Kensington Place

Cape Town: 3 Nights

Nestled at the foot of the majestic Table Mountain and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town is consistently voted amongst the top cities in the world to visit and it is no surprise that this wonderful city is one of the highlights of a holiday to South Africa. The climate is Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers.

One of the main tourist attractions is the tastefully restored V&A Waterfront with its many shops, bars and restaurants. There is also an aquarium and one of the largest craft markets in Southern Africa. Boats offer tours of the harbour from the quayside and the whole place is always buzzing with life and activity. The City Bowl is home to many museums and historical buildings which can all be viewed from a 'topless' hop on/hop off tourist bus, complete with interesting commentary as you ride around the city.

The adventurous can climb up (or abseil down) Table Mountain, windsurf or kitesurf at Bloubergstrand Beach, dive in shark tanks, or do any one of a dozen more adrenalin pumping activities. For a more relaxed pace of life, there are miles of sandy beaches for soaking up the African sun, or enjoy a quiet stroll through the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, in the quiet, leafy suburb of Higgovale, Kensington Place is a luxury boutique hotel, offering outstanding service and accommodation to all its guests.

The rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated in the most contemporary style. Facilities include iPod docking facilities, safe and laptop and Skype phone facilities.

In between exploring the city and the surrounding areas, why not just relax around the sparkling plunge pool or enjoy sumptuous outdoor dining set in the tranquil seclusion of the lush, distinctively landscaped garden.

La Fontaine

The Cape Winelands: 2 Nights

Just an hour's drive from Cape Town and situated in the peaceful Franschhoek Valley, La Fontaine is just a short stroll away from the main village centre of Franschhoek.

With its friendly small village atmosphere, Franschhoek has a number of delightful art and design shops, as well as the Huguenot Museum or the famous Franschhoek Motor Museum. The village is also home to many award-winning restaurants.

The Franschhoek Wine Tram is a totally unique and leisurely way to visit the vineyards and wine estates of the Franschhoek Valley, or the guest house also has bicycles for hire should you wish to explore by pedal power. Private wineland tours taking in not only a selection of the finest wines but also rolling vineyards and quaint Dutch homesteads can be arranged (on request and at an additional cost).

If rest is what you need, stay in and enjoy the tranquil gardens and swimming pools that stretch over 2 properties. The outdoor breakfast patio and front veranda under their vine and wisteria pergolas boast views of the surrounding mountains and tranquil settings.

There are 17 large rooms and suites to choose from, all decorated with individual themes and character.

The Mountain View Suites have a fully equipped bathroom with a large bathtub and separate shower. The larger of these 2 suites also has its own wood burning fireplace. The Luxury Suites have light bathrooms and a seating area for extra comfort.

The Luxury Rooms offer the same standard of luxury decoration but with a slightly smaller footprint. The Deluxe Rooms are the smallest room type but still retain their own charm and elegance.

De Zeekoe Guest Farm

The Klein Karoo: 2 Nights

Just 7 km outside Oudtshoorn, a warm welcome awaits you at De Zeekoe Guest Farm, set on 200 rolling hectares of succulent Klein Karoo. Around 3,000 ostriches browse the pastures and hundreds of springbok and other naturally occurring game make this farm their home.

Activities that can be enjoyed during a stay here include fishing, canoeing, biking and hiking along the many nature trails, all of which can be enjoyed within the borders of the farm. The incredible Cango Caves, the Cango Wildlife Ranch (the oldest and biggest cheetah contact centre worldwide), the Ostrich Show Farms, meerkat tours (pre-booking is essential!) and the great Swartberg and Outeniqua Mountain passes are other attractions in the vicinity which are worth a visit.

The most popular activity, however, is the daily wild habituated meerkat tours. These tours commence only at sunrise and are dependent on fair weather, since these little creatures will not venture outside their burrows on cold and rainy days. The tours last between 2-3 hours and booking is essential.

In between activities, guests can relax at the poolside.

Guests can choose from a variety of accommodation options.

The en-suite rooms in the main house are all tastefully styled with textures of wood, earthy fabrics, colourful rugs and soft lighting.

The cottages are a short 3 minute drive from the main house and offer a totally private stay. Each cottage has a fireplace, stunning views and a private pool.

The Manor House is ideal for groups of up to 6 people, and is sold on a self-catering basis. It is only 100m from the main guest house and has 3 en-suite bedrooms. There is an inside and outside braai/BBQ area as well as a kitchen and dining area.

Periwinkle Lodge

Plettenberg Bay: 3 Nights

Originally called Baia Formosa, or Beautiful Bay, by the early Portuguese, Plettenberg Bay is home to some of the best beaches along the Garden Route. Set around a curving horseshoe bay, schools of playful dolphins and resident Orca and Bryde's whales are often seen and between July and December the migratory Southern Right whales come to the bay to calf.

The small town is filled with restaurants, galleries, studios and interesting craft shops. With its exceptional climate and beautiful view sites over the Indian Ocean, Plettenberg Bay is perfect for tourists interested in exploring, whale and dolphin watching or just relaxing.

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy mountain biking, horse riding, hiking trails, golf, diving, excellent salt and fresh water fishing - even skydiving!

The nearby Robberg Nature Reserve is situated on a rugged coastal peninsula with sweeping views of the bay, as well as superb whale and dolphin watching, excellent birding, hiking trails and the Nelson Bay Cave - an archaeological site with evidence of human habitation that stretches back for more than 120 thousand years.

Periwinkle Guest Lodge is a beachfront guest house offering panoramic views where you can watch the whales and dolphins frolicking in the waves whilst enjoying a scrumptious breakfast.

All the rooms are individually decorated in bright, happy colours which reflect the surrounding sea and mountains.

Six of the 7 rooms have private balconies where guests can enjoy the view from the Robberg Peninsula to the right and the Tsitsikamma Mountains to the left. All rooms have TVs, direct dial telephones, tea/coffee making facilities and bar fridges.

Woodbury Tented Camp

Amakhala Game Reserve: 2 Nights

The Amakhala Game Reserve is a 8,500 hectare malaria-free game reserve situated just an hour from Port Elizabeth. A safari experience here will include twice daily game drives in the company of a professional ranger in search of the Big 5 of the African bush - lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and the elusive leopard. Over 16 antelope species are also here, alongside giraffe, wildebeest, zebra and cheetah.

As part of one game drive during your stay you can also enjoy a relaxing river cruise down the Bushmans River (subject to river levels). Guided walks with one of the qualified rangers are also offered (additional cost and on request). Riders looking for an unforgettable riding experience can saddle up for a ride on the wild side with Amakhala Horse Trails.

Woodbury Tented Camp is set in the heart of the reserve and the tranquil surroundings of the open bushveld allow you to truly experience a quiet getaway. Camp life is centred around the thatch-and-canvas dining and lounge area with its expansive deck overlooking the Woodbury plains. A wide variety of game species such as zebra, giraffe, buffalo and elephant can often be seen from the deck, while the haunting cry of fish eagles echoes across the valley. There is a pool for relaxing by in between game drives.

Guests can also enjoy a range of relaxing treatments by qualified beauty therapists, trained to pamper and soothe their clients - on request, guests can be taken over to the nearby Bush Lodge to enjoy their treatment.

Ten tents are on raised bases with private decks, providing seclusion and intimacy with the bush. Each canvas safari tent has an en-suite basin, shower and a separate private toilet. Four of the tents have breathtaking views looking out onto the reserve and the other tents are nestled amongst the trees.

Families are also able to enjoy the African bush together as there are 2 family tents hidden amongst the trees. These units comprise of 2 adjoining tents linked by a private wooden deck, enabling parents to enjoy some privacy while knowing the children are not far away.