Farm stays to help reconnect with nature on your luxury travels
Because we could all do with a bit of fresh air, wide-open spaces and some sheep-spotting on our travel bucket list
Text: Livvie B
Some people make new year’s resolutions; we like to add (and add and add) to our new year’s travel bucket list. After a year of being cooped up indoors, we’ve got the great outdoors on our mind featuring sweeping landscapes and a wild sense of freedom and escape. That’s why a luxury farm stay on your luxury travels where we can reconnect with nature is high up there for 2021. We’re more than ready to embrace an al fresco 2021, and what better way to do so than to support luxury travel brands who support the planet?
From clifftop sheep farms in New Zealand, to secluded stays tucked amidst abundant tea plantations in Sri Lanka, here’s The Soothe’s ultimate travel bucket list of luxury farm stays, worth dusting your passport off for in preparation.
Babylonstoren, Simondium, South Africa
Nestled in the heart of the Cape Winelands in South Africa, Babylonstoren is one of the oldest Cape Ditch Farms. Set within eight acres of cultivated fruit and vegetables, the garden is the heart of Babylonstoren and includes 15 clusters growing vegetables, stone and pome fruits, nuts, citrus, berries, and herbs. Bees, ducks and chickens are amongst the species that call the garden home, and there’s even a prickly pear maze within the grounds.
There are over 300 varieties of plants; each is edible or has medicinal value, and is grown as organically as possible and in a biologically sustainable manner. Produce is harvested year-round for use in Babylonstoren’s two farm-to-fork restaurants — Babel and Greenhouse.
Thanks to its location in the slopes of Simonsberg, Babylonstoren can also create fine South African wines, made from thirteen grape varieties in their ultra-modern wine cellar. Along the edge of the gardens, a natural stream flowing to the Berg River creates the perfect environment for indigenous wild olives to flourish, which the team use to create their own Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Jackalope Hotel, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Located just a stone’s throw from Melbourne, ‘picturesque’ doesn’t quite do justice to Jackalope Hotel, which sits on 11 acres of vines on the Willow Creek Vineyard. When the hotel opened in 2017, head winemaker Geraldine McFaul — who has been making wine on the peninsular for 25 years — joined the Jackalope team. Today, guests can make the most of having a dedicated winemaker on hand, with a range of oenophile-friendly guest experiences including wine tasting sessions in the cellar, and wine-infused spa treatments such as the Pinot Grape Skin foot soak.
The futuristic interiors of the property juxtapose the abundance of nature outside; the inky palette and statement lighting fixtures are an influencers dream, and the Flaggerdoot Cocktail Lounge, with its daring cocktail menu and edgy distillation-inspired interiors marks a nice change of pace following days spent picnicking al fresco.
Kahanda Kanda, Galle, Sri Lanka
Set on a working green tea estate in the hillsides of Galle, Kahanda Kanda is situated just 25-minutes from Galle Fort.
Each of the 12 individually designed villas are private and secluded, and with panoramic views of Kohhala Lake and the Sri Lankan jungle visible from various vantage points around the property. Don’t be surprised to run into monkeys, mongoose and tropical birds as you saunter to breakfast.
Thanks to the abundance of fruits, vegetables and herbs growing across the Kahanda Kanda estate, the chef uses homegrown ingredients almost exclusively, supplementing them with fresh local produce to create simple fusion food and classic Sri Lankan dishes.
The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Set atop vast, rugged cliffs that offer panoramic Pacific Ocean vistas, the breathtaking scenery doesn’t stop here at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers. The property is located within 6,000-acres of working sheep and cattle farmland, offering a truly luxe-rugged experience.
Head chef James Honore uses mostly produce from the onsite vegetable garden, embracing a truly farm-to-fork approach to dining. Guests wishing to embrace the countryside lifestyle can try out the shepherding experience which offers a glimpse into life on a working sheep and beef farm. Those hoping for a lower intensity stay can enjoy rolling views of Hawke’s Bay from The Spa at Cape Kidnappers, which offers a range of signature treatments.
