Blue Gum Country Estate – A Perfect Getaway Spot

One of the perks of being a blogger is you to have the opportunity to review products and places and I was very lucky to be offered a night away at Blue Gum Country Estate in Stanford recently. As I’m based in Hermanus, it was only a 30-minute drive from home and quite honestly, the drive from Cape Town / Hermanus to Stanford is a pretty one, so I really don’t mind the drive at all.

Given it was midweek, I decided to go have a night away for myself and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to unwind and chill than Blue Gum – it’s incredibly quiet and when I say it offers a picturesque setting, I truly mean it.

The Venue

Blue Gum Entrance

Blue Gum Country Estate's Main Entrance

Blue Gum's entrance - walkway to reception

The Venue

Play area for the kids

View of the cows grazing

The sun room

Lounge area

Bar Area / Lounge Area

Wine cellar / room

Boma and braai area

Sundeck - balcony to enjoy the sunset

Blue Gum fountain

Teatime snacks

Sunroom where I was served tea and snacks

My breakfast plate..at least one of them

Breakfast buffet

Dining area

If my kids had been with me, they would have had a fantastic time. There’s so much space for kids to run and play. There’s a play area with a jungle gym, sandpit and trampoline. And, there are 2 hikes that are perfectly suitable for young and old. The venue is on a large property and, as a result, it offers lots of different places for kids to explore.

There are other activities for kids to do including:

• Tennis
• Boule
• Croquet
• Bike Riding
• Stargazing
• Chess & other board games
• Swimming
• Springbok Tracking

After arrival, around 3pm, I was offered some tea/coffee with an afternoon snack which included a choice of scones with cream and jam plus biscuits which was served in a sunroom which was being kept warm with a fantastic fireplace.

For the rest of the afternoon, I walked around and explored the property and enjoyed the sanctuary of my room with its amazingly comfortable bed and balcony which offers a beautiful view of the surroundings and the perfect place to watch the sunset. There are vineyards everywhere you look and the property is just so spacious and beautiful. Beautiful mountain views, gardens with fountains and cows grazing in the distance can be seen.

I took advantage of the room service where my food was delivered to me and I could enjoy it in my room while admiring the view.

The Room

Bed and amenities

Welcome letter

Bathroom

Balcony

Balcony

View from balcony

Chair and table in corner of room

View from inside room

Toiletries

Passage entrance before heading into room

The room was beautifully set up and very comfortable. I have to say my 2 favourite things:

• The balcony where you can just lie/sit and unwind and view the gardens, vines and cows grazing in the distance.
• The bed – other than it being super comfy and warm, I was able to lie in bed and get almost the same view as being on the balcony.

Things worth mentioning:

• The estate offers a range of DVDs to choose from for you to watch in the room – it’s a wide selection for young and old.
• I stayed in one of the manor rooms which is suitable for a person staying alone or a couple, but I was offered a tour of the estate which included a tour of the family rooms and I can say that both rooms are spacious. The family rooms are obviously set up differently and accommodate more people. The family rooms I was shown had fireplaces in them which is perfect in the winter months and there was a separate room for 2 kids to sleep in. Cribs are available for babies and the crew at Bluegum do their best to accommodate you.
• There are little touches to the room that make it extra cosy.
• The bathroom was en-suite and offered both a bath and a shower and toiletries were included.

The Details

Pinecones

Decor

Chessboard

Decor

Protea

For some, the layout and decor of a place you stay at aren’t important, but for me, I found the decor really had been well thought out. There’s an African Colonial style incorporated and there are the little touches or details that really add to the overall feel and experience of the venue.

The gardens and the views are amazing, they really are. You can see the place is well looked after and loved by the people who run it, Tarryn and Anton.

Review Comments

Pros

The photos above won’t give the estate justice – not because I’m not a professional photographer, but because when you are there, it’s obviously a totally different experience. The fresh air, the quiet, the views, the gardens and accommodation the venue has to offer all adds to the “real life” experience.

The venue is stunning, it’s spacious and a lot of attention has been put into the detail. You can see the place is well maintained and it offers a perfect escape for couples, newlyweds and family – I would highly recommend this Bluegum Country Estate for a long weekend away or holiday. You are close to other popular areas in the Overberg such as Gansbaai for Shark Cage Diving, the Klein River Cheese farm (which is literally next door to the farm) and Hermanus which offers a range of activities for visitors to do.

Quick comments:

• Staff were friendly, helpful and very kind – everything was done with a smile.
• The owners and their family were very friendly and welcoming.
• The room and dining area were comfortable and the food was great. Full disclosure: I didn’t eat too much while there, but the food I did eat tasted fresh and was very tasty – loved the breakfast!
• As I mentioned above, the decor was really lovely. Not one room was the same and each had been decorated differently which I found so nice.
• The night I was there was cold as it is in the Stanford area in winter, so I didn’t get a chance to sit outside on the venue’s deck and enjoy the sunset, but there is that option available for guests to enjoy.
• Breakfast included coffee/tea plus a buffet which included muesli, various yoghurts, cereals, orange juice, fresh fruit and more. Plus a cooked breakfast was available.
• The lounge area also has a bar area and there are board games and chess for kids to play in the evenings or if the weather isn’t allowing much outdoor activity time.
• I mentioned above that there was a DVD selection available to make use of – when I say it’s an extensive range of DVDs, it IS an extensive range and it includes DVDs for adults and children.
• I would love to take my whole family there for all of to enjoy – there’s a lot on offer for kids to enjoy outdoors, away from Pcs, mobile phones, etc.
• It’s affordable.

Cons

• Wifi was available, but in my room, it wasn’t available. Wifi is, however, available in the dining and lounge areas – I am not sure whether it’s available where the family rooms are situated.
• The road is a little bumpy as there are potholes as a result of rain, wear and tear. So, one does need to drive carefully to avoid having your car’s alignment go out.
• On approaching the cows for a closeup photo, they refused to pose for the camera – this was very disappointing 😉

Summary

I would have no hesitation in recommending Bluegum Country Estate for those looking to get away from the city and have a real country experience. The venue is in a great location and while it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, you are so close to some popular little towns.