At a Glance
- Koos Bekker and Karen Roos turned Babylonstoren into South Africa’s most iconic farm retreat.
- The estate blends Cape-Dutch architecture with working gardens, vineyards, and artisanal food crafts.
- Visitors experience slow living through farm stays, workshops, and fresh, garden-sourced dining.
Babylonstoren, a historic wine and farm estate in South Africa’s Cape Winelands, blends heritage with modern design under the care of media tycoon Koos Bekker and his wife Karen Roos.
Set at the foot of the Simonsberg mountains, the estate is a working farm, luxury retreat, and living garden.
Guests visit Babylonstoren not just for its vineyards and orchards, but for its rare harmony of Cape-Dutch architecture, sustainable farming, and serene hospitality, an authentic slice of South African countryside living.
Since the couple bought the farm in 2007 and began welcoming guests in the early 2010s, Babylonstoren has drawn travelers who come not only for its beauty but for its pace, a rhythm that matches the land itself.
A legacy in the werf
The estate’s story dates back to the late 1600s, and the old Cape-Dutch werf remains its heart. The Bekkers restored its whitewashed buildings with restraint, preserving their history while introducing modern craftsmanship. They also revived the farm’s small industries — baking, cheesemaking, and coffee roasting — keeping production close to the soil and table. Guests often say staying here feels more like being welcomed into a home than checking into a hotel.
A landscape with purpose
Spread beneath vineyard slopes and framed by native fynbos, Babylonstoren’s gardens stretch across nearly five hectares. Fruit trees, vegetable beds, and water channels are arranged with geometric care, mirroring the werf’s layout.
Early mornings bring the quiet rhythm of gardeners at work and birds flicking between hedgerows. Every path leads to another detail that feels both natural and deliberate, a reminder that design and agriculture can exist in balance.
Rooms that breathe with the land
The Farm Hotel’s restored cottages pair Cape-Dutch character with modern comfort: crisp linens, deep tubs, and windows that open to orchards and vines. Mornings start with coffee on a terrace scented by dew and soil. The rooms keep guests connected to the landscape, turning each stay into part of the farm’s daily life.
Food that speaks of place
At Babel, the main restaurant set in a former cowshed, menus change with the garden. Bread is baked on-site, mozzarella comes from the estate’s herd, and fruit ripened on the farm turns into gelato. Meals here are not performances but conversations — between land, season, and plate.
Time to wander, learn and rest
Guests can explore the gardens, join workshops, or cycle between vineyards before pausing under oaks with a glass of rosé. The Story of Wine Museum adds depth, tracing the connection between soil, vine, and human care.
An enduring agrarian retreat
More than a decade on, Babylonstoren continues to blend memory and modern living. Its gardens, workshops, and simple hospitality offer visitors a quiet reminder that good living begins with patience, craft, and respect for the land.
