Blue Gum Country Estate offers the perfect country retreat. Set at the foot of the magnificent Overberg mountains, just back from the coast, this is where to go to feel in the heart of nature. The rooms are huge, the grounds great for exploring and there are pockets of space all over the estate where you can sit and kick-back. The style is classic country retreat – cosy sofas, wooden dressers, log fires for winter. Take afternoon tea after following the scenic mountain trail or take a dip in the 10m pool. The owners Anton & Tarryn are on hand to ensure your stay is perfect and their team work hard to ensure Blue Gum feels like a real home from home. Families are brilliantly catered for, with children’s tastes, favourites and sleeptimes factored in. Yet, equally, there is space for couples to feel at peace. And all this without mentioning the delicious food, which takes the whole Blue Gum experience to another level.

“We strive to provide an experience that encapsulates those things we tend to gloss over in the rush of modern life – an opportunity to relax in comfortable, tranquil surrounds with good food, superb local wines, great views and plenty of fresh air. It is great a privilege and blessing for us to be part of Blue Gum and we love sharing our small slice of paradise – the perfect silence, the stars, the open spaces, the tranquillity and more.”

Anton & Tarryn, Owner-Managers, Blue Gum Country Estate

The 12 rooms at Blue Gum Estate each have their own style. The old Manor House suites are exclusively for grown-ups with enormous African colonial style rooms each opening onto a decked veranda with long views across the vineyards and valleys. The more private family-friendly Mountain View Cottages, decorated in English country-style, are situated close to the restaurant and kids play area. Two of the cottages can accommodate four people. There are also two Blue Gum Cottages set away from the main hotel, suited to families with older children.

The food at Blue Gum is our sort of food. Herbs and vegetables are grown on site and other ingredients are locally produced. Chef Isaac then works his magic to produce wonderful taste sensations each evening. It’s a set menu that comes highly recommended. Breakfast will give you an idea. A buffet with freshly baked muffins, stewed fruits, fresh fruit, cereals, Cape cheese and more. And a cooked breakfast to follow. Plenty to give you energy to head out exploring for the day.

There are plenty of activities both on and off the estate. Take a walk, play tennis, splash in the pool, borrow a bike, play boules, rev up a quad bike. Or head off to the beach. This is the one of the best places to spot whales in the world, providing you are staying between July and November. Horse ride in the mountains. Head out to vineyards for a spot of wine-tasting. Take lunch with a view by the sea or in the vineyards. Or head 10 minutes down the road to the historical town of Stanford. Or to the fascinating Moravian mission station with its whitewashed cottages, fruit trees and its beautiful church. Whatever you chose to do you can be assured of a feeling of ‘coming home’ when you head back to Blue Gum.