Knight Moves: Cape Winelands

A lovely South African reader was kind enough to email me some recs and tips after hearing about my impending journey to her beautiful country. One of the places she recommended was the Delaire Graff Estate in the Cape Winelands. And WOW - it looks absolutely spectacular!

This Relais & Chateaux hotel is owned by the chairman of Graff Diamonds International, so it's no surprise that Delaire Graff is all about luxury and enjoying the finest that life has to offer. Situated on an unbelievable piece of real estate in the Cape Winelands, the property boasts a stunning art collection, beautifully designed and cultivated gardens, bountiful vineyards, a top-notch winery, a gorgeous spa, and two restaurants that are surely outstanding. Needless to say, I want to go there and live like a diamond kingpin, if only for a day or two! Take a little tour with me...

So this is the Owner's Lodge, complete with a private pool and a completely idyllic view of the mountains and the vineyards...

I love the wood pool deck...

This is the lodge living room. It's sophisticated and stylish just not at all stuffy. I'm dying to know more about the flooring...

And here's a bathroom, and the only reason I'm showing it is because I like: a) the way the mirrors are hung b) the ledge above the counter and c) the long towel bar that runs across the front of the sink console...

I would very much like to wake up to this view!

Here is the spa pool...

Um, this might be the most perfect place EVER to have a glass/bottle of wine....

All images via Delaire Graff

Oh my...I'm just dying to stay here. Not sure if that is in the cards, but hopefully I'll at least get to visit and hang in the wine lounge for as long as they'll let me!

There's a pretty good chance that I'll have the privilege of going to South Africa in the next couple of months. My husband is traveling to Cape Town on business (he's an owner of a company called Safarious) and we plan to make a trip to the bush while we're in that part of the world. One of his partners, Andy Hogg, founded and now runs The Bushcamp Company and the other, Michael Lorentz, is a world class professional guide so we're following their lead on the wild part of the trip. We have some great recommendations for Cape Town as well, however, I've started doing my own research on where to go and stay...especially in the Cape Winelands. While cruising for info, I found Babylonstoren and it immediately went on my bucket list.

Babylonstoren is a beautifully restored historic Cape Dutch farm that was founded in 1690. Today it's a thriving little utopia complete with orchards, vineyards, gardens, a restaurant, a spa, a winetasting room, and a couple of swimming pools. It's a working farm, yet the whole property is open for exploration so guests really get to immerse themselves in the agrarian lifestyle (you can even pick your own fruits and veggies!). Former Elle Decoration editor Karen Roos has led the charge on breathing new life into Babylonstoren and she's really created something special. Along with her team, she's created a beautiful, fully-functioning farm, complete with bio-diversity and stylish decor! Have a look:

This is the historic manor house...

photo © Babylonstoren

As I understand it, the design around the tree is made with pieces of broken Dutch blue and white pottery. Amazing, right?!?

photo © Babylonstoren

The Greenhouse made me swoon. It doubles as a teahouse...double swoon.

photo © Babylonstoren

Here's a glimpse of the farm layout...

photo © Babylonstoren

I'm not entirely sure what's going on here with these suspended thatched garden pods, but hopefully I'll get to find out!

photo © Babylonstoren

The farm's restaurant is called Babel...I'm pretty sure this is the epitome of farm-to-table!

photo © Babylonstoren

As you can imagine, the menu is changed daily depending on what is fresh...

photo © Babylonstoren

There's also a Farm Shop, where you;ll find wine (from Babylonstoren and other local wineries), handcrafted cheese, charcuterie, and freshly baked artisan breads. Then in the soap room, you can get handmade soaps!

Babylonstoren also boasts a small set of guest suites, all of which reflect 17th and 18th century Cape Dutch style sensibility mixed with a clean, modern aesthetic. I love the fresh white and the cozy but uncluttered vibe...

This is a kitchen in one of the cottages...

Guests can take a dip - outside or inside. From what I read, the outdoor pool was designed to look like a traditional farm dam. I'm guessing it's this one and not the orange one above.

This is the spa pool...

And last but not least, Babylonstoren produces wine!

How amazing does this place look? The whole setup seems to be both relaxing and rejuvenating. Even if I don't get to stay overnight, I'd love to spend the day on the grounds. Between the gardens, the wine, the restaurant, the tearoom, the spa, and the pool...I'd be in heaven.

Any if you have any Cape Town or Cape Winelands recommendations, I'd love to hear about them!

Pages

1/18/2013

Travel Wish List: Delaire Graff Estate

1/09/2013

Dream Destination: Babylonstoren