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Thanda Safari's Tented Camp 95%Impression on Arrival90%Location85%Room90%Service95%Value90%Dining Introduction We found ourselves heading North on the N2 from Durban on our way to Thanda Safari Private Game Reserve’s Tented Camp on a stunning Friday afternoon, after a few days of rain in KZN the sun was out and not a cloud in the sky. We had been itching to get to Thanda Safari for a while now with many reports of fantastic game sightings and as Northern Zululand is not a part of the world we are particularly familiar with, we were excited to see what the weekend had in store. Thanda Safari is easily accessible in any vehicle and about a 3 hour drive from Durban. On arrival we were greeted by Lorraine and introduced to the staff while sipping a welcome drink in the lounge of the lodge. Having arrived a little late and wanting to take advantage of the stunning weather, we decided to skip the afternoon game drive and spend some time photographing and hanging out at the lodge. The Lodge & Rooms The lodge is laid out in a very traditional format with a large lounge, bar area and dining room overlooking a rim flow pool […]
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Nambiti Springbok Lodge 80%Impression on Arrival80%Location90%Room85%Service90%Value85%Dining Introduction So it has been a year since we were last at Nambiti, somehow it felt longer, but now once again we were packing bags and camera gear for our trip to beautiful Northern KZN. Our team has expanded a bit and with all the gear finally packed we hit the road from Durban in convoy, in our Jimny and Subaru, heading for Ladysmith. As is the case with most winter days in Natal, we enjoyed the most spectacular weather on our drive. Due to some team member commitments in Durban on Friday morning we only left at about 11:30 and were planning to arrive around 3:00, hopefully in time for the afternoon game drive. The drive was mostly uneventful and the road, even the last 5km of gravel, is very easily accessible even in a normal sedan type vehicle. It was with a little trepidation that we were travelling to Nambiti again - don’t get me wrong, we all absolutely love this place, and that was sort of the problem. We were a bit worried that Nambiti would not live up to the high expectation we had created and built up for it […]
Lythwood Lodge 95%Impression on Arrival90%Location95%Room90%Service95%Value Introduction Our adventure to Lythwood Lodge was a last minute impromptu one, we had heard rumours of some snow in the berg over the weekend and we had a very vague plan to go and find it over the weekend. On Friday evening we were still at home in Durban so we decided that the berg was a bit far and we would see if there was snow in the Midlands. We woke up early on Saturday to find reports that there was a possibility that snow was going to fall on Saturday evening in the Mooi River and Nottingham Road area and decided we were heading for the Midlands. After a little bit of calling around Lythwood Lodge confirmed they had accommodation in one of their self-catering cottages, so the trip was on. After a bit of shopping for supplies, we were on our way by about 11am and arrived safely at Lythwood Lodge at around 2pm after stopping for some lunch at Piggly Wiggly. Arrival Part of what we love so much about travelling is getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city and getting away from people. We love off […]
Nambiti Cheetah Ridge Lodge 90%Impression on arrival85%Location90%Room95%Service95%Value90%Dining Introduction As so often with our travels, we left Durban later than expected and found ourselves rushing to clear the traffic as we made our way past the city limits. Once past PMB we started to relax a bit and enjoy the beautiful scenery that inland KwaZulu-Natal has to offer. We passed through Ladysmith at around 17h00 and headed out on the Newcastle road towards Nambiti. As the sun started to set we got a little distracted and actually missed the turn off to the Nambiti South Gate. After finding a safe spot to turn around we were soon back on the right track, a glorious gravel road where the magic started. The sky turned orange and the sun was setting in the rear view mirror, dust stirred up as we drove creating what can only be described as a romantic African Sunset. Still running a little late and anxious to get to our destination we did not stop to take a photo or even attach the Go Pro, we could just about kick ourselves now. Arriving at the gate we signed the regular indemnities and were soon met by Cheetah Ridge lodge […]
St Ives 75%Impression on Arrival85%Location85%Room70%Service80%Value85%Dining Introduction and Arrival We traveled up to St Ives from Durban on a typical warm November day in sunny KwaZulu-Natal. Only an hour and a half from Durban it is quite easily a day trip but we decided a night in the Midlands would make for a nice if not short break. We arrived at St Ives just before lunch as we had arranged an early check-in. Sadly they were not ready for us so we made our way over the road to Piggly Wiggly for a bit of retail therapy and some lunch. By the time we returned the room was ready and really was worth the wait. Room The room was fantastic, very clean and spacious. It offered everything needed for a self catering weekend, although that wasn’t our intention. It was not at all cluttered, boasting a king size bed, large bathroom, little veranda and a fire place. The fire place would prove to be really handy a bit later. Really this has got to be one of the nicest rooms we have seen in the KZN Midlands - St Ives you get full thumbs up from our team. Weather After we […]
Cathedral Peak Hotel 90%Location 70%Impression upon arrival 80%Dining 70%Room 70%Value We recently returned to the Hotel after not having visited for some time. We wondered if any major changes or developments had taken place. With great excitement we drove through to the resort leaving Durban the trip takes approximately two and a half hours (250 km from Durban and 400 km from Johannesburg). The latter part of the journey does require you to drive slowly as you make your way through a densely rural development and rather steep road that wind its way through to the resort. The Hotel Arriving at the reception there is a constant flurry of activity with people arriving and departing. Limited parking is available at the drop off area for your car to park while you check in. After addressing confusion around our booking we completed our check in which by all accounts is a bit of a non-event with no real sense of arrival. Porters were dispatched to assist us with our luggage as were wondered through various areas of the hotel to finally arrive at our rooms. The hotel first opened in 1939 to the public, and parts of the old hotel are […]
Botha House 95%Impression on arrival95%location85%Room90%Service95%Value85%Dining Arrival As we arrived at Botha House we were greeted by our friendly host, Tony, who ushered us into a parking right outside the green flourishing courtyard. A gravel pathway led us into the exquisite Botha House and on arrival we were greeted as though we were family. We were given a well informed tour of the house and its history. History Botha House was built for South African Prime Minister Botha in 1919 as a presidential holiday home for the Head of State. His wife Annie Botha in fact, loved the house so much she lived there for 17 years. The house has been visited by most South African Presidents since it was built and the design offers a glimpse back in time to the era in which it was built. Decor The house has beautiful wooden floors and old worldly furniture creating a very warm and homely feeling. The house contains some incredible artwork, in particular, a painting of Prime Minister Botha and his wife Annie. Beautiful antique furniture fills the house, a lot of which has been there as long as the house itself. A testament to the quality of the […]
The Fairway Hotel and Spa 70%Impression on Arrival 80%Location 85%Room 75%Dining 80%Service80%Value Situated in Randpark Ridge area in central Randburg residential area the hotel is well located for the businessman visiting Johannesburg. Due to its location vehicle access is a bit of a challenge having to travel through the built up residential area. The Randpark golf club adjoins the hotel and Spa allowing guests at the hotel the option to have a round of golf on either one of the two courses. The hotel is situated 2 km from the Crests Shopping Centre, and fifteen minutes from Sandton. The hotel has a full conference facility annexed to the hotel. Rooms The rooms are positioned alongside the golf course offering views across the fairways. The rooms are generous in size in comparison to hotels of a similar nature. In fact they are much larger offering the decerning traveller the opportunity to really unwind and feel at home. The spacious bathrooms open onto the expansive room although do allow for closure should privacy be required. They offer a large comfortable bath and shower facility and the bathroom is also spacious. There is free wifi throughout the hotel for guests with reasonable […]
Montusi Mountain Lodge 85%Impression On Arrival90%Location90%Suite / Room85%Service95%Value Introduction Montusi Mountain Lodge is located in the beautiful Northern Drakensberg area with magnificent views of the Amphitheatre. We have previously stayed on a few occasions at the hotel and decided for this time to try the self-catering options that are available. The self-catering options are booked through the hotel but the individual units are privately owned. Arrival Our approach to the Northern Berg area always creates a sense of calmness and serenity as one drives through the towns on Winteron and Bergville. The tops of the mountain ranges start to become more distinct as you edge your way closer and closer. The lodge and surrounding chalets are set in a 1000 hectare area run by the Carte family and started in June 2000. Continuing along the road after you turn off right up to the lodge would take you on to the nearby Alpine Heath resort. We have always received a warm Berg welcome on our arrival at the lodge and this time was no exception. We had a bigger party with us this time as the chalet we were staying in slept six. Directed to our unit we […]
Tala Private Game Reserve 80%Impression upon arrival80%Location85%Room80%Service90%Value85%Dining introduction We were attending a wedding reception at Tala and decided to turn our trip into an overnight adventure. We booked into Aloe Lodge for Saturday evening so we could indulge a little and not have to travel back to Durban in the dark. Tala Private Game Reserve is, as the name suggests, a private game reserve run by the Three Cities hotel group, about 45 minutes from Durban, it is a beautiful tranquil setting. Tala does not host any big cats, in saying that the game viewing was amazing and in our short stay we were very lucky with sightings. Arrival We arrived on a beautiful sunny autumn afternoon at about 3:30 pm. There was a welcome crispness to the air appreciated by all those formally dressed for the occasion. After passing through the main gate we were directed to reception where we were warmly received with a friendly and enthusiastic greeting. We were shown to our room and given directions to the wedding venue along with a map of the reserve. Room The room, with its rustic and simple charm, was well lit and contained everything one would expect considering […]
Oct
31
Thanda Safari’s Tented Camp
Aug
03
NAMBITI SPRINGBOK LODGE
Aug
09
Lythwood Lodge
Jun
27
Nambiti Cheetah Ridge Lodge
Feb
25
St Ives
Feb
11
Cathedral Peak Hotel
Oct
16
Botha House
Aug
31
The Fairway Hotel and Spa
Aug
26
Montusi Mountain Lodge
May
27
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