Thandiwe Nkosi
Babylonstoren is a working Cape Dutch farm in the Drakenstein Valley near Franschhoek that has become one of South Africa’s most distinctive places to stay, because the hotel never stops being a farm. The estate dates to 1692, its formal fruit and vegetable garden supplies its restaurants, and days here are organised around produce, wine and gardens rather than around a conventional hotel programme. Staying guests get cottages and suites set among orchards and vineyards, two restaurants led by the garden, and a valley setting at the foot of the Simonsberg mountain. It suits travellers who want the Cape Winelands at walking pace, and it works less well for anyone who wants a town base or a packed sightseeing schedule. This guide explains what the property is, how the farm shapes a stay, and who should book it, and it pairs well with our Londolozi safari guide for a combined Winelands and safari trip, and with our 2 days in Cape Town itinerary, since the farm is an easy add on to time in the city.
Quick Facts About Babylonstoren
- Location: Babylonstoren Road, in the Drakenstein Valley between Franschhoek and Paarl, Western Cape.
- Founded: 1692, making it one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms in the Winelands.
- Setting: A large working estate of vineyards, orchards and farmland at the foot of the Simonsberg.
- Heart of the property: A formal fruit and vegetable garden of roughly eight acres, inspired by the historic Company Garden in Cape Town.
- Eating: Babel, the main restaurant in a converted cowshed, plus the Greenhouse restaurant and a farm shop and bakery.
- Style: Restored Cape Dutch buildings, whitewashed walls and gables, with contemporary interiors by owner Karen Roos.
- Day visitors: The garden and restaurants welcome day guests, so the public areas are lively by day and quieter once day visitors leave.
What is Babylonstoren, exactly?
Babylonstoren began in 1692, when the farm was granted to Pieter van der Byl, and its werf, the traditional farmyard, is among the best preserved in the Cape Dutch tradition. The manor house dates to 1777, and the old cellar, wheat barn known as the Koornhuis, fowl house and bell tower survive alongside it. The modern chapter started when Karen Roos, a former magazine editor, and her husband Koos Bekker took over the farm and restored it, opening the garden in 2010 and building the hotel around the farm rather than over it. That decision still defines the place. Tractors have right of way, harvests set the menus, and the garden is a production space first and a beautiful one second. Guests are staying on a farm that sells what it grows, not visiting a hotel that decorates itself with a vegetable patch.
The estate runs to roughly 200 hectares of vineyards, orchards, wheat fields and farmland against the Simonsberg, with dozens of grape varieties in the ground and wines made on site. A sister connection worth knowing is The Newt in Somerset, England, developed by the same owners, which shares the garden led philosophy. None of this makes Babylonstoren a theme experience: the farm work is real, the produce goes to the kitchens and the farm shop, and the hotel fits into the gaps the farm leaves, which is exactly the appeal.
Why does the garden matter so much here?
The formal garden is the centre of Babylonstoren in every sense. Designed with French landscape architect Patrice Taravella, its grid of beds, avenues and water channels was inspired by the Company Garden in Cape Town, where ships once restocked with fresh produce, and by the mythical gardens that gave the farm its name. Every plant in the formal garden is edible or has a documented use, and the planting runs from orchards and citrus to berries, vegetables, herbs, a prickly pear maze and a healing garden. Garden tours run for guests and day visitors, and joining one early in a stay changes how you see everything afterwards, because the plate of food at lunch suddenly has an address.
For staying guests, the garden is also the daily rhythm. Paths lead from the cottages through the garden to breakfast, farm shops sell the estate’s own olive oil, preserves and baked goods, and bicycles are the natural way to move between garden, spa, cellar and restaurants across an estate too large to treat as a courtyard hotel. Travellers who like structure should note that this is a place that rewards wandering rather than scheduling: the best hour of the day may be an unplanned one among the quince avenues with the Simonsberg turning pink above them.
What are the rooms like at Babylonstoren?
Accommodation is spread across the farm in several clusters rather than stacked in one building. The original farm hotel cottages line the avenue near Babel and suit guests who want to be close to breakfast and the garden. Garden Cottages sit beside the formal garden itself, while the Farmhouse building holds suites around a shared lounge and library space, and the Manor House offers the most historic rooms on the farm. Newer Fynbos cottages and family houses sit further out in the estate, closer to the mountain, and are reached by bicycle or golf buggy. Interiors follow a consistent formula: thick whitewashed walls, fireplaces, deep sofas, kitchens stocked with farm basics and calm, contemporary furniture against old beams and thatch. There is no single best cluster. Couples who want atmosphere should look near the werf and garden; families and longer stays benefit from the space and kitchens of the houses further out; anyone with limited mobility should discuss exact cottage locations before booking, because distances on the farm are real.
How does the food work, from Babel to the Greenhouse?
Babel, housed in a converted cowshed with glass additions looking over the garden, is the farm’s flagship restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner built around whatever the garden and farm deliver that day. Salads arrive as picked compositions rather than recipes, colours of the season are a house signature, and the cooking stays deliberately simple so the produce leads. Booking is essential, including for staying guests, and lunch at Babel is one of the most sought after tables in the Winelands, so reserve before you arrive rather than after. The Greenhouse, set at the far end of the garden under oak trees, is the relaxed alternative, serving lighter food and teas in a glasshouse setting, and it suits a slow afternoon better than a formal dinner. Add a bakery, a farm shop stocked with estate produce, wine tastings of the farm’s own vintages and occasional food workshops, and eating becomes the main activity of a stay, which is precisely what most guests come for.
Who suits Babylonstoren best, and who should book elsewhere?
Babylonstoren suits travellers who travel to eat and to slow down: gardeners, cooks, wine travellers working through the Franschhoek and Paarl valleys, couples marking an occasion, and families who want children to roam safely outdoors. It also suits safari travellers decompressing for two or three nights after the bush, since Cape Town airport and the Winelands pair easily with a Kruger or Sabi Sand itinerary. It suits less well travellers who want to be in a town at night, because Franschhoek village is a drive away and evenings on the farm are quiet once the restaurants close. It is also a premium priced stay, and guests paying it should intend to use the farm itself; if your plan is to tour the whole Winelands from dawn to dusk each day, a village guesthouse will serve you better and cost less. One practical note: because the garden and Babel draw many day visitors, the middle of the day feels busy in the public areas. Staying guests get the farm back in the early morning and evening, and those hours are the strongest argument for sleeping here rather than visiting for lunch.
Frequently asked questions about Babylonstoren
Can you visit Babylonstoren without staying overnight?
Yes. Day visitors can enter the garden, join tours and eat at the restaurants, subject to booking and any entry arrangements in place at the time. Check the official Babylonstoren website for current day visitor details before you go.
How far is Babylonstoren from Franschhoek and Cape Town?
The farm sits in the Drakenstein Valley between Franschhoek and Paarl, roughly a 20 minute drive from Franschhoek village. Cape Town is around an hour away by road, depending on traffic, and the drive from Cape Town International Airport is similar.
Do you need to book Babel if you are a hotel guest?
Yes. Babel is popular with day visitors and locals as well as guests, and tables go quickly. Reserve for lunch or dinner when you book your room to avoid disappointment.
How many nights should you stay at Babylonstoren?
Two nights is the sweet spot for most travellers: one day for the garden, Babel and the farm itself, and one day for Franschhoek village and neighbouring wine farms. Stay three nights if the farm is your Winelands base.
Is Babylonstoren suitable for children?
Yes, particularly for families who want outdoor space. Children can explore the garden, meet farm animals and cycle the estate paths, and the larger cottages and houses are designed with families in mind.
