Reviews of Babylonstoren

"We loved staying in our spacious individual cottage in this wine estate and farm. Complimentary items in our cottage included a well stocked fridge with unusual (to us) soft drinks and 2 bottles of wine. A bowl of fresh fruit was kept topped up. Honey bush tea, again new to me, was delicious.

They grow many of their own fruit and vegetables, and the grounds are beautifully laid out. We stayed for 3 nights and there was something new to explore every day.

There are 3 different restaurants, catering for various tastes and budgets. Two are within the old farm buildings; the third in a big greenhouse. One restaurant does themed nights; we ate at an Italian themed night, with plentiful antipasto and tasty pizzas. Breakfasts offered a large choice; fruits, which included the farm's own blueberries and clementines; cheeses; cold meats; cereals; cooked breakfasts.

The leisure facilities were impressive; a gym; a spa; an outdoor pool; another heated pool partially under cover with jacuzzis." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 4n in South Africa

"Very good and educational

Food somewhat exotic at Babel and no change of menu

This, if the sister Pizza restaurant is shut, is slightly frustrating" See all these reviews: 13n in South Africa; 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe

"totally amazing!! loved the Fynbo cottage. The food was amazing!!!! We could have stayed for longer.

I can't say enough about the staff--they were superb!!

Loved the mountain drive. The mountain bikes were great although we did use the golf cart to get to dinner (no lights on the bikes so I was too nervous to ride in the dark)

We would definitely go back Loved that we could purchase salad and dinner fixings at the store and then prepare our own meal in our cottage (we did that one night)" See all these reviews: 16n in South Africa

"Glorious and a perfect way to transition from a busy life in the US to an Africa adventure.

The gardens are magnificent, and the food could not have been better - especially the breakfast which is worth the trip just for that experience.

Our days were full with activities and the wine tasting was a highlight." See all these reviews: 10n in Botswana; 7n in South Africa

"A special place" See all these reviews: 8n in Botswana; 3n in South Africa; 2n in Zimbabwe

"Everything about Babylonstoren lived up to expectation except the food. Starters were light and delicious, but a lamb main course was tough and sinewy. After choosing pannacotta for dessert, a plate was placed in front of me with three scoops of ice cream decorated clumsily with shards of meringue. No explanation was offered and when I pointed out it was not pannacotta, the waitress agreed and removed it. A more senior waitress returned and again placed it in front of me saying that pannacotta was not available. I refused it. The attitude was that I should be appreciative of whatever was put in front of me.

I know that this sounds petty after the event and we did not complain to the management at the time, but it gave the impression that the demand for a table was so high that they didn’t have to bother. The restaurant was not full. The suggestion that one has to book 6 weeks in advance for a table in the restaurant may be wishful thinking. We successfully self-catered the second night with food bought in their farm shop !

Having said all that, our cottage was amazing with a huge bedroom, bathroom, sitting room and kitchen. We must also mention the amazing bookcase in our accommodation which was stocked with excellent books many by South African writers and this added to our enjoyment of Babylonstoren. The gardens were delightful, the buildings picturesque, and apart from dinner, we had a wonderful stay." See all these reviews: 21n in South Africa

"- lovely rooms

- not a lot of pressure on the showers, probably due to the drought

- we were not lucky with the weather, it rained all the time...

- so we spent time in the spa and walked through the garden in Wellies :)" See all these reviews: 11n in South Africa

"This much talked about operation in Stellenbosch has taken the concept of 'agri-turismo' to another level. No expense has been spared to provide all that one might want from a retreat into the lovely countryside of the Winelands of Stellenbosch.

Surrounded by vineyards and orchards, the hub of the property is the magnificent garden, from which all manner of produce is harvested for use in the kitchens. This garden-to-table freshness ensures that the fare on offer at the restaurant looks and tastes fantastic.

The accommodation is in Cape Dutch style cottages and is of a very high standard, although the interiors may be a little stark for some tastes. It includes a well-equipped kitchen should you be inspired to create your own culinary masterpieces from the raw materials on offer.

The food is of high quality and the wines complement the dishes perfectly. Our only slight disappointment was that the restaurant was closed for refurbishment but we had our meals in a charming Edwardian style greenhouse that was a fine alternative.

Franschoek, Paarl and Stellenbosch are all nearby and Babylonstoren provided something I always look for, a wonderful oasis of calm and tranquility at the end of our stay in the Cape, before the trek back to the UK." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 6n in South Africa; 2n in Zimbabwe

"Very difficult to summarise as so much happens here! There's the winery and vineyards, the really amazing formal kitchen garden, the farm animals and associated products to buy and eat in the restaurant; the fabulous scenery and great facilities.

Staff and Management were very helpful and friendly. The rooms were a mixture of traditional and very high tech and some of the gadgets definitely placed style over practicality. We never did work out the light switches or the taps in the kitchen!

The concept of a room overlooking the garden sounded idyllic. However in reality the two were separated by the main footpath from the car park to the tea rooms. Consequently there was little privacy and we were stared at, photographed, videoed, pointed at and even asked for directions by passers by. Definitely not what we were expecting and, as a result we went out during the day and enjoyed sitting out in the evenings, when the coachloads of visitors had gone. This is undoubtedly an extremely popular local attraction." See all these reviews: 11n in South Africa