Discover Babylonstoren’s 320-year old Cape Dutch werf. The Manor House dates from 1777 with additional pioneer structures dating all the way back to the founding of the farm in 1692. The Koornhuis (for storing wheat), the old cellar, the ornate fowl house, pigeon loft, leaning bell tower and the historic gates all embellish the traditional courtyard surrounded by a low, whitewashed wall.
Out and about on the farm
Whatever your predilection, we’re certain you’ll find an outlet at Babylonstoren. Every morning at 8h00, there is a guided walk around the farm with one of the gardeners, who takes guests up to the koppie (hill), through the fynbos area and the vlei (wetland), on to the citrus orchards and back past the dam. Or at sunset you could go for a run up to the Babylonstoren Hill or koppie yourself, or walk up to the dam to row in one of our canoes. There’s no better place to sample some of the excellent wines grown on our farm than at our Tasting Room, overlooking the Babylonstoren koppie. In the heat of summer, we encourage you to lounge in a hammock in the cool of the trees and read a book from our well-stocked library, or if you’re visiting in winter, curl up in front of a fire with a glass of red in hand.
The garden
The days are intentionally unscripted at Babylonstoren, and for our hotel guests there’s much to do. In addition to exploring our 200 hectares of farm, in season you can take part in the harvesting of fruit in the orchards or the pruning of our vines. Whatever the season, our garden is an ever-changing tapestry of fruit and vegetable plantings. Hotel guests are invited to join in the harvesting, pruning, planting or picking of our many fruits, herbs, nuts, spices and vegetables. We have maps for five different walks on the farm (available from Reception) and if you’re interested to learn more about the provenance of the garden, do join one of our garden tours that starts daily at 10h00. Booking is essential, so please enquire in advance at Reception.
Our spa, gym and swimming pool
After a workout in our gym overlooking the garden, guests can relax at our Garden Spa. The swimming pool is a restored farm reservoir and perfect for hot summer days.
Wine cellar
Please join us on one of our daily guided cellar tours, which will take you through the whole winemaking process, past the vineyards, through the olive press, production cellar and maturation cellar, and includes a wine tasting. The tour starts at the Tasting Room. Our whole wine range is available for tasting at the Tasting Room.
Parent friendly
The farm is a paradise for children with our resident geese, chickens (where they can collect eggs) and our beloved donkeys, Meisiekind and Lulu. The donkeys live near to the Farm Shop and love nothing better than a snack of bread. We invite our young guests to help feed the donkeys and to help harvest fruit and vegetables from our gardens, especially for the breakfast table. We also provide provide complimentary mountain bikes for all our hotel guests. They are located in the old pigsty near the entrance to the guest cottages. We recommend the use of helmets, and these are provided at Reception.
Birdwatching
In addition to our domestic fowls, pigeons and more than 100 snail-harvesting ducks, Babylonstoren is also home to a myriad species of birds. So arm yourself with a pair of binoculars and spend some gentle hours in the garden. If in doubt, download the Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa mobile app, that with its detailed text, beautiful visuals and ability to play individual calls and songs is a great help in identifying different species.