Reviewed Destinations

You read yet another rave lodge-review in the weekend newspaper. But how do you know what the establishment is really like?

Africa offers so many safari lodges and hotels, from Fair Trade to branded, luxury and rustic, that the choice is daunting. Whether Kenyan safari lodge, Cape Town hotel or Wild Coast backpacker defying the odds, we endeavour to visit operations that have that critical X-factor, a quality that makes them worth visiting.

With hotels we tell you about the area, if the equipment in the gym works, and if the bedrooms are the sort of places in which you'd like to hang out for an afternoon.

As part of our service, we spread word across the media and trade, in Africa and internationally - and to our database of Africaphiles (serious enthusiasts).

Any relevant comments you may have, as the traveller, are welcome.


Let's set the scene first. Umhlanga Rocks is the beachfront satellite city 20 minutes outside Durban that is attracting many of the city businesses, most around a massive retail shopping mall complex called Gateway. This itself is ten minutes from the traditional Umhlanga Rocks, which still comprises fairly high-rise residential apartment blocks and hotels. The Oysterbox is amongst these, right next to the area's signature lighthouse. This is a very good five star hotel, a revamp of what was once a great place for Sunday tea. Positioned right above the beach, it looks across the Indian Ocean roughly to Australasia. Owned and run by a family (the Tollmans) and staff with vast experience in the industry internationally, they pay that attention to detail so vital to hotels operating in this sector, and then some. It is difficult not to enjoy the antique pieces they have featured in the hotel's revamp, collected from their travels around the world, like the fan that had been above the long bar at Singapore's Raffles Hotel, and a selection of tapestries, eclectic paintings and what one imagines to be pretty expensive pieces of china. There's even a cinema. The cuisine served up by the two restaurants - one specializing in curries - is as good as it gets, as is the breakfast. The rooms I find a bit small, but apparently this is because the owners wanted to keep those from the original hotel. While the beach in front of the hotel isn't a classic activity beach - a deep shelf just off the beach means swimming and body-surfing are uncomfortable pursuits - the large hotel pool above the beach will make up for it. The highlight (for me) at Umhlanga is the 5km paved boardwalk separating the hotels and apartments from the beach. With intermittent pockets of subtropical forest thicket along its length, a run or walk on the boardwalk is a great start or end to the day.


Pezula Resort and Spa Now here's an interesting one. It is best known locally for its golf-course, what has to be occupy the most stupendous position imaginable, because it simply can't get better than rolling green fairways tracking cliffside ocean views (yes, there's a remarkable 19th hole from the top of a mountain - look out for our Storybook on Entabeni in the newsletter section). As good, maybe so, but better, no. And you'd hope so too, as its construction courted so much controversy, shortage of water in an already water-stressed town being one of the hot issues. But that's all seemingly done and dusted, and the last time Pezula was in the news was when the French soccer team stayed there for the 2010 World Cup Finals. While their performance was a shocker of note, they surely would have enjoyed Pezula, for apart from the rather nice accommodation and superb cuisine put together by a very good American chef who's big on his local produce, it's got every facility imaginable - including a well-equipped gym. The views are generally beautiful, with either the golf-course (and ocean just below and beyond), the Knysna lagoon and the indigenous southern Cape fynbos vegetation usually on display from the sumptuous rooms. On an odd note, the white staff at Pezula tend to be a bit uppity, even snooty, I assume because they mistake themselves for the couple of world-famous sporting celebrities who own property there. But I make this colour distinction because wherever you go in South Africa, the black staff are usually fantastic - overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. As they are at Pezula. Bottom line? If you're a golfer you will want to stay at Pezula at least once.

This park is a strange beast. Far from the traditional bushveld parts of South Africa, like those found around the Kruger Park, northwest province and northern Zululand, it is found down in the historically monumental settler country of the Eastern Cape. It's a place of great history. But it was the arrival of the settlers that resulted in the elephants and most other large game being virtually shot out of existence. So it was visionary thinking, concern about the possible demise of the elephant in the Eastern Cape, that resulted in the formation of this park in the June of 1931. There were only 11 elephants at the time. Today it has more than 400. But it's the accommodation I am really meant to be describing. The options are the luxury offerings outside the park - outside the fence, some with their own elephants - or the traditional national parks rest-camps. Seriously, one of the thatched chalets looking out over the waterhole at Addo's Main Camp is a beautiful experience. And if you can't get one of the prized rooms then you simply walk to the viewing deck and enjoy the daily afternoon spectacle of the various elephant families coming down to drink as the sun sets. Combined with the scent of the evening braais / barbeques from around the camp, the ability to drive yourself around the park whenever you wish - especially when you hear of a kill - and attractions for children, like the swimming pool, it's all good. The accommodation is clean and spacious, and if you aren't keen on cooking for yourself the camp restaurant does provide meals. Nothing special, but you will be full. The downside, if you need one, is that after the thrill of having elephants, hyena and buffalo herds brushing past your vehicle you will tire of the typical spekboom bush. Two days and two nights is the perfect period to spend here. Just remember, this is Addo, so why stay anywhere else? http://www.addoelephant.com/parks/addo/
If it's Great Whites (sharks) you want to see, the Great White House, the fishing-cum-holiday town of Gansbaai on South Africa's southern Cape coast is where you should probably stay. In South Africa the Great White House (GWH) would be called 'lekker' (nice), and as Gansbaai (nothing quaint about the town itself) doesn't have too many quality accommodation options, it kind of sets it apart from other options. This area is a marine observation gem; from July to December every year, southern right whales migrate to and calve in Walker Bay (the town of Hermanus has reputedly the world's best land-based whale-watching), around the corner from Gansbaai. The owner of the GWH is one Wilfred Chivell, an ethical sort who now operates Marine Dynamics, which offers what is regarded by many as the premier whale-watching and Great White experience. It's also Fair Trade registered, which means Wilfred's heart is in the right place. Best Time: High Season is June to November. Low season is Dec to Feb. Setting: 200m from where the boats set out in an area called Kleinbaai (really part of Gansbaai), the GWH is attached to the main office and restaurant. Leaving Cape Town at 04h00 to make the morning meet-time of 07h30 is an option preferred by time-pressed overlanders, but sleeping at the GWH is far more sensible. Accommodation: Thatched and whitewashed in a garden setting, the accommodation has a traditional feel. Neither luxurious nor basic, it's extremely comfortable, with a great double-bed and brilliant, large fireplace in the main room. And a big hot bath - much-needed after diving with the sharks in icy water - and a good shower in the bathroom. It's chilly in winter, hence the fireplace. Food: Good breakfast, but not cooked, as it's not suggested for those prone to sea-sickness. Lunch is also good and generous.

www.thegreatwhitehouse.co.za
In Tanzania's Katavi National Park, this camp is one of just a handful offering a glimpse of one of Africa's greatest unsung wildlife spectacles. Come September and October, when the rains are a distant memory, fast-drying Katuma river is no more than a few pools and bursting with hippos and crocodiles. Within a kilometre of the camp, lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs have never had it so easy, because the game in the vicinity has no option to but to trek to the water everyday. Some, like the hordes of hippos, are almost trapped in their muddy quagmire by day - trying to remain wet. By night they have to search ever further beyond the tree-lined bank in search of grass - and where they too become prey. Naturally, there's an abundance of vultures around, sharing trees with storks and fish eagles. At 4471 square km, and located along the rift escarpment in western Tanzania, Katavi is the heart of one of the biggest and richest wildlife areas in Africa. At four hours in a light aircraft (dropping off guests at other destinations along the way) from Dar Es Salaam, it's not an easy journey. But it is oh-so-very-worth it. It's one of those common dilemmas for travel writers, not wishing to share (and often inevitably spoil) such paradisical and unvisited discoveries, but this I cannot keep to myself (some images will shortly be uploaded to the gallery). Setting: The scenery at Katavi is beautiful; immense wetlands, waterfalls and vast miombo woodlands. Katavi Wilderness Camp is almost perfectly situated; close to the main airstrip (which hardly sees any traffic), the camp is around the corner from the action-packed Katuma river, on the very edge of the Katasunga Plains. Accommodation: The Fox family, which owns the camp, is an unpretentious bunch. With the parents having walked much of Ruaha National Park before it was proclaimed, camping next to the river with their children in the early 70s, they veer away from the fussy stuff - and the three traditional, large canvas safari tents here reflect exactly that. Food: So far away from any form of recognised infrastructure, you will hopefully be as impressed as I was by the tasty fare produced. www.tanzaniasafaris.info
Encompassing roughly seven ecosystems and working proactively to foster community development in the surrounding rural areas, Phinda is a premier South African game reserve. I do not say this because the accommodation is sumptuous, but rather because I was there when a group of forward-thinking conservation and business-minded people started Phinda, and I have followed it since. A former cattle ranch and hunting concession, the challenge for the company then (Conservation Corporation) was to rehabilitate the land, offer a great wildlife experience to visitors wanting luxury accommodation, and engage the neighbouring communities. Poor and extremely rural, the thinking was that if these communities could grasp that conservation and tourism could make a difference in their lives, through the by now old story of creating jobs and thus improving livelihood, then ecotourism would be seen in a positive light. This did happen, and conservation models were forever changed in southern Africa. I regard Phinda as the start of luxury safari accommodation in Africa. Not the taste of all, it nevertheless serves a sound purpose in bringing in the money, through donations, grants and partnerships, needed for development. Setting: It literally does boast seven very different land areas, from mountain savannah to sand-forest and riverine woodland, with bird and mammal species to match. Accommodation: From just one, it now has five or six separate lodges. From the larger, original Phinda Mountain Lodge, just upgraded, to Forest (all glass, in the sand forest) and the smaller, Vlei (wetland) and adobe-type Rock Lodge, it's all quite brilliant. Private plunge-pools included. Food: A woman called Yvonne Short ensured that cuisine served by the group's (now called &Beyond) lodges was superb, and reflecting African cuisine. She did a good job, and although she is no longer with the group, the standard remains high. www.andbeyond.com
Location, location, location. This place really works. It's one of those unusual cases where despite the lodge fronting a carpark the position really doesn't matter, 'cos it's a really pretty, somewhat unique carpark. On the other side of the park (and before the ocean), are the gigantic granite rocks / Boulders that serve as home to the African jackass penguins, with the scrub bush characteristic of this area making up the fringes. So it's all very attractive, very cute. The whole area is actually about penguins, with some of the cute little waddlers even laying their eggs beneath the outside staircase, and an easy walk leading to the myriad paths that take visitors through and around this quite unique little penguin colony. Being a national park, there is heaps of info about other penguin species, and a gift store. If it's summer, bring your towel, because there are a few beaches here where you share the water with the penguins. Accommodation: The lodge deck is attractive, with a beautiful view (carpark included!), while the dining room and lounge of what was once an old home is made cosy in winter by the fireplace. The bedrooms, outside and upstairs, are comfortable, the sort of places you could hang out in if you had to. Food: I didn't find the few dishes I tasted as remarkable as they were made out to be by the establishment (they sing the praises of the Australian chef), they were simply tasty and pleasant, and I'd probably eat there again. You should know that unless you have some reason to dislike the adorable buggers, you simply can't visit Cape Town without seeing the penguins.

www.bouldersbeachlodge.com
Here's a well-built, smart little bush camp, on the estuarine Kariega river, in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. One of my favourite provinces because of the varied landscapes, the Eastern Cape is known for a plethora of smallish game reserves. This is one such reserve, and if a nature experience is what you're after, in fine accommodation with good food and service, this is a good destination. However I have problems with it portraying itself as a Big Five destination as the buffalo and general game are kept apart from the lions (the latter in a 50 hectare enclosure) - for monetary reasons, as buffalo are very expensive in the largely managed South African wildlife scenario. Sibuya is for the 3rd or 4th time Africa visitor or well-travelled, those not too concerned with seeing big game. Setting & Staff: Set back in coastal forest thicket, with a thoroughly experienced management team - head ranger and lodge manager - from a top establishment in the Greater Kruger Park, Sibuya gets the little things right. The attention to detail is excellent. But be warned, the holidays and long-weekends are so busy in the nearby Kenton-on-Sea holiday mecca that you will hear thumping muzak in the reserve itself. Visit in the quiet months, and go for long (beautiful) walks. Accommodation: Excellent. Large, spacious safari tents in cool forest thicket that are so welcome in summer (bit chill in winter, but thick blankets provided). Powerful, hot showers and large ball 'n claw baths. Food: Very, very good, with beautiful lunch and breakfast spots on the river. Excellent, friendly service.

www.sibuya.co.za
At some stage in our life we are all faced with large and impersonal hotels. My turn comes every year at the Travel Indaba (the annual southern and east African trade show, largest in Africa etc etc) in Durban, and one reason I enjoy it is because I get to see that Southern Sun's standards just don't seem to slip. Unlike so many large companies that sprout off about 'excellence' and 'quality' without knowing how to spell the words, the Southern Sun group really walks the talk. Staff: Whether the mass market Marine Parade further down the road on South Beach or the Elangeni,the King of the Durban beachfront, the service and offering is excellent. Partly because they are staffed to a large extent by Durban's Indian community, who set the standards in the local service industry, and partly because attention is paid to detail, from the answering voice at Housekeeping to the freshness of the morning breakfast fare and a waiting staff on its collective toes. Setting: The location is excellent; the beach boardwalk is perfect for that sunrise walk or run, the waves break kindly for surfers, the fishermen on the pier make for beautiful photography and the sushi in the restaurant next-door is as good as it gets. Accommodation: in the Executive Suite - very comfortable, large bed, strong shower in the bathroom, a good-sized desk for writing and a fabulous view with the sun rising over the ocean.

www.southernsun.com
The magic in this camp, a 90 minute light-aircraft hop from the northern city of Beira, on the banks of the Lugenda river, is plentiful. Setting: Its utter remoteness, its landscape, the seasonal seasonal river snaking through woodland and around the area's trademark, lunar-like inselbergs, and the virtual guarantee that you won't come across another game vehicle is rather special. Accommodation:The handful of luxury tented units are private, set on the edge of towering woodland and looking out on the seasonal Lugenda river(bed). Atmosphere:The value of the solitude is immeasurable, the food is good and the tiny camp well-managed, with a swimming pool so very welcome in those hot summer months. The lack of a fence around the camp is a plus, allowing the occasional game and seasonal elephant to wander in. Wildlife: Visitors should be aware that Lugenda is surrounded by hunting concessions, which means significant wildlife - with which Niassa is well-stocked - is not easily seen(although one never knows what the bush throws up). With guided walks offered, this is heaven for those who can do without the promise of the Big 5.

www.lugenda.com
Frequented by the adventurous and the informed - from backpackers to multinational CEOs and their families - Bulungula is a South African treasure. Setting: Sited above a river estuary, with the Indian Ocean sprawled out to the east and a village as its neighbour (and partner in business) maybe 100m away, this is unlike anything else in South Africa, possibly the continent, and maybe the world! Atmosphere: Kids from the village - which is in officially the poorest district in the country - play cards in the communal lounge area, while guests read books on sofas and giant cushions. There are no locks to the doors of the traditional, thatched accommodation because there is no theft, and villagers offer a variety of activities, from surf-fishing to horse-riding and genuine village experience tours. Food:Rustic canteen style cooking, if you're a fusspot you won't like it. But hey, I'm fussy about my coffee, and I loved the ENTIRE experience. And then there are the funky, brilliant eco-friendly showers and toilets...and Dave and Rejane, the engaging, thirty-something owners - financial graduate and chief-economist - who are making this happen. 21st century job creation and co-existence at its finest.

www.bulungula.com
When it comes to a luxury hotel, located across the road from the Waterfront and harbour and geared primarily for business, the Westin Grand does everything right. Style: The design of the minimalist, largely glass building is appealing and attention to detail is flawless.Accommodation:It's the sort of place where, once you're done with the city's myriad sights, the hotel is a pleasure to hang out in, the rooms a delight of broad windows and extravagant views. Staff&Facilities: The staff are attentive without suffocating, it's the best hotel gym we've yet encountered on our travels (finally) around the world, and the pool and sauna look out over the harbour. The view from the restaurant is worth noting - mostly of Table Mountain and Signal Hill - with the fare coming out of the kitchen as good as it gets.

http://westingrand.accommodationsouthafrica.co.za