Hotels Archive - Page 4 of 14

Drostdy Hotel, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape

The Drostdy Hotel is a great choice for those looking for somewhere off the beaten track with touches of luxury

The Drostdy is a stunning hotel set in the charming Karoo town of Graaf-Reinet. The Executive rooms are set in village style throughout the grounds in individual cottages. The rooms and bathrooms are larger than normal and are well appointed complete with air conditioning, flat screen tv and a claw foot bath as well as a large shower. The hotel has three swimming pools, a spa and gym, wine tasting venue and a great restaurant set in a relaxing garden. The hotel has an extensive wine cellar and you should indulge in wine tasting during your stay. The restaurant serves sumptuous breakfasts as well as lunches and an excellent dinner menu.

About the Drostdy Hotel’s Location

Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest town in South Africa and although very Afrikaans, there are a lot of English touches. The main church is a stunning scaled down version of Salisbury Cathedral in England! The historic centre is full of thatched and metal roofed whitewashed cottages and this is the only town that is situated within its own National Park. The Camdeboo National Park includes the atmospheric and spectacular Valley of Desolation where you could imagine you are back in prehistory. It feels logical that this area has yielded some of the finest dinosaur fossils in southern Africa. While you are here you can visit the unusual and artistic community of Nieu Bethesda complete with its rather creepy Owl House which is now a national monument, a charming micro brewery which provides excellent lunches and there is also the ability to hunt for fossils in the river bed. You can also visit a number of private game reserves and the Mountain Zebra National Park which is an hour’s drive away.

Ghost Mountain Inn, Mkuze, Northern Zululand

Ghost Mountain Inn is a great inexpensive alternative to staying at a private game reserve

Ghost Mountain Inn is an old established, family run inn is situated in a particularly attractive part of Zululand. The hotel is in the little town of Mkuze with views of the almost mystical Ghost Mountain (inspiring many legends among the local Zulus). The atmosphere here is very relaxed and continues to get excellent reviews. The hotel has 51 bedrooms that are well decorated in simple furnishings and each room has air conditioning, a ceiling fan and each night insect repellent systems keeps the mosquitoes at bay. This is particularly important during the wet summer months. Some family rooms are available. Each room has its own patio and from these there are views of the garden or mountain. Guests eat in the comfortable restaurant and there is a choice of buffet or a la carte eating. The guest lounge is open to the terrace in front of the generously sized pool, which is very welcome after the heat of the day. The hotel does cater for conferences so at times the atmosphere is busy. The gym and wellness centre caters for those needing exercise and massage treatments, There is also a small but interestingly stocked gift shop. On certain nights, guests may watch Zulu dancing around the bonfire in the boma.

About Ghost Mountain Inn’s Location

The hotel can arrange game drives into the adjacent Mkuze Game Reserve. For us, however, a trip to the Hluhluwe National Park (a half hour drive) with one of the hotel’s excellent rangers is an unforgettable experience. Fishing on the Jozini Lake can be arranged as well as horse riding. Therefore, whatever your requirement there is something for most tastes here. You are ensured a warm and friendly welcome just two and a half hours drive from Durban and close to the border with Swaziland. Although the accommodation cannot be compared with the exceptionally luxurious private game reserves, your game experience from Ghost Mountain will compare with the best.

Squirrels Way Cottages

Pretty self catering accommodation for families in a convenient location

This is a delightful and secluded property tucked away in a quiet and pleasant residential area of the Cape Town suburb of Rondebosch right next to a park. The property has three fully self catering cottages. Two are twin bedded units with fully equipped kitchens and separate lounge and immaculate bathrooms. Each has a sleeper couch. There is also a third cottage with a queen bedded bedroom, kitchenette and separate lounge with sleeper couch. All three have patio doors opening out onto the secluded pool terrace.The properties are serviced twice weekly. This is an ideal layout for those clients travelling as a family or two or three couples travelling together.

About the Location

Squirrels Way is ideally situated for Cape Town which is just a 15 minute drive. For those clients seeking a convenient location close to the sports venue of Newlands (Rugby and Cricket, this is ideal being a short 5 minute drive. It is also easy to drive to the Constantia Winelands with some excellent wineries just 15 minutes away, Kitstenbosch Botanical Gardens are just a 10 minute drive. It is also very easy to reach the Cape Winelands as it is only a 30 minute drive to Stellenbosch.

Pinoak Cottage

Simple yet comfortable accommodation in a secluded location

This is a delightful and secluded property tucked away in a quiet and pleasant residential area of the leafy Cape Town suburb of Constantia. The property offers two fully self catering, twin bedded units with a studio layout including a kitchenette and ensuite bathroom. Each has a sleeper couch. There is also a third ensuite twin bedded bedroom. Each are self contained with individual doors opening onto the secluded pool terrace. This is an ideal layout for those clients travelling as a family or two or three couples travelling together.

About the Location

Pinoak is ideally situated for the Cape Peninsula and is only 10 minutes’ drive from the popular False Bay resort of Muizenberg with its blue flag beach and just a 30 minute drive to view the African Pengiuns at Boulders Beach. As the property is close (1 km) to the main highway into Cape Town, the city centre is just an easy 25 minute drive away. It is also easy to drive to the Constantia Winelands with some excellent wineries just 10 minutes away or the more extensive Cape Winelands as it is only a 35 minute drive to Stellenbosch.

Arniston Hotel

Arniston Hotel is a comfortable choice for clients on a budget as it is close to the ocean in one of the most remote and fascinating coastal nature reserves in South Africa

Arniston Hotel is fairly large with 60 suites and rooms. Most overlook the bay and some are pool facing. The rooms are fairly large and many have balconies. From here you can enjoy a restful sundowner overlooking the bay and the fabulous sunsets. The hotel has a well equipped spa and wellness centre as well as a restaurant and lively bar. The food is good rather than exceptional but the fish is locally caught and very fresh.

About Arniston Hotel’s Location

The much photographed thatched and whitewashed fishermens cottages in an area called Kassiesbaai are adjacent to the hotel. This area, dating back 200 years, has been declared a national monument and photographers are welcome. The huge sea cave of Waenhuiskrans (Ox Wagon Cave) is an interesting walk away and can be reached easily at low tide. Arniston is named after the wreck of the British naval ship of the same name that foundered in 1815 with the loss of 200 lives. The whole of this coastline around to nearby Cape Agulhas (the southernmost point in Africa) is littered with wrecks of ships that missed their way – indeed as recently as 1970! The De Hoop Nature Reserve is a day’s journey and a fascinating coastal reserve. The southernmost point on the African continent is just a 40 minute drive. Cape Agulhas is an interesting location with a lighthouse dating back to 1849. The architecture is fashioned in the style of the ancient Pharos of Alexandria and there is a restaurant and museum.

Maison Chablis

Franschhoek charm

This is a charming house with 7 tastefully appointed en-suite rooms – most with a private entrance. The grounds are compact but there is a reasonable sized shaded pool.

About the Location

The property is located in the oldest part of Franschhoek – the area known as the French Quarter with many properties dating back to the 1700s and the early French Huguenot settlers. The lively town centre is a short walk away and there are numerous fine restaurants to choose from. The South Africa Sun ‘Care Package’ will help you select the right one for you. The Franschhoek Valley abounds with fine wineries so a wine tasting tour (this can be arranged by Maison Chablis) is always guaranteed to be a memorable experience.

Summerwood

Home from home in the heart of the Cape Winelands

This is a gem set in the leafy University district of Stellenbosch. This is one of the premier universities in South Africa and ensures that the town is lively with an excellent atmosphere in the evenings. Summerwood was built in 1904 and has 8 larger than average and beautifully appointed suites. The gardens are a welcome retreat during the hot summer days with a great pool to lounge around. Unusually, the owners prefer not to have coffee and tea making facilities in the rooms but will provide complimentary refreshments when required. Each room does have a minibar as well as full air conditioning.

About the Location

The centre of Cape Town is a 35 minute drive away, so rather than stay in the centre of the city, why not relax at Summerwood and use this as your base from which to see Cape Town & Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula (45 minutes’ drive) and the winelands. Stellenbosch is often regarded as the centre of the winelands and it is easy to drive across the mountains to Franschhoek (20 minutes’ drive), Paarl (15 minutes’ drive and even Tulbagh (1 hour drive). There are numerous excellent wineries close by and you are spoilt for choice of restaurants to visit. We make this easy for you by suggesting some favourite wineries and restaurants.

The Overlook, Keimoes, Northern Cape

The Overlook is a wonderfully unique location and accommodation – definitely one of our favourites!

The Overlook is a small property with just three well appointed thatched, hut-style rooms. These are cool in the summer and have well equipped kitchenettes and bathrooms with excellent showers. We particularly enjoyed the little touches that provide a very African feel. The infinity pool is in a good position overlooking the vineyards and you can arrange a gourmet dinner to be served on the deck. The Overlook even has its own resident meerkats! The American / South African owners are attentive and will ensure a comfortable stay.

About The Overlook’s Location

Conveniently situated in the Orange Riverside village of Keimoes, The Overlook provides a convenient stopover between Upington and Springbok. It is only 50 kms from Upington but from your accommodation you will get beautiful views over the Winelands that skirt either side of the impressive Orange River. From here you can easily drive to the Augrabies Falls and up to the Kgalagardi Transfrontier Park. There is plenty to see and do in this area and we suggest spending at least three days exploring. Mid summer can be exceptionally hot so we suggest Spring, Autumn and late Winter. A stay here can be combined with Naries and the Kgalagardi Transfrontier Park.

Rooipan Guest Farm, Nr Upington, Northern Cape

Rooipan is a convenient location with warm, Afrikaans hospitality

Rooipan is set halfway between Upington and the Kgalagardi Transfrontier Park. This is truly an oasis in a very dry landscape. Here you will receive typical Afrikaans hospitality in accommodation that is crisply decorated, immaculately clean and cool in the searing midday sun. There are two suites that can also be used as self catering as they have a small kitchenette. The main bedroom is separate and has an en suite bathroom. The lounge area has a couch that can be used for young children. There is a small pool with an adjacent gazebo where dinner can be served. This is a large sheep farm and so the home cooked lamb is a must.

About Rooipan’s Location

The owners arrange a sundowner experience on the farm where you may see some of the rather special and occasionally weird nocturnal animals that inhabit this region. This is truly a unique experience.

Cinnamon Boutique Guest Lodge, Wilderness, Garden Route

Cinnamon is a perfect and very stylish backwater in the beautiful village of Wilderness

Cinnamon has 13 exceptionally luxurious suites set amidst the luxuriant foliage of the Wilderness National Park. No expense has been spared in providing this hotel with exquisite furnishings and stylish decor. The exceptionally large bathrooms compliment the suite style rooms and all include showers, baths and bidets. Each suite has a balcony, some with ocean views and others overlooking the mountains. The dining experience is renowned as one of the top ten restaurant along the Garden Route. The lodge gets consistently excellent reviews and, for example, on Trip Advisor it ranks number 1 in Wilderness. Cinnamon is the sister lodge to On the Beach in Wilderness.

About Cinnamon’s Location

Although the hotel is not on the beach, the vast expanse of Wilderness beach is just a five minute walk. Wilderness is a great location to use as a base to explore the Garden Route and the Little Karoo. Wilderness is adjacent to a beautiful nature reserve and at the start of South Africa’s Lake District. While rip tides make Wilderness beach unsuitable for swimming, Victoria Bay close by is perfect for swimmers and surfers alike. Trendy, bustling Knysna is a 35 minute drive set around a spectacular lagoon and here you will find interesting shops and restaurants. The upmarket resort town of Plettenberg Bay with three stunning beaches, great hiking and some of the best restaurants in the Garden Route is a 45 minute drive. In the other direction, drive over the spectacular Outeniqua Pass close to the principal Garden Route town of George and after an hour’s drive you will arrive in Oudsthoorn which is the center South Africa’s Ostrich industry. Here you will be able to learn about these fascinating birds and buy ostrich leather goods at very competitive prices. The world famous Cango Caves are just a 15 minute drive from Oudsthoorn.