Hello from Cape Town! We’re here in South Africa for a big pan-African travel show and are meeting some great folks from really interesting places. The highlight yesterday was an introduction to the team from the St. Regis Mauritius Resort, located on the island of Mauritius, about 1200 miles off the east coast of Southern African in the azure Indian Ocean.
There are a few great things about this property. First of all, it’s off the beaten path for many American travelers (it’s always been popular with Europeans), and is the perfect place for a honeymoon or to wrap up an African Safari. Secondly, it’s a great location to use your SPG points, if you are a member of the Starwood Hotels loyalty program (one of the best in the industry, in our opinion). And finally, it’s just an amazingly beautiful beach resort, located on a very interesting island that is full of mufti-cultural heritage and interesting colonial history. And most interesting is the regional and local cuisine!
It’s time for the American luxury traveler to check out Mauritius, and we’ll show you the way!
As Savvy Jeff continues on his adventures through Southern Africa, he just spent a wonderful weekend in the Winelands, just outside of Cape Town. He came across a wonderful five-star retreat in the university town of Stellenbosch – the boutique hotel, Majeka House. This amazing property is the perfect base from which to explore South Africa’s wine country. The 23-room property boasts a truly incredible spa, one of the country’s top up-and-coming restaurants, Makaron, and hospitality that is world-class and comfortable. Majeka House was luxurious without being fussy, which is the Savvy way of travel.
And with the South African Rand exchange rate being so favorable at the moment, you get a five-star vacation here, but with three-star pricing!
As Savvy Jeff continues on his adventures through Southern Africa, he just spent a wonderful weekend in the Winelands, just outside of Cape Town. He came across a wonderful five-star retreat in the university town of Stellenbosch – the boutique hotel, Majeka House. This amazing property is the perfect base from which to explore South Africa’s wine country.
The 23-room property boasts a truly incredible spa, one of the country’s top up-and-coming restaurants, Makaron, and hospitality that is world-class and comfortable. Majeka House was luxurious without being fussy, which is the Savvy way of travel.
And with the South African Rand exchange rate being so favorable at the moment, you get a five-star vacation here, but with three-star pricing!
Even though I’m a huge airplane geek, I also love a good train ride. And if riding the rails in the most luxurious way possible appeals to you, then the historic Blue Train in South Africa is the way to go. This one-way, one-night trip between Cape Town and Pretoria/Johannesburg is the ultimate rail journey. It’s also a great way to see the countryside of South Africa, while experiencing the best food and wine the land has to offer.
Our good friend and partner in Cape Town to help us plan this trip is Liesl, and if you’d like her to put a trip together for you, click on this link and she can get the ball rolling: Help me plan a Blue Train journey, Liesl
Savvy’s heading to Cape Town next week, too, so you’ll be getting some updates from the Mother City! Have a great weekend!
We’re having a blizzard here in NYC and the Savvy team just can’t help but think of those lucky souls in the Southern Hemisphere enjoying the peak of summer. We’re actually headed to Cape Town next month and will be once again enjoying our favorite hotel in Africa, The Cape Grace. Located in the heart of the Victoria and Alfred waterfront, the hotel is a great location for exploring and walking.
A couple of years ago, Savvy’s extremely discerning Aunt Harriet was a guest at the Cape Grace, and this luxury-travel enthusiast declared the hotel to be her favorite in the world (even better than some of the classic five-star properties in France and Italy).
Why don’t you escape this crazy winter weather and join us in Cape Town? We’ll show you the way.
A reader asked Savvy this week where his ideal New Year’s Eve celebration spot would be and Cape Town is most definitely at the top of that list. With the height of Southern Hemisphere summer in play, the end-of-year holidays there are the equivalent of the USA’s July 4th and the festive season all rolled into one. Our Captonian friends even typically celebrate NYE with a “Braai” (South African for BBQ) in the backyard with friends and family. Of course the waterfront in Cape Town is fabulous for NYE as well, so whether you choose to celebrate publicly or privately, it’s always fun.
Remember, no one knows Cape Town better than Jeff and his team, so if they can help you get there, get in touch and they’ll show you the way!
Okay, you’ve got a few key items on the bucket list – the romantic getaway with your spouse or partner to celebrate a big event? Throw in something really exotic like an African safari? Or possibly just a luxurious, five-star vacation without busting the budget? I am often asked what I think the perfect romantic getaway or honeymoon itinerary is, and I always think of Southern Africa.The US$ is incredibly strong there and you’ll get a five-star trip for a three-star budget.The perfect trip includes three destinations in southern Africa– Cape Town, Safari in the greater Kruger National Park, followed by two nights up in the very romantic Victoria Falls. This trip is easily doable from any North American city for just 10-12 nights.
Cape Town
Let’s start the trip in Cape Town, the “Mother City” of South Africa. My favorite luxury hotel here is the One & Only, located in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront area. It’s luxurious, has high service standards, and is in a prime location for walking and exploring. It is also a terrific base for touring, with Robben Island (Nelson Mandela’s prison home for 20+ years), the Cape of Good Hope (where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic), Table Mountain, and the Cape Winelands (wonderful for your food and wine enthusiasts).
Safari at Lion Sands Private Game Reserve in the Greater Kruger National Park
Just about two hours by air from Cape Town, the Lion Sands Private Game Reserve sits right across the river from Kruger National Park. The reserve has two fabulous lodges and the most luxurious is Ivory Lodge. This private suite, complete with its own plunge pool, is unlike anything else in the bush. Not only are the accommodations luxurious, the food is excellent, the wine list will suit any oenophile, the game viewing is excellent. The lodge is all-inclusive with nonstop food, drinks, activities, and game drives. I’ve spent more time with leopards here that in any other location in Africa! And, for the truly adventurous, be sure to book one night in the heavenly Tree House Sky Bed, where you’ll sleep under the stars.
Victoria Falls
My favorite, most-romantic lodge in Victoria Falls is the Royal Chundu Lodge. Just a 1½ hour flight from Kruger, two nights here in luxury on the Zambezi River is the perfect wayto end this romantic getaway.Whether it’s the River Lodge on the mainland, or the more intimate Island Lodge out in the river, you’ll bask in unbridled luxury of the only Relais & CHateux property in Zambia. The all-inclusive lodge is also a wonderful base for all of the Victoria Falls activities, including white-water rafting, helicopter flights over the Falls, and bungee jumping for the non-faint-of-heart. Best of all however, the owners of the lodge are giving a free 2-night stay to one lucky winner of YTI!
