About Babylonstoren
Babylonstoren is one of the oldest working Cape Dutch farms in the Winelands region. The estate is positioned around a sprawling garden, inspired by the historic Company’s Garden in Cape Town. In recent years, Babylonstoren has become a renowned establishment in the vibrant Boland region. The farm’s garden is known for its diverse and expansive botanical collections.
Babylonstoren as a modern farm includes luxury accommodation, fine food and a curated collection of wines made in the state-of-the-art winery on the property. The magnificent garden remains at its core and every aspect of Babylonstoren is guided by the ever-changing tapestry and botanical diversity of the garden.
GARDEN
For visitors, the garden offers the space to soak in the natural Cape Floral Kingdom surroundings. Orchards of abundant fruit, acres of vegetables, farm animals and a macrocosm of pollinating insects make up the botanical haven, alongside unique exhibitions and collections.
Among others, these include thousands of vibrant clivias cultivated by and donated to Babylonstoren from renowned collectors; a succulent house with arid-adapted plants representing the unique vegetation of South Africa’s arid regions; and an expansive cycad collection – one of the rarest plant exhibitions in the world accessible to the public.
The Spice House and Healing Garden at the rear end of the formal garden harbour a variety of tropical plants and herbal healing flora, respectively. These tell the story of the wide selection of herbs and spices represented in South African cuisine.
WINE
From the unique terroir of the Simonsberg Mountain, the wines produced at Babylonstoren tell the tale of this Boland region in a most enjoyable way. The wine cellar is a library of winemaking processes used the world over, from amphorae clay pots to open cement fermenters and concrete egg-shaped vessels. Winemaker Klaas Stoffberg and cellar master Charl Coetzee have great fun producing wines with the unique equipment, but these are only used for small batches to create exclusive and limited-edition wines for the Babylonstoren Wine Club.
The farm’s standard range of wines is created using state-of-the-art methods including modern stainless steel tanks as well as oak barrels to produce award-winning wines. The range comprises four whites, four reds, a Provençal-style rosé and a darling Cap Classique called Sprankel.
Stay
The Babylonstoren Farm Hotel and cottages offer an authentic farm stay that’s perfectly attuned to nature. The Farmhouse, Manor House, Garden Cottages, Fynbos Cottages and family-focused Fynbos Family House all offer modern farm luxury with every indulgence considered – the perfect base from which to explore the garden, spa, restaurants, Tasting Room and Farm Shop.
While it remains a working farm, Babylonstoren presents a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a most magnificent setting at the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain. With its garden as a living library, it is a space that celebrates a contemporary, unhurried farm lifestyle and instils a sense of wellbeing in all who wander through.
Experience
Visitors can get a glimpse of farm operations through various experiences, such as olive oil blending or witnessing the essential oil distillery in the Scented Room opposite the cellar. Here, an olfactory experience awaits in a space dedicated to transforming the farm’s most fragrant harvests into a range of natural bath and body products.
Other in-depth experiences, hosted by master gardeners, chefs and specialists on a variety of topics, are offered at weekly workshops.
The Farm Shop, Milk Room, Bakery, Butchery and Lekker Kamer all offer tasty treats sourced and cultivated from the estate and surrounding suppliers. The objective is to offer visitors a comprehensive taste of the region, and an opportunity to stock up on an array of pantry treats, fresh produce and luxury homeware. An expansive online offering is also available for remote shoppers across South Africa.
Food
The farm’s various eateries all celebrate and incorporate the garden’s seasonal bounty. Fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, eggs and other edible delicacies are harvested daily and transformed into dishes that are both nostalgic and innovative. Babel Restaurant, situated in a refurbished old cowshed with Cape Dutch gables and modern glass walls, sets the perfect backdrop to savour these extraordinary dishes. The more relaxed Greenhouse eatery, again, offers an informal experience where light meals can be enjoyed after a stroll through the garden.
Grazing platters are also served in the farm’s state-of-the-art winery and Tasting Room, which sits suspended atop a vineyard in a glass-walled structure. Here you can taste the full range of award-winning wines, consisting of four whites, a rosé, three elegant reds and the beloved Sprankel Cap Classique.