This charming rural community celebrates the best of rural living with burnt terra cotta walls and cozy minimalism.

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First things first: Babylonstoren is one stunning farm stay, thanks to its owner, former magazine editor Karen Roos. She offers Cape Winelands luxury on an opulent and very glossy scale at her South African country retreat with impeccable precision and attention to detail.

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A plush spa, mammoth kitchen garden and healing garden feature over 300 kinds of edible plants. There is also a farm shop with butchery, bakery, coffee shop and milking parlor. Cowboys and girls delight in watching ducks waddle and a gated herd of homestead regulars, including a cute donkey.

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Style-wise, it's a blend of rural Cape Dutch and Scandinavian chic, with a touch of Alamo-esque farmhouse glamour. In the duplexes, you'll find burned terracotta walls, cozy minimalism (it's a thing here) and tables topped with rustic loaves and great big lemons, celebrating the very best of rural living.

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Stay

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The new Fynbos Cottages feature the same open-plan setup as Babylonstoren's Garden Cottages: chic yet cozy with an enormous klompie (a traditional fireplace made from Dutch brick).

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In addition to the spacious beds, the bathrooms are large, and there are adorable shuttered windows that overlook the vineyards and craggy peaks that surround the property.

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In addition to complimentary bowls of seasonal fruits, olive oil, rooibos tea, and a bottle of wine produced right on the estate, kitchens come equipped with everything you'll need to prepare an elegant farm-to-table dinner.

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Also featured are rows of wellies and coffee-table books, as well as South African knickknacks. From all angles, you'll see the neighboring Simonsberg mountain and have easy access to the hot tub for romantic sunset cocktails.

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Enjoy a meal

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Among the restaurants here is Babel, which holds the title of headline restaurant. The majority of the ingredients on the plate come directly from the Babylonstoren garden. Tables are covered in white linens and the walls are adorned with art. There is no doubt that the salads are the highlights of the meal, such that the team has created three seasonal 'red,' 'green,' and 'yellow' plates for Maranda Engelbrecht (founder of Babel).

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You'll also have plenty of succulent meat here, much of it on the bone, and you'll be full until dawn thanks to the generous portions.

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Find out more

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Horticulturist-led morning walks explore Babylonstoren's many garden wonders, from its vegetables to healing herbs and fruit trees. The estate's famed bottles are on display in the cellar, which guests can tour.

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A trip around the Cape of Good Hope can be enjoyed with Jarat Tours. Among the highlights are Chapman's Peak, Cape Point, Boulders Beach (the penguins! ), Simon's Town, and Kalk Bay.