South Africa's choice of accommodation - especially in the tourist centres - is exceptional and offers something to suit everybody�s needs, taste and budget. It ranges from five star hotels to lodges, guest houses, bed & breakfast establishments, self-catering properties and youth hostels. A large number of providers are members of the national grading classification scheme operated by SATOUR. This guarantees a classified system of high standards which is overseen by inspectors on an ongoing basis. Bed & breakfast operations, as well as guest houses are also inspected and awarded a plaque with the comment " accredited - approved". It is advisable to reserve well in advance during the high season, i.e. summer holidays around Christmas and Easter, especially for the main holiday resorts (Cape Town , National Parks, Garden Route).
HOTELS
Hotels graded under "national grading and classification system" display a burgundy red plaque with the ranking shown by stars: one star means the hotel is acceptable, two stars show it is good, three stars very good, four stars exceptional, while five stars indicate it is of international first class standards. In addition, hotels are awarded a bronze plaque for good service or a silver plaque for an exceptional standard of service, hospitality and ambience.
For European tourists a hotel of three-star rating and upwards are usually recommended. Rooms in this category usually offer bath/shower, lavatory, radio, television, and telephone. However hotels of one and two star rating are quite acceptable, particularly for travellers on a limited budget. Hotel prices are normally for accommodation only - although breakfast and sometimes dinner as well may be included in the rate. Sometimes an extra charge is made for full English breakfast.
Hotel Chains
There are various hotel chains in South Africa which offer consistent standards throughout their properties, enabling travellers staying at one hotel to anticipate the levels of comfort and service at others in the chain.
Protea Hotels
The largest group is Protea Hotels with more than 80 properties within southern Africa are of a rather "homely" category of which The majority are three-star and are normally small to medium sized, medium priced "homely" hotels, often found in the countryside. Almost all of them have a swimming pool. Fifteen so-called "Premier" Protea hotels are four-star rated, offering appropriate standards and hospitality. Shakaland, the Zulu cultural village, the Zulu Nyala Game Lodge and the Simunye Game Lodge all belong to the Protea Hotel chain. Most of the group`s hotels specialise in group travel and therefore offer special group tariffs.
Senior citizens (60 years and older) receive a discount on accommodation at Protea hotels. Also the "Flexipass" scheme provides a discount in certain hotels, although books must be made in advance to ensure availability.
Southern Sun Group
The Southern Sun Hotel chain takes pride in its long-term national and international experience. Most of their 42 medium to larger size hotels, of upper price category, are to be found in the larger cities, these are:
Sun International
The Sun International hotel chain operates more than 21 hotels in the upper end price range, most featuring a casino and a golf course. World-class hotels such as "The Palace of the Lost City" in Sun City and the "Table Bay" hotel in Cape Town are part of the chain. Other Sun International hotels are found in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland.
Karos/M�venpick
The 13 different Karos hotels are rated between two- and five-stars. Other Karos hotels are in Namibia and Mozambique. The Karos hotels are part of the international hotel chain M�venpick.
City Lodges
The City Lodge Hotels offer accommodation in four different categories, offering basic, modern, comfortable rooms at reasonable prices. There are bars but no restaurants, although full English breakfast are served. "City Lodges" are normally found outside city centres with good connections to the main traffic routes. Rooms in "The Courtyard Suite" Hotels include kitchenettes. "Town Lodges" and "Road Lodges" are somewhat simpler, smaller and cheaper.
Legacy Hotels & Resorts Limited
Legacy Hotels & Resorts Limited owns, operates and manages four and five-star hotels, located in key tourism and business areas throughout southern Africa. Group properties include the elegant Michelangelo Hotel on Sandton Square (a member of the elite Leading Hotels of the World organisation), Centurion Lake Hotel, The Portswood and Commodre hotels on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, three exclusive resorts in the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park � Bakubung, Kwa Maritane and Tshukudu, and two casino hotels in Namibia � The Swakopmund Hotel & Entertainment Centre and the Windhoek Country Club Resort.
Hotel co-operations
In recent years numbers of individual private hotels, guest houses and lodges have entered into co-operative agreements to jointly market member properties both locally and internationally. A further facility is a central reservations system although, in most cases, reservations and payments are made directly to the individual property. As most of these properties pride themselves on their individuality so a general description is not possible, although most are top-notch, with their unique ambience, excellent cuisine, outstanding selection of wines and first class service. For the European market this type of "country-style" has become very popular. Catalogues of these hotels are published annually by various organisations:
The Country Places Collection
BED AND BREAKFAST, GUEST HOUSES, COUNTRY HOUSES, GUEST FARMS
Bed and breakfast accommodation in South Africa is generally superior to that usually found in England and Ireland under B & B, and is more like family guest houses (similar to German pensions). The range of options include city dwellings, private homes or even farms where you can stay. This type of accommodation has become more popular over the years for the European traveller as it is affordable and gives the opportunity to meet and experience South African hospitality.
This type of accommodation is clean, comfortable and often lovingly decorated and may well feature en-suite baths, showers and toilets.
HOLIDAY HOMES AND APARTMENTS
South Africa offers various holiday houses or apartments for longer stays, which are ideal for families with kids. These are normally situated in attractive areas and are frequently holiday resort complexes with swimming pools, playgrounds and sporting facilities. Apartments - with varying numbers of rooms - are completely fitted with kitchenettes.
YOUTH/BACKPACKER HOSTELS
The numbers of Youth and Backpacker hostels have increased in recent years. They also offer their guests discounted transportation, day tours, etc. Travellers need to hold an international membership card.
Cheaper accommodation can also be found at YMCA�s and YWCA�s (Young Men/Women�s Christian Association).
Favourable climate, an excellent road network and more than 800 spacious camping/caravan sites guarantee excellent camping or mobile home holidays in South Africa. You are not allowed to set up camp outside of these sites. They are normally well equipped and provide fresh water, hot water, power, sanitary facilities, laundry and a barbecue/grill for all individual campers. Larger sites also offer accommodation, shops and petrol stations. As many South Africans make use of these facilities (also in national parks and game reserves) tourists should book well in advance. Camping/caravan sites are offered by Caraville Travel International (see Holiday homes/apartments section).
ACCOMMODATION IN NATURE/GAME RESERVES
Most nature and game reserves, especially the national parks offer accommodation that is simple and clean, although not particularly uniform.
South African National Parks
Accommodation in the rest camps differs from camp to camp, but all are adequately equipped. Nearly all have showers/w.c.�s, some offer cooking and eating utensils, refrigerator, air conditioning or ventilators. Bedding, towels and soap are inclusive. Besides the older camps - Skukuza or Pretoriuskop - which have been expanded and renovated, the Kruger Park now has new modern and comfortable camps such as Berg-en-Dal and Mopani camp. Cottages or chalets, each with two or three rooms, and two or three beds, have recently replaced the rondavels, which only offered two to three beds. Private camps can be booked exclusively for small groups and bushveld camps are an alternative to the rest camps. In both cases guests have to cater for themselves.
Parks in KwaZulu-Natal
Accommodation is also available in most game and nature reserves of KwaZulu-Natal, under the umbrella of the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation (the former Natal Parks Board). These vary in type and size, ranging from simple rest huts, with only communal shower, to chalets, through log cabins and bungalows, right up to luxury lodges, all fitted with showers or bath/toilets. Nearly all are fitted with refrigerators and complete kitchenettes. Towels and bedding are supplied and except for the Hill Top Camp in Hluhluwe-Umfolozi and the Ntschondwe Camp at Itala, there are no restaurants and shops so visitors must cater for themselves. Certain camps have cooks available to prepare meals.
Private Game Reserves
The private game reserves - the numbers of which have increased enormously in recent years - are much smaller, yet extremely luxurious. They offer comfort, an individual ambience, exquisite hospitality and excellent service. Highly qualified rangers and trackers accompany the guests on day and night game drives, in open-topped, 4X4 vehicles, driving through the bush to create an authentic African experience (included in the price).
Cultural Villages
Cultural Villages demonstrate the lifestyles and customs of the traditional cultures of the various ethnic groups of South Africa, while providing comfortable accommodation for tourists. Below is a brief description of the cultural villages in various provinces.
KwaZulu-Natal: DumaZulu Traditional Village near Mtubatuba; Kwabhekithunga offering accommodation in a lodge; the Zulu Village near Eshowe, accommodation in traditional huts, Shakaland, accommodation in `bee-hive` shaped huts; and Sinunye Zulu lodge near Melmoth.
Eastern Cape: Kayalendaba, traditional healer village within the Sahamwari Game Reserve.
Free State: Basotho Cultural Village, 30 km east of Golden Gate National Park (accommodation available).
Gauteng: Amandebele traditional village, near Bronkhorstspruit; traditional life and craft methods of the Ndebele;
North West: Lotlamoreng cultural village, north-west of the Hartebeespoortdam. Lesedi Cultural Village (near Johannesburg) presents the cultural life of various tribes (accommodation available).
ACCOMMODATION GUIDES
The Portfolio Collection has three accommodation guides, covering bed & breakfast, country retreats, and luxury country places.
The AA accommodation guides provide the most comprehensive lists of hotels, chalets, game reserves, caravan routes, bed & breakfast and self-catering establishments.
The National Accommodation Guide, available from the Satour office and most tourism associations, provides information on quality star-graded accommodation. The guide contains details of accredited guest and country houses, bed & breakfast accommodation, star-graded hotels, serviced self-catering accommodation and private game lodges. In accordance with Satour's National Grading and Classification Scheme, the guide grades facilities with stars or a single-level accreditation. It also rates services, hospitality and other benefits.
Useful links:
Hotel groups
Accommodation guides