There are many places in the Midlands that are synonymous with weddings and the Crystal Barn Country Estate is one of them. I was recently pleased to discover that weddings is not only what they offer.
It was a very warm Thursday morning when my husband and I drove up to the Midlands, and a stop along the way for an iced coffee was essential. The quickest way to reach the Crystal Barn Country Estate is from Nottingham Road and this took us past the Coffee & Life Centre where Lineage Midlands is based. Barista Mfana Zibula made us two iced coffee’s to go and they helped to refresh us as we drove the rest of the way to Crystal Barn. We couldn’t miss the turn off to the estate as there is a large vintage car parked next to the sign and then a glorious tree lined drive down to the main gate. One word to describe the Crystal Barn Country Estate is : Quirky. You can also use Vintage, Retro and Recycled. In other words …….. just what I love!
Crystal Barn is owned and run by husband and wife team, Scott and Kate Bain who ran the estate in 2016 (for the previous owners) and then bought the estate in 2018. They did a lot of rebuilding to the original structures and then added on the gorgeous Honeymoon suite, restaurant and extra rooms. The estate is set on 49 hectares of farmland and it overlooks the picturesque Rowe dam.
What is available at Crystal Barn?
- 14 rooms which can accommodate 36 guests : Bahaana Suites (en suite bedrooms), La Famillia Suites (family rooms) and the Kasbah Suite (couple or honeymoon suite).
- 3 different options for a wedding ceremony : chapel, forest location or the lawns.
- The reception venue is located on the edge of the Rowe dam.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served at the restaurant or …
- Enjoy a drink at “The Legless” bar.
- Private and Corporate functions such as conferences and team building.
- Activities include : walks, farm-style tennis, bass fishing, mountain biking, paddling, clay pigeon shooting, birding and the Midlands Meander.
My husband and I were allocated Room 7 which is part of the Bahaana Suites and has a view the Rowe Dam. The Bahaana Suites building was originally a milking shed. I love the long covered verandah that runs along the front of all the rooms and the beautiful wood columns and metal roof sheeting that is used as dividers. All the rooms have a wood bench and drum table so that guests can appreciate the view of the dam whilst having their morning cup of coffee or tea.
The room is very basic but it has all you need for a comfortable and very memorable stay. The room was also refreshingly cool for the hot day and when the temperature dipped that evening it was warm and cozy. There is a coffee and tea station and a mini fridge and I appreciated finding the milk already in the fridge. I was also impressed that they had supplied a small French press and ground coffee from Terbodore. Floors and walls were covered in fabric, specifically saris, which gave the room a unique look.
Crystal Barn pulled out all the stops to make our one night stay a very special experience. From an incredible Harvest Table lunch down by the Rowe dam to the most mind blowing fairy lighted dinner under the stars. DO NOT think that they only did this to impress the media, the attention to detail they showcased is what they put into creating memorable weddings or other occasions that can be celebrated at the estate.
We all felt like VVIP’s ( very very important people) to have the experience of dining under fairy lights and also to be served a superb 5 course wine paired menu that was created by Chef Jean. Sbu explained to us about how each wine paired with the different courses. I honestly can not find the words to explain how I felt about the lighting, the food, the flowers and the rest of the decor. The only word that comes to mind is ………… MAGICAL.
We had a such a refreshing sleep that I was shocked to discover bright sunlight when I opened the door the following morning. The blind and curtaining kept the room nice and dark and that made a big difference to our sleep, that and also the absolute silence.
Breakfast did not disappoint and it was so hard to decide what to order from the amazing array of options. Neil settled on the Barn Breakfast but I wanted to be adventurous and I finally decided to have “Crispy Yorkshire Pudding with creamed spring onion spinach, crispy bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce with a spicy tomato chutney. Oh my! A very fitting way to end a brief relaxing and decadent stay at Crystal Barn Country Estate.
To find out more about Crystal Barn Country Estate, take a look at their social media and website.
Thanks for the wonderful memories
#hosted