Flânons

Simondium · South Africa · To stay

Babylonstoren

Location & practical

Farm Life, with an Editor's Eye

  • Cape Dutch heritage, contemporary design.
  • Five hectares of edible gardens.
  • Farm fresh dining, exceptional wines.
  • €754–8,100 / night
  • 28 rooms
  • Simondium, Cape Winelands

Set at the foot of the Simonsberg mountains, between Paarl and Franschhoek, Babylonstoren is one of the Cape Winelands' oldest farms. Its history dates to 1692, while the handsome Cape Dutch manor house, with its whitewashed gables and thatched roof, was built in 1777. The estate's present incarnation, however, owes much to Karen Roos, former editor of ELLE Decoration South Africa, and her husband, media entrepreneur Koos Bekker, who bought the property in 2007.

Roos brought an exceptional eye for design, but it was the garden that became her grandest undertaking. French designer Patrice Taravella created five hectares of carefully ordered abundance, inspired by Cape Town's historic Company's Garden, which once supplied passing Dutch East India Company ships with fresh provisions. More than 300 varieties of edible and medicinal plants now grow here, from citrus and fragrant herbs to vegetables, berries and rather exotic botanical specimens. Water runs through narrow channels, gravel and peach pits crunch beneath your feet, and a prickly pear maze offers an unusually prickly introduction to horticulture. On a guided walk, visitors are encouraged to smell, touch and taste their way through it all.

Naturally, the garden eventually finds its way onto your plate. At Babel, a former cowshed transformed with contemporary glass walls, the kitchen follows the seasons and whatever the gardeners have been harvesting. The Greenhouse serves relaxed lunches beneath the trees, while the bakery turns out beautiful sourdough loaves and pastries. Elsewhere on the farm, water buffalo provide the milk for fresh mozzarella and exceptionally creamy gelato. Add the estate's own wines, and you begin to understand why a simple walk around the farm can occupy most of an afternoon.

The accommodation is a particularly accomplished marriage of old and new. Thick whitewashed walls, generous fireplaces and bookshelves meet contemporary furniture, excellent linen and spacious bathrooms. In the Garden Cottages, sleek glass kitchen extensions provide a striking contrast to the traditional Cape Dutch architecture. The more secluded Fynbos Cottages, newly built in the same architectural tradition, offer greater privacy and views across the vineyards and orchards. For further indulgence, the Garden Spa sits among bamboo and flowing water, with a hammam, indoor pools and beautifully conceived treatment spaces.

What makes Babylonstoren so appealing is the attention paid to the smallest things. Fresh fruit in your room, botanical bath products made with ingredients from the estate, bread still warm from the oven. There is an almost editorial precision to the entire experience, yet the farming is real, the gardens are productive and the hospitality feels wonderfully generous. Luxury here is expressed through abundance, craftsmanship and the pleasure of having time to appreciate both.

It is worth remembering that Babylonstoren has become a destination in its own right, drawing plenty of day visitors to its gardens, restaurants and shops. Those seeking complete seclusion should choose their accommodation carefully. But staying overnight offers a particular privilege: the chance to wander the gardens in the early morning, before the gates open to the public, when the gardeners are already at work and the paths are still wonderfully quiet.

Book at least two nights. There is too much good food, wine and exceptionally comfortable idleness to fit into one.

  • Garden
  • Restaurant Reservation required
  • Spa
  • Pool
  • Gym

Rooms.

The Flânons choice

Which room would we choose?

One-Bedroom Cottage (Garden Cottages)

All 11 room types

Farmhouse Suite

2 adults

Four poster bed · Fireplace · Bathtub · Botanical interior

The moodier, romantic option: four-poster king bed, moss-toned interiors, marble bathroom and cast-iron stove. The Farmhouse is not available to families with children. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for two guests: approximately €815 low season to €1,164 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €1,266.

Red Studio

2 adults

Fireplace · Kitchenette · Outdoor shower · Private entrance

A contemporary studio facing the pétanque courtyard, with kitchenette, fireplace and a secluded outdoor shower. Published 2026 low-season two-person rate is unusually below its advertised single-occupancy rate; verify before booking. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for two guests: approximately €754 low season to €1,164 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €1,266.

One-Bedroom Suite (Garden Cottages)

2 adults

Fireplace · Bookshelves · Bathtub

A compact Garden option with a fireplace, book-lined sitting area and en-suite bathroom. Unlike the one-bedroom cottage, it has no separate kitchen extension. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for two guests: approximately €912 low season to €1,319 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €1,437.

One-Bedroom Cottage (Garden Cottages)

2 adults

Fireplace · Kitchen · Lounge · Glass extension

Our first choice for a couple: Cape Dutch proportions, a real fireplace, books and a modern glass kitchen extension, close to the productive garden. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for two guests: approximately €1,067 low season to €1,529 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €1,663.

Fowl House

2 adults

Fireplace · Kitchen · Lounge

A characterful, self-contained cottage with its own kitchen area, dining table, cosy fireplace seating and a separate bedroom. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for two guests: approximately €1,067 low season to €1,529 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €1,663.

Koornhuis

4 adults

Two bedrooms · Two bathrooms · Fireplace · Kitchen · Lounge · Glass extension

A particularly attractive heritage-led pick beside the 1777 Manor House and the garden; two en-suite bedrooms with fireplaces, a book-filled lounge and a modern glass kitchen. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for four guests: approximately €1,636 low season to €2,344 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €2,548.

Two-Bedroom Cottage (Garden Cottages)

4 adults

Two bedrooms · Two bathrooms · Fireplace · Kitchen · Lounge · Glass extension

Newer Cape Dutch-style cottage with two en-suite bedrooms and a contemporary glass dining and kitchen extension; a very good option for families. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for four guests: approximately €1,636 low season to €2,344 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €2,548.

One-Bedroom Fynbos Cottage

2 adults

Fireplace · Kitchen · Lounge · Glass extension · Vineyard views

For guests prioritising a quieter setting: a newly built Cape Dutch-style cottage near vineyards and orchards, with an en-suite bathroom, fireplace and glass kitchen extension. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for two guests: approximately €1,067 low season to €1,529 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €1,663.

Two-Bedroom Fynbos Cottage

4 adults

Two bedrooms · Two bathrooms · Fireplace · Kitchen · Lounge · Glass extension

Two en-suite bedrooms near vineyards and orchards, with a welcoming lounge and a separate glass dining and kitchen area. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for four guests: approximately €1,636 low season to €2,344 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €2,548.

Manor House

10 adults

Five bedrooms · Five bathrooms · Private garden · Fireplace · Kitchen · Exclusive use

The restored 1777 Cape Dutch manor, available only for exclusive use, with five bedrooms, a traditional kitchen, fireplaces and a private lawn. The hotel asks guests to enquire for its current quote; third-party published 2026 indications are approximately €4,451 low season to €4,757 high season, with festive periods up to approximately €5,170. These are not direct-booking guarantees.

Fynbos Family House

10 adults

Five bedrooms · Five bathrooms · Kitchen · Lounge · Private courtyard · Private pool · Exclusive use

A secluded contemporary Cape Dutch-style house for up to ten, with five en-suite bedrooms, a glass kitchen extension and a private pool in the inner courtyard. Published 2026 indicative nightly rate for the exclusive-use house (up to ten guests): approximately €6,334 low season to €7,450 high season (converted at the 30 October 2026 ECB reference rate; not a live quote). Festive peak: approximately €8,098.

For a couple, choose the One-Bedroom Garden Cottage for its fireplace, books and striking glass kitchen addition near the garden. Pick **Koornhuis** for a group of four wanting more historical character. **One-Bedroom Fynbos Cottage** is the quieter alternative. The **Farmhouse Suite** has the most romantic, darker interiors, but is adults-only in practice. For up to ten guests, compare the historic **Manor House** with the more private **Fynbos Family House** and its pool.

Good to know.

Location
Klapmuts - Simondium Rd, Simondium, 7670, South Africa
Open map & directions
Check-in & check-out
Check-in from 14:00, check-out by 11:00
Parking
Complimentary private on-site self-parking for hotel guests.
EV charging
On-site EV charging could not be verified from reliable current property information; ask reservations before arrival.
Getting around
There is no convenient public transport to the farm. A hire car or pre-arranged private transfer is advisable; paid airport transfers can be arranged.
Arriving
On Klapmuts–Simondium Road near Simondium, between Paarl and Franschhoek; roughly 50 km from Cape Town International Airport. Hotel check-in starts at 14:00. Ask reservations to arrange a paid transfer if needed.
Pets
Pets are not permitted on the working farm. The property welcomes guide dogs; arrange any assistance-animal requirements directly with the hotel.
Accessibility
Some public spaces, including Babel and the wine tasting room, have wheelchair access. Many garden pathways are uneven gravel, peach pips or twigs and can be challenging for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Ask the hotel to confirm suitability and adapted guest accommodation before booking.
Travelling with children
Children are welcome in the Garden and Fynbos accommodation, but the Farmhouse accommodation is not family friendly and does not accept children. Children under two stay free in a cot when sharing with parents; families of three or four should reserve a two-bedroom cottage. Maximum occupancy is strictly enforced.
Dietary options
Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten free

Worth knowing

  • The productive gardens, restaurants and farm shops attract day visitors. Choose Fynbos accommodation for more seclusion; hotel guests can enjoy the gardens outside public opening hours.
  • Published 2026 nightly pricing is strongly seasonal and depends on room type and occupancy. Indicative property-wide range is approximately €754–€8,100 per night: the low end is the two-person Red Studio low-season rate, while the high end is an exclusive-use ten-person Fynbos Family House during the festive peak. These are different accommodation types, not the price spread for a standard double. Conversion uses the ECB reference rate on 30 October 2026 (EUR 1 = ZAR 18.6455). The actual payable amount, offers and minimum stays can differ.
  • For a typical couple, the published 2026 double-occupancy room and one-bedroom cottage rates span approximately €754–€1,529 per night before the separate festive peak tariff. The very high end of the property-wide range is for five-bedroom houses.
  • The hotel lists 15% South African VAT within the stay rate, but adds a 1% tourism levy per room per night. Check the final quote and any deposit or cancellation terms.
  • Breakfast, access to the gardens and Garden Spa, selected guided activities and wine tasting are included; other meals, spa treatments, workshops and transfers cost extra.
  • The Farmhouse accommodation does not accept children; select a two-bedroom cottage or exclusive-use family house when travelling with children.
  • Some garden paths use gravel, peach pips and twigs, making them difficult for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Discuss accessibility requirements in advance.
  • A two-night minimum may apply to some high-season dates and low-season weekends; festive stays may require three nights. Confirm for the selected dates and room category.
  • Electric-vehicle charging could not be independently verified. Confirm directly if essential.
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