No photography of this property is on the record yet. We would rather show you nothing than a picture of somewhere else.
Each pathway scores 0 to 3 on the quality of the evidence published, not on the quality of the property. Open a row for every claim and its source.
Air Quality0Not published, 0 of 3.
Not published0 of 3 · Filtration, ventilation and what the air is measured at.
We looked for published information on Air Quality and found none. That is a gap in the public record, not a finding about the property.
What would move this score
- What filter grade is fitted to guest room air handling, for example MERV 13 or HEPA H13?
- What is the fresh air supply rate per person in a guest room?
- Are carbon dioxide, particulate or volatile organic compound levels measured, and are the readings published?
- Is there a mould inspection and remediation protocol, and when was it last run?
- Are there gas cooktops, fireplaces or other combustion sources inside guest rooms?
Water Integrity1Claimed, 1 of 3.
Claimed1 of 3 · Source, treatment, tested panels and how drinking water arrives.
- Claimed
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.
No municipal water is used, and we rely exclusively – and conservatively – on our borehole source.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Sustainability. Checked 2026-08-15. - Claimed
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.
Saltwater pool, photo © Babylonstoren
PublishedYatzer, Babylonstoren // An Exceptional Country Getaway in South Africa. Checked 2026-08-15.
What would move this score
- What is the water source, and what treatment is applied before it reaches a guest room?
- Is there a published contaminant test panel, and which laboratory ran it?
- Is shower and bath water filtered, and to what specification?
- How are pools and spas sanitised, and is the chemistry published?
- How is drinking water delivered, and is it treated on site?
Light Rhythm1Claimed, 1 of 3.
Claimed1 of 3 · Circadian lighting specification, flicker, blackout and daylight.
- Claimed
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.
Into this pristine Cape Dutch style, a contemporary glass cube has been seamlessly added to house a kitchen area.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Garden Cottages. Checked 2026-08-15.
What would move this score
- Is guest room lighting tunable or circadian, and what specification is published?
- What colour temperatures are used in the evening, and are fixtures flicker free?
- Do sleeping areas have full blackout, and is it specified?
- What daylight access does a typical room have?
- Is exterior lighting shielded or reduced overnight?
EMF Harmony0Not published, 0 of 3.
Not published0 of 3 · Wired versus wireless topology, and what is measured where people sleep.
We looked for published information on EMF Harmony and found none. That is a gap in the public record, not a finding about the property.
What would move this score
- Are guest rooms wired for data, or is access wireless only?
- Where are wireless access points and smart meters placed relative to the bed?
- Have field levels been measured in sleeping areas, and by whom?
- Can a guest have wireless disabled in their room on request?
- Is any shielded cabling or shielding material specified in the build?
Materials and Textiles2Specified, 2 of 3.
Specified2 of 3 · Named materials, finishes, bedding composition and cleaning chemistry.
- Specified
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Garden Cottages. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
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.
PublishedYatzer, Babylonstoren // An Exceptional Country Getaway in South Africa. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
Toiletries are L’Occitane.
PublishedThe Luxury Editor, Experiencing 'Babylonstoren', a Cape Dutch Farm, South Africa. Checked 2026-08-15.
What would move this score
- What are the mattresses made of, and are they treated with flame retardants?
- What is the fibre content of the linen, and is it certified, for example to GOTS or OEKO TEX?
- Which paints, adhesives and sealants were specified, and are they low emission?
- What cleaning and laundry products are used, and is the list published?
- Are there named low emission certifications on the flooring or joinery?
Food and Kitchen2Specified, 2 of 3.
Specified2 of 3 · Sourcing, on site growing, cookware, kitchen water and additive discipline.
- Specified
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, About our Garden. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Our Edible Garden. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
Centred around our own grass-fed Chianina herd, this five-course feast showcases exceptional cuts cooked over glowing coals and served in generous succession.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Old Bakery. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Old Bakery. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Olive Oil. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Flavours of Soetmelksvlei. Checked 2026-08-15.
What would move this score
- What share of produce is grown on site or sourced locally, and is it verified?
- Which cooking oils are used, and is the policy published?
- What cookware is used in the kitchen?
- Is kitchen and ice water filtered, and to what specification?
- Is there a published position on additives, preservatives or allergens?
Biophilic and Healing Design2Specified, 2 of 3.
Specified2 of 3 · Nature access, views, volume and natural material contact, designed with intent.
- Specified
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 2007, owner Karen Roos commissioned French architect Patrice Taravella to plan the layout of the garden.
PublishedBabylonstoren, About our Garden. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
Gravity feeds water from a stream by rills into the garden, flowing through ponds planted with edible lotus, nymphaea lilies and waterblommetjies.
PublishedBabylonstoren, About our Garden. Checked 2026-08-15. - Specified
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.
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
PublishedJDV Construction, Cape Dutch Gables: Architecture, Craftsmanship and Restoration. Checked 2026-08-15. - Claimed
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.
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.
PublishedYatzer, Babylonstoren // An Exceptional Country Getaway in South Africa. Checked 2026-08-15. - Claimed
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.
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.
PublishedBabylonstoren, Garden Cottages. Checked 2026-08-15.
What would move this score
- Does every guest room have direct outdoor access or an operable opening?
- What is the published design intent behind the natural materials used?
- What are the typical ceiling heights and room volumes?
- Was the landscape designed with native planting, and is the palette published?
Sound and Sensory Ecology0Not published, 0 of 3.
Not published0 of 3 · Measured background noise, separation between keys, and scent load.
We looked for published information on Sound and Sensory Ecology and found none. That is a gap in the public record, not a finding about the property.
What would move this score
- What is the measured background noise level in a guest room at night?
- What acoustic separation is specified between adjoining keys?
- How loud is the guest room air conditioning at its lowest setting?
- Is fragrance diffused into guest rooms or public areas, and can it be declined?
38 open questions could be answered with information this property already holds. Answer these for this property
Where you’ll be
Simondium, Cape Winelands, South Africa
-33.8239, 18.9263 · Open the full map · © OpenStreetMap contributors
What is not publishedthe gaps we looked for and did not find
Three of the eight pathways have nothing published: Air Ecology, EMF Harmony, and Sound and Sensory Ecology. No filter grade, ventilation rate, carbon dioxide, particulate or volatile organic compound measurement is published for any guest room. Combustion sources are recorded here rather than counted as air evidence: the Garden Cottages and Fynbos Cottages are published as having a fireplace in each cottage, the Farmhouse Suite as having a cast iron stove, the Manor House kitchen as having a wood burning stove, Babel as baking bread in a wood fired oven, the Old Bakery as serving wood fired pizza, and the Carnivore Evening as cooking over coals. Nothing is published on wired or wireless network topology, access point placement relative to beds, shielding, or field levels measured in sleeping areas, and nothing on measured background noise, acoustic separation between keys, plant noise or fragrance load. On water, a photograph caption published by Yatzer describes a saltwater pool, which names a sanitation approach without a specification, chemistry or reading, so it is recorded rather than scored. No treatment train, filtration specification or laboratory panel is published. On materials, three of the sources cited here describe whitewashed walls, which names a finish type without a product, brand or emission class, so it is recorded rather than scored. No mattress composition, linen fibre content, adhesive, or cleaning and laundry chemistry is published. On lighting, no colour temperature, flicker performance or blackout specification is published. Figures the property does publish for solar generation, for a 50 percent reduction in water consumption, for farm and vineyard area, and the cottage floor area reported in press, measure nothing these eight pathways cover and are excluded rather than scored. One limitation belongs on the face of this record: the property factsheet and press archive PDFs could not be rendered during this review, and the brochure host that carried the factsheet now reports it removed, so anything published only there is unassessed rather than absent. theluxuryeditor.com also returned HTTP 403 to automated fetching and was read in a browser instead.
Regional context2 public figures about the area, none of which scores
Public data about the surrounding area. None of it contributes to the score, because a property cannot be marked down for the conditions outside it.
- Safely managed drinking water, South Africa: 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. Source
- Ambient PM2.5 and PM10 near Simondium, Cape Winelands, South Africa: 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. Source
Not published is not unsafehow to read these scores, and what this index does not promise
A low score means a property has not published information. It does not mean the property is unsafe, unhealthy or poorly run.
These scores measure disclosure. These scores describe disclosure, not property quality. This index has no commercial relationship with the properties listed unless a badge on the listing says otherwise.
Conditions change, and we will not always know. Every record is a snapshot of what a property had published when we read it, and that date is on the page. Conditions change: a property can refit, change suppliers or replace a system at any time, and nothing requires it to tell us. We re-read records and ask properties directly for updates, but there will always be a gap between what is true today and what was published when we looked. Use this as a frame of reference for what to ask, not as a substitute for asking. Take your own questions to the property before you book, and tell us if you find something we have wrong.
We report what properties publish. We do not inspect, certify or vouch for any property on this index unless a listing says we assessed it on site, and we accept no responsibility for decisions made or outcomes experienced on the basis of what you read here.