Relish country living in Paarl
Experience a luxury farm stay at Staart Farm, conveniently situated in the Cape Winelands just an hour from Cape Town, or an hour from Franschhoek’s fabulous restaurants and wine farms.
At Perfect Hideaways, we have a real love of old farms and picture perfect, family friendly, country settings. Big thick white washed walls, colonial verandas with big comfy sofas. On arrival at Staart Farm, in the little known Paardeberg Mountains in Paarl, I knew I was in for something special.
Established in 1707, on a 40-hectare farm at the foot of the Paardeberg Mountains, Staart Farm is farm accommodation for large groups, weekend getaways, family holidays, milestone celebrations and intimate weddings.
Owned by the Reid family, Staart is a working farm with an Nguni herd, a flock of sheep, vineyards and an olive grove. From the farm house veranda, the view across the rolling fields and vineyards takes in the expansive Hex River Mountains.
The adventure started with a passion for food and wine, inspiring a journey to get the best ingredients possible, and a need to know exactly where they came from a how they were grown. “Our farm created an opportunity to grow our own vegetables, fruit, nuts and olives as naturally and organically as possible. Our cattle, sheep and chickens are primarily grass fed on our fields. We encourage our three children to be a part of this process. It is important to us that they are aware of where their food comes from and have a sense of gratitude towards it.”
Explore, or relax on the stoep
Staart Farm is country living that holds and nurtures you…making it difficult to leave. Should you be lucky enough to enjoy a longer stay there is plenty to do in the area…half an hour will take you to the art galleries and quirky shops and cafes of Riebeeck Kasteel, or the quaint town of Philadelphia for a casual Sunday lunch and a pootle around the huge gemstone shop.
Much closer to home check out the (fabulous) Spice Route Winery with their many artisans (my top picks the chocolate and craft beer!), do a tasting at Vondeling Wine Estate or enjoy lunch with views of the fairy-tale goat tower at fabulous Fairview. Head into Paarl for full moon on Paarl Rock or a picnic at Riebeeks Kloof and if you little people have joined you at this child friendly accommodation, a trip to Exotic Animal World, just 20 minutes away and an absolute must!
What we love!
- The farm and farmhouse’s glorious sense of history, coupled with completely modern day comfort
- Having not one, but two deep, comfy stoeps with differing views
- Being left in peace whilst the kids spent hours exploring, swimming and playing on the zipline
- Taking a tour of the farm with the fabulous farm manger, Peter (by prior arrangement only)
- The huge variety of super day-trips and wine estates in the close vicinity
- The utter enchantment for us city-dwellers of feeding the horses each morning
- The super helpful housekeeping staff and on-site friendly farm manager
What you need to know…
- There are pull-out beds in both kids room so these plus the cottage will allow for 14 guests in total making it a super spot to gather for milestone celebrations
- Staart Farm has a genuine sense of history and romance about it making it the ideal venue for a small, intimate wedding.
Edited by Dawn Kennedy
In the press
- Staart Farm was featured in House & Leisure for its blend of Cape-Dutch charm, organic farm living, and relaxed family style on a 40-hectare estate in Paarl.