De Leeuwenhof Estate is a family-run business. Eleven years ago, the owners – Daan and Yvonne – moved to South Africa from the Netherlands. Daan fell in love with the view of the farm from the dilapidated old manor house and decided to restore it and the then-floundering guava and wine farm. Originally established in 1698, De Leeuwenhof is the oldest guava farm in South Africa.

A few years after painstakingly restoring the manor house to its former glory, Daan – an entrepreneur at heart and an engineer by trade – converted an old barn into a guesthouse. The guesthouse has subsequently expanded to include 10 rooms, two apartments and four luxury farm suites. Daan and Yvonne’s children, who both have hospitality qualifications, have recently joined the family business.

Staying at De Leeuwenhof feels a little like staying at the home of an old family friend. Daan will happily show you around the farm, sharing fascinating titbits about everything from how guavas are farmed to why bamboo is an excellent source of energy. Coincidently, De Leeuwenhof is also home to the first bamboo plantation in South Africa! Yvonne – not unlike that caring relative – will pop in throughout the day to make sure that you have everything you need.

During the busy season, a daily program at the estate – outings to neighboring wine farms, trips to nature reserves and barbeques next to the pool – keeps guests busy. The family has recently introduced its Paarl Big 5 Wine Safaris: day trips that allow guests to experience the beauty of Paarl’s nature reserves and smaller wineries that are a little off the beaten track from the comfort of an open safari vehicle.

Situated at least 10 minutes’ drive from the town of Paarl, De Leeuwenhof is both accessible and sufficiently remote to offer peace and tranquility. Regardless of how many nights you stay, it’s hard to really leave De Leeuwenhof behind you. Somehow it feels as if you’ll soon be back to visit old friends. If you are lucky, you might get to take away a bottle of their special guava liqueur!