In short… A magical healing retreat on a fairytale farm just an hour from Cape Town
The look and feel… Sterrekopje calls itself a “healing farm,” but it is so much more. On a restored 17th-century farm in the foothills of the Franschhoek mountains and an hour from Cape Town, it is an aesthetic feast for the senses: heritage farmhouse buildings, fanciful painted murals, and medicinal gardens and orchards to wander around. The vision here is about transformative rest and creative play, and the owners, Nicole Boekhoorn and her wife, Fleur Huijskens, take care to shape a profound sense of calm for each guest from the very first morning. Wake up to the sound of roosters crowing and the chef humming songs while cooking amazing dishes straight from the garden, while the smell of freshly ground coffee guides you to the communal table under the olive trees.
The rooms… Sterrekopje’s focus on rest begins with just 11 guest rooms, most in Cape Dutch-style cottages. Choose between rejuvenating suites and “abundant” or “intimate” sanctuaries that are all completely different, each one an homage to art, culture and creativity in earthy palettes. I fell for their immaculate handcrafted furniture and truly spectacular taste in textures and fabrics.
The wellness… The program begins when you disconnect from your usual life and routines and let yourself slowly connect with the self and surrounding nature. The 2- to 7-night journeys held in the spa include a mix of therapies that include: ritual of touch (body therapy, meridian alignment, reflexology); alchemy for the soul (reiki, energy balance, hypnotherapy); sound awakening (sacred vibration, tribal sound bath); vital movement (yoga, qigong, flexibility); and sleep rituals (mineral salt & wildflower bath, deep sleep massage). The spa also has a large tiled hammam for massages. When not in treatment, you can hike, bike, or play (paint, draw or throw pottery in the atelier, which has its own wheels and kiln). Or walk the fragrant chakra garden, designed to reflect and stir the body’s own chakras.
The food… Sterrekopje believes that joyful indulgence and conscious consumption can coexist. It all starts with being committed and holistic custodians of the fertile ground they tend on this historic farm. Plants are heroes here. They grow, harvest and raise many of their ingredients and source other local produce from nearby biodynamic farms. And the kitchen/bakery, located in the historical Main House, is as inviting as in a family home, a space in which to eat, read, or just take in the sounds and smells.
Extra tip goes to… Josefine, the kindest and sweetest therapist, who started my journey at Sterrekopje. She made me feel so secure and well cared for—and very much at home, hundreds of miles from my actual one.
Be sure to… Start your journey with the cleansing ritual in their beautiful hammam. I would also consider their Wise Women Retreats, a dream for anyone who would like to build a deeper connection with her innate feminine power.
Parting words… I truly doubt I will ever find a place in Europe that will come close to competing with the magic of Sterrekopje. It has set a new bar for travel.
Date of stay… February 2023
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