The attractive Zomerlust Gastehuis, dating back to the 18th century, was home to three generations of the well-known Paarl family of Abraham Pieter de Villiers.

Zomerlust has been witness to a lavish lifestyle of people living and entertaining in the very best and most elegant manner, to such an extent that at a stage Paarl residents referred to it as Buckingham Palace!

The farm Zomerlust, where ZOMERLUST GASTEHUIS is situated, was transferred on 1 May 1792 from the Dutch East Indian Company to its first private owner, Johan Meyer. This property, like all others in Paarl's historic core, stretched along the "Caapse Wagenpad" - today's Main Road.

The houses faced Main Road and the farms stretched either up the slopes of Paarlberg or down to the Berg River. Zomerlust was actively farmed from 1792 until 1992 and was always a property of some 4,8 hectares. Archaeological research showed that the first house - a single storey Cape Dutch home - was probably built between 1792 and 1800. Evidence of this is the fireplace in the room next to Die Kraan and the only Cape Dutch window in the current Tool Room.

Subsequent owners were Pieter Gerhardus van der Bijl, Hendrik A Gildenhuys and Jacob Francois Minnaar. On the 9th of March 1848, Johannes Smuts, a medical practitioner, bought Zomerlust for £950. According to legend his patients trusted him to such an extent that when he switched to homeopathy they all stayed loyal to their doctor.

In 1856 Abraham Pieter de Villiers (Jacob Isaac's son) founded the Paarlse Wijn en Brandewijn Mpy. His son, Jacob Isaac, married one of the Smuts daughters, Anna Sibella Louw Smuts. When Dr Smuts died Jacob Isaac de Villiers bought Zomerlust for £1 950 from his mother-in-law, Mrs Jacoba Smuts (neé De Leeuw), on the 26th of June 1878. Thus Zomerlust came into the possession of Jacob Isaac de Villiers and his descendants.

Jacob Isaac's son, Johannes Smuts de Villiers, bought Zomerlust for £2 000 from his mother's estate on 29 July 1927.

On the 11th of March 1948 Zomerlust was registered in the name of Johannes Smuts de Villiers' four children, Jacob Isaac (Jac), Alison Mary, Johannes Smuts and Anna Sibella Louw. A photograph of them can be seen in the reception area.

On the 21st of April 1991 Zomerlust became the property of "Creata Beleggings (Edms) Bpk", a company of "Die Du Toit Familie Trust".

We were privileged to carry on with a 113-year-old heritage from three generations of this distinguished De Villiers family. They made significant contributions to the history of Paarl and South African. Apart from farming on Zomerlust they were attorneys in the firm J Smuts de Villiers, directors of The Paarl Board of Executors and chairmen of De Paarlsche Wijn en Brandewijn Maatschappij Beperkt. Abraham Pieter de Villiers founded this company in 1856 and today still produces quality Paarl Rock brandy.

All three men served in either local or national politics. JI (AP's son) was a Paarl councilor in 1915 and later represented the Worcester constituency in Parliament. He served as the secretary of the Paarl Board of Executors in 1918. His son, Johannes Smuts, was also a director of the Paarl Board. Johannes Smuts' wife, Turry, contributed and headed various welfare projects. One project, which she informally started, the old age home Rusoord, today owned and managed by the ACVV, is still caring for needy senior citizens. Jac was a Paarl councilor in the 1950's and also served as mayor before representing the United Party in the Senate in the 1970’s.

The four previous owners, Niël du Toit as representative of "Die Du Toit Familie Trust" and a team of professionals planned to convert Zomerlust from a private dwelling to a small hotel - Zomerlust Gastehuis. The idea was to honour our predecessors and offer the Paarl public and guests from elsewhere an experience in the same style and hospitality which prevailed during the De Villiers era.

After 18 months of planning, renovation started on 13 January 1993 and Zomerlust Gastehuis opened its doors for business on 16 August 1993. With minimum interference to the original building ten rooms were fitted into the manor house and the old cowsheds were converted into four country style rooms. It was pure joy to have worked with professionals but the most rewarding experience was to know that the previous owners were involved and that they approved of the final product.