Sterrekopje Farm

In a world often defined by the relentless pace of achievement and the noise of the mind, a quiet revolution is taking place in the Franschhoek Wine Valley of South Africa. Welcome to Sterrekopje, a sanctuary where the boundaries between healing, nature, and community dissolve into a singular, regenerative experience.

We are honored to speak with Nicole Boekhoorn and Fleur Huijskens, the founders behind Sterrekopje. Their journey began not with a business plan, but with a profound personal gap in the wellness landscape: the inability to find a space that felt simultaneously sacred, comfortable, and deeply human. What started as Nicole’s longing for a “home” evolved into a collaborative creation with Fleur, birthing a place that defies the clinical coldness of traditional wellness hotels and the spartan isolation of standard retreats.


Interview NICOLE GAVRILLES
Images courtesy of STERREKOPJE FARM

Entrance hall, photo by Elsa Young

At Sterrekopje, the philosophy is rooted in regeneration rather than mere sustainability. This is a commitment to leaving the land—and the people upon it—better than they were found. From the moment guests pass through the gates, they enter a 360-degree embrace of the mountains, a “cradle” designed to help the nervous system settle. Here, the concept of “healing” is reframed not as fixing what is broken, but as remembering one’s inherent wholeness.

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It’s so lovely to meet you both, Nicole and Fleur. Could you take us back to the moment you first envisioned creating a sanctuary specifically for women, by women? What was the personal catalyst that transformed a longing for a retreat into the concrete reality of Sterrekopje Farm?

Sterrekopje was created as a sanctuary specifically for women, by women. This vision stems from a need for a safe, supportive environment where individuals can return to themselves within a warm, loving setting. This concept was originally Nicole’s, and bringing two women together to build it infused the space with a strong female energy. The motivation arose because Nicole could not find a place that met these needs. While many wellness-focused hotels exist, they often feel clinical, cold in their aesthetics, heavily programmed, and impersonal. Conversely, the retreats we have visited throughout our lives, while rich in content, frequently lack comfort in their accommodation. Sterrekopje aims to bridge this gap. It is a place where one can be deeply held by the space, the people, and the offerings in a way that allows the body to settle and the nervous system to regulate. This environment supports the process of returning to oneself or reclaiming wholeness…

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