Winelands corporate retreat with conferencing and cottages

Truly the most beautiful we’ve seen in recent years

Last updated: 2 October 2024 

The silent star of an effective corporate retreat is the venue. Bertha Retreat, on the majestic grounds of Boschendal, is one of the most beautiful. It’s a reinvigorating stay and conference venue with a peaceful babbling stream, natural pool and cottages. And because the retreat practices “radical hospitality”, you help the community and grassroot organisations access the space too.

Bertha Retreat is incredibly picturesque. Image: Bertha Retreat

WINELANDS CORPORATE RETREAT 

A stream runs through this leafy green property, which is centred around a colourful sign that points you towards the cottages, conference facilities, meeting rooms, and food garden. 

Bertha Retreat is one of the flagship spaces for Bertha Spaces, a programme of global human rights organisation Bertha Foundation. That means everything, including the earthy aesthetic of the building and the decor, is grounded in the philosophy of social justice. 

Organisations and companies are allowed to pay what is in their means. By paying the standard rate, you help others access the space at significantly reduced rates. Or even for free: students from the surrounding suburbs of Pniel, Meerlust, Kylemore and Languedoc use the community house’s classroom, library, Apple computers and sports field. 

One of Bertha Retreat’s tenets is radical hospitality. Image: Bertha Retreat

BOLD & BRIGHT COTTAGES  

The three cottages (two with five bedrooms and one with seven bedrooms and two wheelchair-friendly rooms) sleep 34 in total. The cottages were designed to encourage collaborations and make guests feel like they were not in another hotel, but home.

The result is modern, roomy and relaxed cottages with high ceilings, and long passages to separate bedrooms (with Basotho blankets) and bathrooms from the shared spaces. 

There are framed prints from Drum and David Goldblatt, colourful scatter cushions and woven lamps. 

The spacious patios, decorated with wooden furniture made by people in the community, overlook Drakenstein Mountain and fynbos gardens with potted succulents. 

All of the beds can be split into two single beds and each bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with bidets. 

The decor is bright and bold with local inspirations. Image: Bertha Retreat

DINE FROM THE FOOD GARDEN  

One of the conveniences of hosting a corporate retreat at Bertha Retreat is that all your food is covered, including morning and afternoon snacks. 

Many of the ingredients are sourced from the food garden, which changes seasonally, as does the menu. It also feeds the surrounding community (a portion of the garden is used by community members to grow their own food). 

The meals are served buffet-style, which fosters camaraderie and community between team members, as they dish up hearty lamb roast, listen to jazz, and play Scrabble or 30 Seconds after dinner. 

In their downtime, teams can explore the walking and hiking trails, lounge by the natural eco-friendly pool, or play games like foosball, table tennis and giant Jenga. 

Bertha’s packages include all food and snacks, served in the colourful dining room. Image: Bertha Retreat

MODERN, SNAZZY CONFERENCE VENUE    

A walk through the kitchen and dining room, with its orange walls and colourful wicker lamps, takes you to the conference space. 

The large room has huge windows, letting in plenty of natural light and stunning mountain views. It’s not a stuffy conference room; it’s a re-energising space where teams can do some of their best brainstorming and collaboration. 

It’s equipped with everything you need, a back-up generator, and breakaway rooms. If you’d like to get some work done independently, the co-working space has hot desks with Apple monitors and keypads. 

All kinds of organisations host team building and conferences at Bertha. Image: Bertha Retreat

UP TO 40% OFF A CORPORATE RETREAT  

The retreat practices “radical hospitality”, where groups pay rates based on what they can afford. By paying the standard rate, you help others access the space at significantly reduced rates. 

The payment system is three tiered. All options include a one night stay (up to 14 people), all-inclusive meals and snacks, conferencing facilities and audio and video equipment. 

FIND BERTHA RETREAT

Bertha Retreat is open: Monday to Sunday, 8am to 5.30pm
Find them: Boschendal Wine Estate | Helshoogte (R310, York Farm, Main Road, Languedoc, Pniel)
Book: Via visit berthaspaces.org or email info@berthaspaces.org  
Contact on: @bertharetreat; 021 773 0535

By Julia Rowley

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MORE IDEAS FOR YOUR TEAM   

See more about Bertha’s conference facilities in the Winelands.  

You can plan your next big event at one of these function venues.

Here’s our list of some of the coolest team-building ideas.

Check out what you can do this week(end) in Cape Town.

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