Sometimes the best thing you can do for your team is simply get them out of the office.
Away from ringing phones, everyday interruptions and the usual routine, people have the opportunity to focus properly, connect with one another and spend meaningful time working towards a common goal.
Set in the Overberg countryside, De Uijlenes offers a conference experience that’s a little different.
Surrounded by nature and away from the hustle and bustle, we’re close enough to be easily accessible, but far enough away to feel like you’ve actually escaped.
Whether you’re planning a half-day strategy session, a client event, a team get-together or a multi-day corporate conference, we can tailor the space, catering and accommodation around what your group needs.
A conference venue in the heart of the Overberg
De Uijlenes is situated just outside Gansbaai in the Western Cape, making us a convenient conference venue for businesses from across the Overberg.
We’re approximately:
- 10 minutes from Gansbaai
- 10 minutes from Stanford
- 30 minutes from Hermanus
- 45 minutes from Bredasdorp
- Around 2 hours from Cape Town
For local businesses, it means getting out of the office without having to travel far. For Cape Town teams, it’s an easy corporate getaway that feels a world away from the city.
Conference spaces that work around you
No two conferences are the same, so we don’t believe the venue setup should be either.
Both our Old Barn and Nightjar venues can be used for conferences, with additional spaces around the property available for smaller breakaway sessions.
Depending on what you’re planning, we can accommodate groups from 20 to approximately 120 delegates.
The venues can be configured in a variety of ways, including:
Classroom • Boardroom • U-shape • Theatre-style • Informal seating
Or tell us what you’re trying to achieve and we’ll work with you to create a layout that makes sense for your group.
Conference facilities include tables and chairs, Wi-Fi, projector and screen, speakers and onsite support. Our current Conference & Retreat Package includes the various venue and setup options available.
Sometimes fewer distractions mean better ideas
One of the greatest advantages of hosting a conference at De Uijlenes has very little to do with projectors or boardroom layouts.
It’s the space.
Getting your team away from their normal working environment changes the dynamic.
There are fewer everyday distractions, which gives everyone an opportunity to spend quality time together, concentrate on projects, have the conversations they haven’t had time for and reconnect as a team.
Instead of rushing back to the office after the final presentation, you can take the afternoon further.
Have a drink together. Light the fire. Organise a braai. Head outside. Turn a workday into an experience that your team will actually remember.
Good food makes a difference
Food is an important part of any successful conference—and our onsite kitchen means your catering can be planned around your schedule.
From morning tea and freshly baked treats to lunches, snacks, dinners, harvest tables and braais, we can create a catering plan that works for your event.
We can also accommodate most dietary requirements with advance notice.
Our conference catering is flexible rather than one-size-fits-all, so we’ll help you find the right combination for your timing, group size and budget.
Turn your conference into a team getaway
You don’t necessarily have to head home at the end of the day.
De Uijlenes offers onsite accommodation across the farm, making multi-day conferences, strategy sessions and corporate getaways possible without delegates having to travel between a hotel and conference venue.
And once the work is done, there are plenty of ways to make the most of being in this part of the Overberg.
Groups can add experiences such as lawn games, traditional boeresport, bonfires and s’mores, wine tasting, whale watching and shark cage diving, depending on the type of event you’re creating.
Or keep it simple.
Go for a walk, have a swim, sit around the fire and give your team some time together that isn’t structured around an agenda.
Sometimes that’s where the most valuable conversations happen.
From staff conferences to client events
We’ve already welcomed a variety of groups to De Uijlenes, from a civil engineering company bringing its staff together for a half-day conference, to an insurance company hosting clients, and a local government group gathering outside their usual working environment.
We’re also a popular choice for staff year-end functions, where businesses can combine a little work with a well-deserved celebration.
That’s the beauty of having so many different spaces available: your event doesn’t need to fit into a standard conference mould.
Looking for a conference venue near Hermanus, Gansbaai or Stanford?
If you’re planning a conference, strategy session, corporate getaway, client event or team-building experience in the Overberg, we’d love to hear what you have in mind.
You don’t need to have every detail figured out.
Tell us your group size, dates and what you’d like to achieve, and our team can help you work out which venue, setup, catering and accommodation options will suit you best.
Get in touch with De Uijlenes to request our Conference & Retreat Package and current pricing, or arrange a viewing to come and see the spaces for yourself.
