TRAVEL: Where to Go & Stay

Looking for the right spot to stay for your visit? I’ve reviewed over 260 destinations –  hotels, game/nature reserves, BnBs and more.

INTERACTIVE MAP
Either see the map first for recommendations and then scroll down for my review or if you already know your destination, scroll down for the reviews.

CAPE TOWN & SURROUNDS

• Cape Town Hotels: Ellerman House, The Radisson RED, The Queen Victoria Hotel, The Cellars Hohenhort, Silvermist Hotel, The Westin, The Pepperclub Hotel, Noah House, Cloud 9, Chartfield Guest House, Summit on Quarter, The Dorp Hotel, One&Only Cape Town, Kyanos Camps Bay, Lobster Villa Camps Bay
• Cape Town Airbnb/Self-catering: Flamingo Sea Point, Kelvin Urban Retreat
• Cederberg: Kromrivier Cederbergpark, Doringbos Farm, Bushmanskloof
• Scarborough: Synergy Treehouse
• De Kelders (Walker Bay): Villa The Cherry
• Elgin: Wildekrans Country House, Villa Exner, The House Boat (South Hill Estate)
• Franschhoek: The Franschhoek Hotel & Villas,  Petit Bijou Apartments, Le Franschhoek  Boutique Hotel, Otters Bend, Holden Manz, 7 Koppies, theLAB, Lavender Farm Guest House, Angala Boutique Hotel, Ludus Magnus, Peak Cottage
• Glamping Tents: The Canvas Collection Africa
• Greyton: The Old Potter’s Inn
• Hermanus: The Marine Hotel, Hemel en Aarde Farm, Creation Wines (Voormanshuis), Spookfontein Wine Estate, The Hemingway House, Villa Del Faro
• McGregor: Ons Huisie, Windfall Wine Cottages, Dolce Vita, Rhythm Full On, Lucky Crane Villas
• Montagu: Badensfontein Cottages and Glamping, Stil, Abrikooskloof Pod Reserve (Barn House, Mountain House, Cave House)
• Paarl: The Lighthouse Boutique Suites, Pearl Valley Hotel, Babylonstoren
• Robertson: The Small Hotel, Jan Harmsgat Country House, Africamps Patbusch, theLAB, Mo and Rose, Croxely Farm
• Slanghoek Valley: Opstal, Bosjes, Marais Family Wines
• Stanford: Haesfarm, Pure Sea Boutique Lodge (Romans Bay), Stanford Heights River House
• Stellenbosch: Majeka House, Quoin Rock Manor House, Evergreen Manor, Treetops Apartment, Vergenoegd Löw
• Tulbagh: The Tulbagh Boutique Hotel, Mount Bain Cabin
• Villiersdorp: Faraway Estate
• Wellington: Dunstone Country House
• West Coast: The Beach House (Jacob’s Bay) Bordeaux On Brittania, The Beach House (St Helena Bay), Caelis Place (Britannia Bay), Abalone Hotel (Paternoster), Coral Villa with Gonanna (Paternoster), Hypnotic Beach House (Britannia Bay), Gonana Houses (Paternoster), Dune Rose (Yzerfontein)

GAME & NATURE RESERVES

• Algeria (Cederberg, Western Cape)
• Sanbona Game Reserve (Montagu, Western Cape)
• Babanango Game Reserve (KwaZulu-Natal)
• De Hoop Nature Reserve: De Hoop Collection, Morukuru Family
• De Mond Nature Reserve (Bredasdorp, Western Cape)
• Garden Route Game Lodge (Mossel Bay, Western Cape)
• Grootbos Nature Reserve (Walker Bay, Western Cape)
• Gondwana Game Reserve (Mossel Bay, Western Cape)
• Goukamma Nature Reserve (Sedgefield, Western Cape)
• Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve (Cederberg, Western Cape)
• Kogelberg Nature Reserve (Overberg, Western Cape)
• Bushman’s Kloof Nature Reserve (Cederberg, Western Cape)
• Grootvadersbosch (Swellendam, Western Cape)
• Nambiti Private Game Reserve (Ladysmith, Kwa-Zulu Natal)
• Marataba Safari Lodge, Marataba Mountain Lodge (Marakele National Park, Limpopo)
• Marloth Nature Reserve (Swellendam, Western Cape)
• Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve (Graaff-Reneit, Eastern Cape)
• Phinda Private Game Reserve (KwaZulu-Natal): Vlei Lodge & Forest Lodge
• Thsukudu Bush Lodge (Pilanesberg, North West)
• Sasi Bush Lodge (Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal)
• Samara Private Game Reserve (Graaf Reniet, Eastern Cape)
• Clifftop Safari Lodge (Welgevonden, Limpopo)
• Morukuru Family Owner’s House (Madikwe, North West)
• Melozhori (Bonnievale)
• Cypiro Leopard Lodge (Waterberg)

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

• Graskop Art Hotel (Graskop)
• The Outpost Lodge (Pafuri) & Pel’s Post
• The River Lodge (Thornybush Private Game Reserve)
• Khaya Ndlovu Manor House (Hoedspruit, Kruger)
• Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge (Sabi Sabi)
• Saseka Tented Camp (Thornybush Private Game Reserve)
• Lions Sands Tinga Lodge
• Ulusaba Game Reserve
• Simbavati Homestead
• Simbavati Waterwise

SOUTH AFRICA

• • Ballot’s Bay: Bees Knees
  • Durban: The Hilton Hotel, The Oysterbox Hotel, The Capital Zimbali Resort
  • Johannesburg: The Four Seasons Westcliff, Thaba Eco Hotel, The Leonardo, The Saxon, voco
  • Knysna: The Turbine Hotel, Amanzi Island Lodge, Portland Manor, Rainbow’s End Villa, Buccara Pezula Castle
  • George: The Manor House at Fancourt
  • KwaZulu Natal: Hartford House, The Cavern Resort,  Thonga Beach Lodge, Brahman Hills, Ghost Mountain Inn
  • Plettenberg Bay: The Old Rectory Hotel, Bramon Wine Farm, Newstead Wine Farm, Trogon House (The Craggs), Athina’s Cove, The Ivory Haus
  • Sedgefield: Teniqua Treetop Suites
  • Port Elizabeth: Intle Boutique Hotel
  • Port Alfred: Oceana
  • Victoria Bay: Carmel Guest Farm
  • Wild Coast: Wavecrest, Trenerys & Morgan Bay Hotel, Prana Lodge, Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve and Crawfords Beach Lodge
  • Karoo: Eco Karoo Lodge (Lukhof), De Kleine Prince (Prince Albert), Mukti (Niue-Bethesda)
  • Dullstroom: Walkersons Country Hotel and Spa
  • Vanzylsrus Hotel
  • Wilderness: Serendipity
  • Rovos Rail (throughout South Africa)

BOTSWANA

• • Mombo
  • Vumbura Plains

BRAZIL

• • • • Cristalino Lodge (Amazon Jungle)

ZIMBABWE

• • Victoria Falls River Lodge
  • Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel

SEYCHELLES

• • Four Seasons Mahé
  • Four Seasons Desroches Island
  • Bord Mer Villa

NEW ZEALAND

• North Island:  QT Museum Wellington, Ohtel Wellington, Martinborough Hotel, Openake Clifftop Home, Cottage 103, Alpaca Farm Retreat, Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour, Lightning Ridge View (Waimārama), Enchanted Retreat, InterContinental Wellington, Nga Pari
• South Island: Glentanner Park (Mount Cook), Milford Lodge (Milford Sound), Sherwood Hotel, TranzAlpine Train,  Rainforest Retreat, The George Hotel, Hulbert House
• Waiheke Island: Mudbrick Estate

UNITED KINGDOM

• The Londoner Hotel 
• Saltmarsh Farmhouse (Seven Sisters National Park)
• South Place Hotel (London)
• The Newt (Somerset)
• Cove Cottage (Lulworth Cove)
• Bath Spa Hotel (Bath)

IRELAND

• The Mayson Hotel (Dublin)

ITALY

• Lake Como (Como, Bellagio and Gravedona)
• The Way of St Francis: Gubbio, Assici, Biscina, Valfabbrica
• QC Room (St Pelegrino Terme)

FRANCE

• Five Seas Hotel (Cannes)
• Charmante petite maison (Chateauneuf -du-pape)
• Château de Berne (Provence)
• Une Champange en Provence (Provence)
• Mary’s Villa (St Paul de Vence)
• AC Hotel Nice (Nice)
• Les Roses (Mougin)
• My House Boat (Champagne)

GREECE

• Villa Nikh (Katserou)

SPAIN

• Son Brul (Mallorca)

PORTUGAL

• • Wine and Books Hotel (Lisbon)

THE PHILIPPINES

• Manilla, Elnido and Bohol

FIJI

• • Outrigger Fiji (Fiji Mainland)
  • Mana Island Resort and Spa (Mana Island)

THAILAND

• Vana Bell (Koh Samui)
• Renaisance (Koh Samui)
• W Hotel (Koh Samui)
• W Hotel (Bangkok)

VIETNAM

• • Banyan Tree (Lang Co)