Sources for Babylonstoren
Every line on the Babylonstoren record, with where it came from, what kind of source it is and the date we read it.
Back to the record- Current as of
- 15 Aug 2026
- Last reviewed
- 15 Aug 2026
- Strongest evidence
- Specified
- Coverage
- Documented across 8 of 8 pathways.
Practical details and location
The practical details and the map point, -33.8238, 18.9264
The property’s own website
The property's own site: its name and its place are on the page
Safely managed drinking water, South Africa, 2024: The World Health Organization reports 68 per cent of the population nationally, 76 per cent in urban areas, 51 per cent in rural areas using a safely managed drinking water service. This describes the country, not this property, and says nothing about what reaches a guest room here. It is recorded because it is the background against which a property's own treatment is worth publishing.
Regional data is context about the location. It does not establish conditions inside a room.
Ambient PM2.5 and PM10 near Simondium, Cape Winelands, South Africa, 30 days to 2026-08-17: Modelled ambient air over this location averaged 32.8 micrograms per cubic metre of PM2.5 and 35.1 of PM10 across the 720 hours to 2026-08-17, peaking at 149.0 PM2.5. The World Health Organization annual guideline for PM2.5 is 5. This is the outdoor air over the area, modelled rather than measured on site, and it is not a reading of the air inside any room.
Regional data is context about the location. It does not establish conditions inside a room.
Evidence by area
All eight areas, in the order this index reads them. Every line was read and placed by a person.
Air Ecology
Not published. We looked and found nothing on this, which is a gap in what we could read, not a finding about the building.
Water Integrity
The property states on its sustainability page that no municipal water is used and that it relies exclusively on its own borehole source, in a passage set under a heading about the garden and about irrigation consumption. No treatment train, filtration specification, laboratory panel or sampling date accompanies it.
In their words: “No municipal water is used, and we rely exclusively – and conservatively – on our borehole source.”
A 2011 design article captions one of the property's own photographs as a saltwater pool. The caption is written as an image credit rather than as a specification, and no sanitation method, chemistry or treatment is described for the swimming pool or for the spa vitality pools.
In their words: “Saltwater pool, photo © Babylonstoren”
Read it: Babylonstoren // An Exceptional Country Getaway in South Africa Archived copy
Light Rhythm
The property states that a glass cube has been added to the Cape Dutch cottages to house the kitchen area, which is the only published description of glazing in the accommodation. No glazing specification, lighting specification, colour temperature or blackout provision is published.
In their words: “Into this pristine Cape Dutch style, a contemporary glass cube has been seamlessly added to house a kitchen area.”
EMF Harmony
Not published. We looked and found nothing on this, which is a gap in what we could read, not a finding about the building.
Materials and Textiles
The property names the furniture suppliers used in the Garden Cottage interiors as Kartell, Magis, Philippe Starck and the Bouroullec brothers, spelled Bourellec Bros on the page. No fibre content, finish, adhesive or emission standard is published for any of them.
In their words: “The interiors take on an altogether contemporary feel when paired with the modern lines of furniture by international design brands such as Kartell, Magis, Philippe Starck and the Bourellec Bros.”
Design press published in November 2011 reports oak plank flooring in the guest suite interiors, naming the timber species. No finish, sealant, adhesive or emission standard is named alongside it, and the account describes the accommodation as it stood in 2011.
In their words: “Large planks of oak wood flooring give a rustic feel to the calming and serene interiors, while accent pieces of antique furniture provide for an old-fashioned and traditional feel.”
Read it: Babylonstoren // An Exceptional Country Getaway in South Africa Archived copy
A review of a stay, published by The Luxury Editor and referring to wine vintages of 2014 and 2015, names L'Occitane as the toiletries provided in the guest cottage bathroom. No formulation, ingredient list or certification is published.
In their words: “Toiletries are L’Occitane.”
Read it: Experiencing 'Babylonstoren', a Cape Dutch Farm, South Africa Archived copy
Food and Kitchen
The property publishes that its garden holds more than 300 varieties of plants, all of them edible or medicinal, and that the fruit and vegetables are harvested year round for two of its restaurants. The count is of varieties grown, not of the share of kitchen supply.
In their words: “Every one of the more than 300 varieties of plants in the garden is edible or has medicinal value. The fruit and vegetables from the garden are harvested all year round for use in two farm-to-fork restaurants.”
The property published a description of the daily method by which garden produce reaches the menu, stating that a waiter harvests with the garden staff each morning and that what is picked goes onto the menus at Babel and the Tearoom. The post dates from May 2012.
In their words: “Every morning one of our waiters goes out with the garden staff to harvest the fresh produce of the day, and the food they pick is included in our menus, both at Babel restaurant, as well as at the Tearoom.”
The property names the cattle breed behind its Carnivore Evening menu at the Old Bakery as its own grass fed Chianina herd. No herd size, feed record or third party verification is published.
In their words: “Centred around our own grass-fed Chianina herd, this five-course feast showcases exceptional cuts cooked over glowing coals and served in generous succession.”
The property states that the mozzarella and charcuterie served at the Old Bakery are made from the farm's own water buffalo and that the antipasti and salads come from its gardens.
In their words: “The four-course set menu begins with abundant antipasti and salads from our gardens, followed by a selection of delicious traditional Tuscan dishes and wood-fired pizzas with airy, crisp bases topped with the farm's water buffalo mozzarella, charcuterie and fresh seasonal produce.”
The property publishes its olive oil process as growing, harvesting and cold pressing on the farm under a named specialist, Petrus van Eeden, and names Frantoio as the cultivar behind its single varietal oil. No acidity figure, laboratory analysis or press date is published.
In their words: “Made from several olive varietals that are grown in the sun and soil on the slopes of the Simonsberg, the entire process takes place under the expert care of our olive oils specialist, Petrus van Eeden and his team: from harvesting to cold-pressing to decanting into our uniquely designed tins.”
The property publishes that the bread baked at Soetmelksvlei, its day visit farm reached by a shuttle from Babylonstoren, is made from flour milled at that site's own water mill and baked in a wood oven. The post dates from December 2024 and describes Soetmelksvlei rather than the hotel kitchens.
In their words: “Guests touring the Farmhouse are welcomed into the kitchen by Louise Johannes and Jacky Matthews, who stoke the wood oven to bake loaves from flour milled in Soetmelksvlei’s own water mill.”
Biophilic and Healing Design
The property publishes the authorship and intent of its garden layout, naming French architect Patrice Taravella, commissioned in 2007, and citing his reconstruction of a medieval cloistered garden at Prieure Notre Dame d'Orsan as the reference.
In their words: “In 2007, owner Karen Roos commissioned French architect Patrice Taravella to plan the layout of the garden.”
The property publishes the water movement through the garden as gravity fed from a stream by rills into ponds, and names the plants growing in those ponds as edible lotus, nymphaea lilies and waterblommetjies.
In their words: “Gravity feeds water from a stream by rills into the garden, flowing through ponds planted with edible lotus, nymphaea lilies and waterblommetjies.”
A heritage restoration contractor publishes that its work at Babylonstoren is ongoing and that the Cape Dutch farmstead complex has been under continuous conservation led restoration, and names Malherbe and Rust Architects as the conservation architects it works with at the property.
In their words: “The firm’s portfolio includes ongoing work at Babylonstoren, the celebrated heritage wine farm near Paarl, where the Cape Dutch farmstead complex has been the subject of continuous conservation-led restoration and new construction since JDV’s appointment”
Read it: Cape Dutch Gables: Architecture, Craftsmanship and Restoration Archived copy
Design press published in November 2011 reports that a glass box set into one wall of each suite holds the dining and cooking area and looks out over the garden or into the trees. No dimension, glazing specification or design brief is published with it.
In their words: “Slotted into one wall of each suite, a spacious glass box contains a dining and cooking area, with extraordinary views are offered over the garden or into the trees.”
Read it: Babylonstoren // An Exceptional Country Getaway in South Africa Archived copy
The property states that the Garden Cottages are converted farm buildings sited next to the cultivated fruit and vegetable garden. The same sentence records a fireplace in each cottage, which is noted under Air Ecology rather than counted here.
In their words: “Set adjacent to a 5 hectare cultivated fruit and vegetable garden, the cottages are characterised by thick whitewashed walls, elegant gables and hearty fireplaces that emulate an authentic farm stay experience.”
Sound and Sensory Ecology
Not published. We looked and found nothing on this, which is a gap in what we could read, not a finding about the building.
Disclosures
Compare what each stay offers, how it was checked and what still needs confirming. Assessment labels describe the review, not an overall quality rating.
A low score means a property has not published information. It does not mean the property is unsafe, unhealthy or poorly run.
A score describes proof: what a stay publishes and, on a Human Garage certified stay, what our assessor checked in person. It is not a quality rating of the property. Listings are free, and any commercial relationship is disclosed.