, with floor-to-ceiling wrap around windows inside the kitchen and dining area. The living room features a large bookcase filled with novels, books about South Africa and guides for the Cape Winelands.
Onwards to the bedrooms – this is where you see more tributes to the farmland surrounds with the effortlessness of hardy wooden floorboards and minimal decor. The large barn doors open up to arguably the most beautiful bathroom I have ever laid eyes on. Complete with marble floors, subway tile splash walls and a bathtub that looks like it could swallow me whole: I quickly realise why most guests stay a minimum of two nights here in the cottages.
Babel Restaurant
As soon as you arrive at Babylonstoren you won’t want to leave. The farm feels like an ethereal location from a fairytale book, complete with a maze of gardens and incomprehensible natural beauty. But the good news is once you arrive, you don’t have to go anywhere.
Last year I visited Babel Restaurant for the first time and it was this visit that sparked my love for the property. The Cape Winelands is full of great eateries and cellar doors, with Babel restaurant at Babylonstoren on the top of that list.
Babel is the main restaurant on the property and is open for breakfast (house guests), some lunches and dinners. Even if you don’t choose to stay at the farm, a visit to Babel is very worth while. The kitchen team take farm-to-table so seriously that you’ll be amazed at how great simplicity can taste. The plates come to life with fresh produce from the surrounding gardens and for the dessert lovers amongst us, the final course at Babel is always the most memorable!
The Gardens at Babylonstoren
Whether you choose to stay at Babylonstoren or just visit as a day guest, you absolutely cannot miss the chance to wander the gardens on the farm. At reception you can find a beautifully illustrated map of the property that will guide you around the farm from one pit stop to the next. Be sure to stop by the cactus garden, spice house, and eventually make your way over to the cellar door for a wine tasting.
