A stone’s throw from the alluring V&A Waterfront, the Dock House Boutique Hotel has been voted among the top 25 luxury hotels in South Africa.  It's prime V&A Waterfront location ensures that guests are within an easy walking distance to the vibrant harbour area, upmarket shopping malls, excellent restaurants, entertainment areas and ocean cruise facilities.

The hotel’s charming exterior gives way to an opulent world beyond its front door. Chandeliers and ornate ceiling cornices, among other fine touches, create a sense of Victorian charm and allude to the property’s historical roots, originally the Harbour Master’s private residence in the 1800s. Since then, the building has been transformed into a distinguished boutique hotel, and has been uniquely decorated with elaborate furnishings and bold artworks, maintaining a feeling of classic exquisiteness throughout the establishment.

A pristine swimming pool, surrounded by a beautiful courtyard, offers guests the opportunity to cool off on warm days, and a bar and a number of deck chairs alongside the pool invite guests to relax and absorb the views of Table Mountain. The hotel has an intimate dining room where breakfast is served, or guests can choose to enjoy their breakfast at one of the hotel's sister properties in the Waterfront if they want some variety.

Address

The Dock House,Portswood Close, Portswood Ridge, V&A Waterfront

Directions

From the N2 (Cape Town International Airport/the Winelands/Hermanus/The Garden Route): Take the N2 towards Cape Town. Keep on this road until you enter the city, following the signs for Cape Town North, and then 'M6/Sea Point/Waterfront'. You will then see the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) on your left-hand side (very large cream-coloured building), and there will be a set of traffic lights at a major junction.

Continue over the traffic lights into Lower Buitengracht until the first set of traffic lights. Turn right at the traffic lights into Helen Suzman Boulevard. Move into the lane signposted  'Portswood Road/V&A Waterfront'.

Turn right at the traffic lights into Portswood Road. Turn right at the entrance of The Commodore Hotel and continue driving until you reach a security officer at the boom. Continue straight ahead and The Dock House is approximately 100m in front of you.

From the N1: Follow the road into Cape Town where it merges with the N2, and you will see the CTICC on your left-hand side. Follow the directions as above.

Castello di Monte is a 5* guest house, situated in Pretoria. The Tuscan style estate portrays pure luxury and elegance and offers spectacular views of the hills in and around the capital city. The landscaped gardens with mature olive trees and lavender bushes give an Italian flavour to the African landscape and you will hardly notice that you are in the middle of a bustling city.

With 7 intimate dining areas you are never short of variety. Each area offers a tantalising experience and view, complimented by the mouthwatering international cuisine.

For total relaxation, why not order a special wellness treatment in the comfort of your room, or enjoy a sauna and steam shower.

The outdoor Roman styled swimming pool brings relief to a hot summers day, or relax and enjoy a refreshing cocktail from the bar. You can even enjoy a game of chess at the roof top chess set that gives you a sense of the outdoors as you gaze across the vast expanse of Pretoria.

For the more active person, there are 2 golf courses and a Virgin Active Gym close by.

For your stay here, you will be spoiled for choice. Will it be the Presidential Suite complete with a grand fireplace and a 4 poster bed, or the Honeymoon Suite decorated with hand painted murals, or one of the freshly styled Classic or Terrace Rooms rooms fit for royalty. Whichever room you choose, a sumptuous night sleep is ensured.

Castello di Monte's 16th century splendour is complimented by every modern amenity. From fully stocked minibars and DSTV right down to underfloor heating, air-conditioning and the creature comforts of tea, coffee and local papers, at Castello di Monte your every whim is catered for.

Address

Castello di Monte,402 Aries Street, Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria

Directions

From Johannesburg: Take the N1 to Pretoria. Come off at Junction 136/M9. Follow the M9 until Eridanus Street junction, turn right onto Eridanus Street. Take the first left into Durado Street, then at the T-junction turn right into Delphinus Street. Follow this road to the very end and at the T-Junction, this is Aries Street. Castello di Monte is along here.

Relive the romance of a bygone Africa on a nostalgic 3 night/4 day 1,400 km expedition from Pretoria to one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, the famous Victoria Falls.

A journey on the Rovos Rail is a truly wonderful experience. The use of traditional furnishings, fine wood panelling and period decor throughout all the coaches transport you immediately back to a time when privileged travellers were fortunate to experience the magic and mystery of Africa in a relaxed and elegant, and almost grandeur, fashion. 

The wood panelled sleeping coaches offer guests a choice of spacious air-conditioned twin or double bedded Royal, Deluxe or Pullman suites, with every modern convenience and comfort sitting comfortably alongside the period Edwardian features, including a bar fridge, and an en-suite bathroom with either a Victorian bath and separate shower, or just a shower.  The elegant Royal suites in particular are the epitome in luxury - each suite takes up half a carriage, and has its own private lounge area. Each coach has its own personal history - some date back as early as 1911, others have carried royalty, but each and every coach has been meticulously restored.

This 3 night adventure begins with the train's departure from Rovos Rail's gracious station in Pretoria. The train then winds its way through Warmbaths (so named for its mineral waters) and Nylstroom (christened by the Voortrekkers as the 'source' of the Nile River because the town's river happened to be north flowing), and also passes the edge of the escarpment where the Highveld drops precipitously. You cross the Tropic of Capricorn en-route to the Zimbabwean border. 

After border formalities at Beitbridge the next morning, the train travels onwards to Bulawayo, the industial capital of Zimbabwe.

On Day 3 you travel along one of the world's longest stretches of straight railway line - 114 km - before traversing the Hwange National Park, a rich and diverse wildlife sanctuary where animals can be spotted from the train and a game drive excursion is enjoyed.

Your journey ends on Day 4 at the incomparable Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi River.

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The Victoria Falls Hotel, popularly known as 'the grand old lady of the Falls', is situated in the Victoria Falls National Park, a world heritage site.

The Edwardian-style 5* hotel, built in 1904, combines the charm of the old with the convenience of the new. Set in lush tropical gardens with lily ponds, palm trees and semi-tropical shrubs, it provides the tranquillity and seclusion that many guests seek.

The famous Victoria Falls are just a 10 minute walk away using the hotel's private pathway, and 'the smoke that thunders' or 'Mosi-O-Tunya' in the local dialect, is clearly audible and visible from this luxurious landmark. Seeing the sun rise beneath the mist of one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and the lunar rainbow at night, all the while soaking up the history and ambience of a bygone era, is more than unforgettable - it is unique.

The service here is world-class, and food and beverage choice and preparation second to none. Choose the opulent Livingstone Room for fine dining and dancing, or the Jungle Junction for its famous breakfast and dinner buffets and ethnic entertainment in the evenings. Stanley's Terrace, with its clear view of the Victoria Falls Bridge connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia, is renowned for its cocktails and afternoon teas, and has been a rendezvous for adventurers in Africa for over a century.

All the rooms and suites are decorated in the gracious Edwardian style of Zimbabwe's colonial era. There are 161 in total, offering a range of accommodation from standard rooms to the Royal Suite. The latter, as the name suggests, has seen reigning monarchs, presidents and, more recently, many famous Hollywood stars among its privileged occupants.

A large swimming pool, 2 tennis courts, a library, and reading rooms are part of the complex. Golfers can enjoy 18 holes on the championship course of the nearby sister hotel, Elephant Hills Resort.

A sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, just upstream from the magnificent Falls, is another must for the visitor. Crocodiles, abundant hippo and new friends are the staple of these legendary exhilarating cruises.

Address

The Victoria Falls Hotel,1 Mallet Drive, Zimbabwe

Situated in the Chobe Forest Reserve, just 3 km from the renowned Chobe National Park, Ngoma Safari Lodge perches on the edge of a plateau and offers awe-inspiring views over the Chobe River and floodplains. Far removed from the busy town of Kasane, where many large hotels and lodges are found, this gives the lodge a true feeling of intimacy and privacy.

Guests staying here can enjoy a full day safari, which includes a game drive in the Chobe National Park and a Chobe River boat cruise, stopping midway through the day for a picnic lunch. This is a wonderful way to absorb and appreciate the spendour of the wildlife found here.

Due to its location in the Chobe Forest Reserve, guests can also enjoy game walks with a professional guide as well as night drives on the reserve itself. Lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant are often seen in the reserve, as well as hippo, crocodile, giraffe, sable and roan antelopes. During certain months, the floodplains also attract large migratory herds of zebra.

Visits to the local village can also be arranged.

The main lodge is designed to blend into its natural surroundings, and the thatch roof is finished in volcanic rock that naturally occurs in the area. The central guest area forms the heart of the lodge, and has a dining and bar area including a large volcanic rock-finished swimming pool, sundeck and viewing platform. The needs of a modern traveller are further catered for with free Wi-Fi.

The 8 luxurious suites are all river-facing, with an emphasis on space and comfort. Each suite has a private deck with an outdoor shower and a refreshing and relaxing plunge pool. Large bay windows in every suite provide 180 degree views of the floodplain.

Two of the suites also have a sofa bed so can be converted into a triple room.