Artistic Contrast
I
arrived at Babylonstoren wondering if I might be the luckiest person on earth.
I left certain I was.
Style
meets substance at this chic, eco-conscious haven of good taste. Here they
understand the art of contrast, where old style Cape Dutch thatched buildings are
perfectly balanced with crisp glass and white, modern furniture.
I
love the thick whitewashed walls, with their deep, shuttered windows. There are
wide stable doors with exposed timber lintels. The interiors are serene – all white,
with a four-poster bed and silky pale linen, offset by high ceilings with exposed
trusses. Modern glass conservatory dining areas create a flow between the
indoors with the outdoors.
Truly
beautiful bathrooms, each have clever designs and deep, freestanding baths. There
are heated towel rails, thick white towels and bathrobes.
Each
suite has air-conditioning, a flatscreen TV with DSTV, a bar fridge, and
complementary bottles of locally produced Babylonstoren red and white wine and
olive oil. Treats arrive in the evening from the acclaimed local restaurant,
Babel.
Accommodation
Experience:
Aside
from the famed restaurant, and cutting edge spa, the feature gardens are one of
the main attractions at Babylonstoren. Not being much of a gardener myself, I
force myself out of my beautifully decorated suite to take a dutiful tour of
the grounds. I am instantly drawn into the natural, organic gardens which are both curvy and styled, the heady
growth contrasted with artistic mosaic inlays and sculptures. I make my way towards
an interesting looking tunnel in a quiet corner of the gardens. As I enter the
tunnel and round a corner, I come upon a multitude of hessian bags, hung on
elegant ropes at different heights. They are bursting forth with plants –
strawberries and other fresh green growth. It is a ridiculously marvelous sight,
which at first stops me dead in my tracks. Then it takes me down a tunnel of
insight where I suddenly see a glimpse of the passionate dedication and
artistic release with which the gardens were developed. I am overcome with a
sense of appreciation, drawn into a mystical portal of awe and wonder. Here
there was no pandering or second guessing – just a bold vision of creative
expression. You can feel the imperative. This is true art – where someone has
given freedom of expression to their creative instincts and unique personality,
which moves us into a space from which we can be inspired to be daring and
excessive and to excel beyond all imposed traditional boundaries.
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