Local farm hotel Babylonstoren has been recognised as the number 1 hotel in Southern Africa. This according to the Conde´ Nast Traveler’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards announced on Wednesday 4 October.
The Babylonstoren Farm Hotel also ranks 26th on the Condé Nast Traveler list of the Best Hotels in the World for 2022.
“We’re delighted to be voted the number 1 hotel in Southern Africa in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for the second consecutive year!,” says Dalené Claassens, Director of Hotel and Hospitality at Babylonstoren. “Thank you to everyone who voted and a special thanks to our passionate team. Babylonstoren’s hotel sets the scene for guests to ground themselves again and breathe – walks in nature, unhurried meals, sleeping in and spending time with loved ones. There are also many new and exciting attractions for visitors to experience, including our brand-new hot spa. In the month since opening it’s become a firm favourite with guests.”
Babylonstoren unveiled its newly revamped spa experience on the property with the arrival of spring this year. The brand-new space includes a fully marbled double hammam as well as a botanically inspired Rasul chamber. In keeping with the Babylonstoren tone, the experience is all about connection to nature and the ever-changing Winelands farm surrounds. The relaxing hot spa with sauna, a salt room, vitality pools and a 16 m-long heated swimming pool sprawls beneath a glass-panelled pitched roof that ensures an effortless connection to the outdoors.
The Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry. The acclaimed magazine cites Africa’s spectacular safaris and sprawling sandy stretches of land as some of the continent’s most captivating attractions.
The charm of a working Boland fruit and wine farm, and Babylonstoren’s beloved garden, however, stole the hearts of readers.
Babylonstoren is located in the heart of South Africa’s Cape Winelands, close to Franschhoek, and is surrounded by picturesquemountains. This Cape Dutch farm dates back to 1692 and is renowned for its magnificent garden with pergolas, gravel pathways and water canals. It is the only Royal Horticultural Society partner garden in Africa. All aspects of the farm – including the contemporary Farm Hotel and Garden Spa, winery, farm-to-fork restaurants, Scented Room and Bakery – are led by the ever-changing tapestry and botanical diversity of the garden.
After spending the day exploring the gardens, rejuvenating in the Garden Spa or devouring delicious local cuisine, guests can rest their heads at the Farm Hotel. With its thick whitewashed walls, elegant gables and hearty fireplaces, the hotel promises to give guests an authentic South African farm stay experience.
