Ask anyone whose been to Babylonstoren if they love it and looks of excitement, bliss and happiness will waft over their faces – myself included. Nestled in the lush and beautiful Franschhoek, Babylonstoren is one of South Africa’s oldest Cape Dutch farms. Known for the incredible land that makes up the farm, the orchard, their food, and the lush gardens, Babylonstoren is a dream destination for both locals and tourists alike and it’s easy to see why.
With structures dating back to the 1750s, many of the buildings on the property have been transformed to create a tranquil environment whilst ensuring that the signature look remains, albeit combined with contemporary design.
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.
– Babylonstoren
Babylonstoren garden
With more than 300 varieties of plants, flowers, herbs and fruit and nut trees, the beautifully manicured gardens supply all fresh produce to the two restaurants: Babel and Greenhouse. My family and I love visiting the farm and start the day with breakfast at Babel (R290 pp) before spending hours walking around the garden and smelling all of the herbs and flowers growing there. If you’re lucky, you might spot a gardener working on a patch who would be more than happy to share some tips with you! What’s more, guests are welcome to pick any ripe fruit to enjoy whilst exploring. Depending on the time of year, you can find everything from blood oranges and asparagus to mushrooms, persimmons and lemon trees whose zest waft through the air. We enjoyed an array of their heirloom tomatoes along with freshly picked macadamia nuts, almonds, baby rainbow carrots, and a bountiful harvest of the sweetest peaches and plums.
Learn more about the garden here
Babylonstoren accommodation
While they have a range of wonderful accommodation styles on offer, the newly built fynbos cottages are utterly exquisite, comfortable and a wonderful haven for anyway wanting luxury accommodation while being surrounded by the natural environment (more on the accommodation in my vlog above). What’s more, the fynbos cottages also have a private pool that has definitely been the best pool I’ve experienced (they’re also recognized for their pool!). While the fully equipped cottages are incredible with their large open spaces and airy bathrooms, the extra touches like the golf-cart, tours on the property and fresh produce on offer make the stay more memorable.
More to do at Babylonstoren
If I were to talk about everything on offer then this post would probably never end as the property has so many different experiences that you could immerse yourself in like their new Spa (which I am yet to try).
Find out more about the Scented room here and be sure to visit their online store here for the freshest produce – I love ordering the harvest boxes and their bread! For day visitors, you can also enjoy a garden tour and the olive oil and balsamic tour (I highly recommend this, I had so much fun and learnt a lot!)
Disclaimer: I was gifted with the stay-over
ALSO SEE: https://fatimasaib.co.za/index.php/2022/03/14/cellars-hohenort/