In this second half of the interview with Dalené Chassens, Hotel General Manager at Babylonstoren, a rural resort located near Paarl, South Africa within the Cape Winelands vinicultural region, we take a closer look at some of the key onsite features that make this property both a one-of-a-kind destination for any traveler and a world leader in regenerative tourism. Indeed, delivering a truly unforgettable guest experience at this caliber is wholly dependent on all the various agricultural, immersive culinary and wellness programs that are on offer for visitors.
A true farming experience, the shortlist of what this property has onsite includes an expansive garden with fruits and vegetables picked daily, a bakery, a citrus orchard, an olive grove with its own oil production facility, a vineyard, an apiary, teamaking and plenty more that we’re about to discover! To read more on the property’s origins, vision, architecture and exceptional rooms that have been converted from historic buildings, be sure to first read the first part here.
We talk a lot of immersive culinary or epicurean adventures at upscale or luxury hotels. Describe a few of the activities in this area that are available for guests. What challenges have you overcome in programming all these tours, tastings, the on-prem museum called ‘The Story of Wine’, workshops and other guided experiences?
At Babylonstoren, we offer a variety of immersive culinary and farm-based activities to enhance our guest experience. These include guided farm walks through the orchards and up to the Babylonstoren hill, bicycle rides through the vineyards and early-morning tours of our water buffalo herd, where guests can participate in the milking process and join in feeding the calves. Other experiences include fishing or rowing at the farm dam, baking alongside our bakers, joining our chefs to harvest fruit and vegetables for the restaurants and guided mindful movement and stretching sessions. Weather permitting, classes take place in the shade of a nearby giant oak, under the watchful eye of a roaming chicken, turkey or our ever-curious donkeys…
At the Tasting Room, guests can sample our range of wines and are invited to join a tour of our wine cellar and olive press. The Story of Wine, our interactive wine museum, is a must-visit, offering a captivating documentary on the history and cultivation of wine, complete with an engaging audio guide.
Our guests can also explore the farm with a sunset drive up the slopes of Simonsberg Mountain or a visit to our floral distillery, where they can learn about essential oil production. Workshops on various topics, from seasonal cooking to beekeeping, further enhance the experience.
Coordinating these diverse activities requires careful planning and collaboration between teams. Ensuring a seamless experience means balancing the availability of experts, seasonal schedules and guest preferences while maintaining the high standards of service and safety expected by our guests.
Wellness is another central facet of the modern luxury resort experience, for which Babylonstoren has the Garden Spa. How do you infuse all the onsite agricultural programming into the theme and offerings of this facility in order to create a unique South African identity for the spa?
Selfcare doesn’t start with a treatment. It starts with a space. First, it’s about finding the space in your own life to allow yourself to relax and heal, and then it’s about finding the place itself; an environment that becomes part of the therapeutic experience. The Babylonstoren Garden Spa offers just that. Tucked away at the rear of the garden and surrounded by breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, vineyards and citrus groves, it is a true haven.
Seamlessly combining the rejuvenating qualities of water, nature and steam, the spa allows guests to indulge in a variety of therapies. These are performed in beautiful spaces set within a forest of bamboo. Drawing inspiration from the farm’s rich botanical landscape, the spa incorporates locally sourced African botanicals and honey and herbs from the magnificent garden into its therapies. Guests can experience the therapeutic benefits of Aloe ferox, geranium and Kalahari melon through specialized therapies like the Rasul mud treatment, designed to detoxify and rejuvenate the body, massages using bamboo grown on the farm, and pedicures enjoyed under the open sky.
The spa features seven treatment rooms, a Rasul chamber, tropical rain showers, a sauna, a steam room and two authentic hammams (Turkish baths), a rare find in South Africa. The indoor-outdoor pool area includes two vitality pools, a fireplace and a unique room constructed entirely from pink Himalayan salt blocks. The sought-after natural mineral is known for its therapeutic properties and has long been used to lift mood and reduce fatigue.
The world-renowned gardens at Babylonstoren influence every aspect of the farm, and the spa is no exception. Tall windows at the hot spa and chill area frame the greenery, bringing the surrounding natural beauty and light directly into the space. But it’s the water that flows through the land that is the prevailing theme: the treatments, the space, and the soothing sound of running water come together to create an environment that settles and heals.
A burgeoning trend in rural luxury resorts is eco-stewardship which combines regenerative agriculture with practices that enliven the surrounding community through purposeful employment and educational programs. With such programs as the Babylonstoren Trust and the Learning Centre, how does the resort cultivate not only healthy produce but also budding (pun intended!) horticulturists and botanists who may then apply their training to other destinations around the world?
At Babylonstoren, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, from the way we grow our produce to the initiatives that enrich the community around us. We take great pride in our farm operations, which are not just about providing fresh, seasonal food for our guests but about creating a sustainable, thriving environment that benefits both the land and the people who work it.
The heart of our farm is the magnificent Babylonstoren garden, which includes vegetable patches, orchards of fruit and nuts, indigenous plants, and various animals such as ducks, chickens and bees that play a vital role in pollination. Organic waste from the garden, juicery, olive cellar, wine cellar and fresh production areas are composted alongside non-edible food scraps such as eggshells and coffee grounds. This compost is used in the garden; a full-circle composting cycle. The farm also protects the natural renosterveld vegetation, part of South Africa’s Fynbos Biome and Cape Floral Kingdom, contributing to the preservation of the area’s biodiversity.
To further enrich our efforts, we offer workshops on topics like seed saving, growing your own vegetables, composting basics, and host guided garden walks led by experts on water-saving, indigenous plants and the healing power of herbs. Our commitment to sustainability also extends to our culinary offering, where our farm-to-fork ethos is celebrated with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. We produce much of what we serve onsite, including fresh produce, meats, bread, olive oils and even honey and teas, with an emphasis on reducing our carbon footprint by sourcing locally when necessary.
Energy management is a key part of our approach, with 40% of our energy currently powered by the sun. Our goal is to reduce our reliance on the national grid by 80%. Waste management is another area where we focus on sustainability, ensuring that food waste is repurposed as feed for our herds, composted into soil for the garden, or recycled into products like olive oil soap in our Scented Room. Even the apple waste from our juicery is used in our apple waste sourdough bread.
Beyond the farm itself, Babylonstoren is deeply rooted in the Boland community. More than 90% of our staff come from the immediate area, and we make a point of supporting local initiatives, such as delivering excess fresh produce to children’s homes, schools, hospitals and old-age care facilities. The Babylonstoren Learning Centre is a preschool and aftercare programme providing youngsters of the Babylonstoren family with every opportunity to follow their dreams and give their parents (part of the farm workforce) peace of mind that their children are being well educated and cared for.
From the age of three, we ensure that kids get everything they need to help them succeed. Daily meals are provided as well as transport to extramurals and outings to museums, libraries and other educational spaces. During school holidays, fun excursions to the movies and the beach also form part of the comprehensive curriculum. An after-school tutoring programme helps learners to improve mathematical skills. There are also extra classes for reading and writing.
Through these efforts, Babylonstoren not only nurtures the land but also cultivates a future generation of horticulturists, botanists and environmental stewards. Our internship and volunteer programme in the garden and educational workshops help train individuals who may apply their knowledge and skills to destinations and projects around the world, continuing to expand the reach of our sustainable philosophy.
Yet another trend that the resort is on the forefront of is branded lifestyle ecommerce, transforming an onsite gift boutique selling only winery SKUs into a formidable, global online store that can fill the entire pantry and meet numerous other home living needs. How did this program develop? How does it empower local craftspeople?
The development of our ecommerce offering has been a natural progression as we’ve worked to expand the farm’s offerings beyond our physical location. Our guests expressed a desire for more ways to bring a piece of Babylonstoren home. Today, our online and onsite store is not only a destination for wine but also offers a wide range of pantry items, home essentials, fresh goods and lifestyle products, allowing guests to continue their experience with us long after their stay.
One of the most popular offerings for hotel guests has been our online hampers, which many guests enjoy receiving as gifts ordered from friends afar during their stay, particularly honeymoon couples. A wonderful surprise when they arrive in the room, these hampers are carefully curated to reflect the quality and essence of Babylonstoren. They provide guests with a way to take a piece of our farm and the handwork of the people here home with them or to share a special gift with loved ones.
— Babylonstoren
What’s next for Babylonstoren?
At Babylonstoren, we are continuously evolving and working on captivating new projects that offer our guests fresh experiences with every visit. We believe in the power of discovery, and there is always something new to uncover, inspiring a sense of wonder.
One of our recent additions was the subterranean wine tunnel, which opened in 2020. This unique experience allows guests to journey through the centuries-old tradition of winemaking and storage, culminating in a wine tasting at a large wooden table nestled in the heart of the tunnel. In 2022, we further enriched our wine offerings with the addition of The Story of Wine, an interactive wine museum that explores the history, cultivation, and sensory delights of wine through exhibits featuring antique corkscrews, terroir breakdowns, and exhibits on wine tasting and aromas.
This year, we unveiled an exciting new chapter in Babylonstoren’s story with the launch of Soetmelksvlei, a historical farmyard that offers a window into the past, when life was simpler, and craftsmanship was revered. This immersive experience invites guests to interact with master craftspeople and experience the daily chores and skills that defined life before the turn of the 20th century. The meticulously restored farmhouse, Old Cellar, Distillery, Mill and Workshop provide a glimpse into bygone times, while farmyard activities such as milking, cream separation, metal forging, carpentry, animal care, wheat milling, distillation and ox wagon rides offer guests a truly hands-on experience.
We are also working on new projects that continue to reflect our commitment to authenticity and connection with nature, and we can’t wait to share them with our guests in the near future. Each new initiative at Babylonstoren is designed to foster curiosity, ignite the imagination, and offer our visitors a deeper connection to our farm, its people and its story.
Adam MogelonskyHotel Mogel Consulting Limited
