Queen Victoria Hotel - fit for a Queen (Waterfront, Cape Town)

We were lucky to spend a weekend at the Queen Victoria Hotel in the Waterfront in Cape Town. After 2 full days at this 5 Star Hotel, I could not find fault with anything... not even 1 small thing.


I was soooo impressed... the food, the serivce, the accommodation, the facilities are ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!


This is the entrance area of the hotel:

It is situated within the Waterfront so you can easily walk to all the shops and restaurants.

The food exceeded my expectations by far. We had dinner in the Dash Restaurant the first evening and it was a lovely experience. At times we even forgot what we were talking about... the food was so nice. I had a beef fillet with mash and veggies, but it was HEAVEN... my tastebuds have never tasted anything like this before. For desert I had a chocolate fondant and it was THE BEST... I highly recommend you try this out. The service we received at the Dash Restaurant was also very good and very professional and on par with a 5 Star hotel.

Our breakfast each morning was also a feast in its own right... mmm - yummy. I can still taste everything I had to eat!!!

Here are pictures of our bedroom which was VERY luxurious and perfect in every way.

We also had our son with us for 1 night and had breakfast (or should I rather say our FEAST) in bed that morning.

I really could not find even 1 fault with this hotel... and I'm use to looking at hotels like a critic.

It was an awesome experience - I loved it.

I highly recommend this hotel for a weekend getaway or romantic honeymoon.

It's definitely one of my new favourite hotels in the Waterfront!

For more information, pictures and prices: http://www.lodgesinafrica.com/South_Africa/Cape_Town_Honeymoon_Accommodation/Queen_Victoria_Hotel_-_Victoria_and_Alfred_Waterfront/

Trogon House - romantic treetop paradise in Plettenberg Bay

This was one of the BEST surprises I had on my Inspection Trip along the Garden Route... A romantic treetop Paradise. Trogon House is a forest lodge with forest suites in the Tsitsikamma Forest and right next to Monkeyland and Birds of Eden. It's about a 15 minutes drive from Plettenberg Bay.


There are 4 deluxe suites of which I like room 3 and room 4 the most as they have glass walls all around and you therefore feel like you're in the forest. Room 3 and 4 have a shower only, but they also have a lovely spa room (close to these rooms) if you'd like to take a romantic bath.


The master suite is also the honeymoon suite which is bigger and has a bath and a shower. The pictures below are of the honeymoon suite:







The spa room at Trogon House can be pre-booked for R400 for an hour and then R200 for every hour thereafter. The spa room has a jacuzzi, sauna, daybed, fireplace, shower, and music. It is PERFECT for a very romantic time with your loved one.


This is the day bed and CD centre in the Spa room:



This is the jacuzzi in the Spa Room:

This is the sauna and shower in the spa room:

The lodge have beautiful swimming pools on the decks and lounging areas.

This is the deluxe suite with the shower only:

There are beautiful walkways between the lodges:

This is where you arrive at Trogon House:

This is surely one of the most romantic places in the Plettenberg Bay area.

It's perfect for a romantic honeymoon or just a romantic getaway AND the prices are very affordable.

I highly recommend Trogon House!!!

For more information, pictures and prices:
http://www.lodgesinafrica.com/South_Africa/Garden_Route_Honeymoon_Accommodation/Trogon_House_-_Plettenberg_Bay/

Elephant Hide Lodge in Knysna - great for honeymooners

The Elephant Hide Lodge is situated on a hill and overlooks the Knysna Lagoon. I'm certain this is the BEST view of the Lagoon in Knysna. The view is really spectacular... I found myself staring out in the far all the time I was there.


The suites are stand-alone chalets and very beautiful. The picture below is the executive suite which is also used as the honeymoon suite. The bath is raised behind the bed and looks out over the Lagoon as well.



This bath is one of the Lagoon Suites' bath and it's also very romantic with great views.



This is a view from the suites:

As you can see... there are beautiful views all over. This is from the swimming pool area.

This is the view from one of the Lagoon suites:

We stayed in a lagoon suite and everything was perfect. Each suite has a lounge area (with beautiful views) and a private deck (with beautiful views) and a bath and shower (with beutiful views). The rooms also have all the amenities you'll need.

Elephant Hide is really a very romantic and beautiful place in Knysna. It's still close to everything, but also away from all the busstle of the Town. I highly recommend Elephant Hide to honeymooners and for romantic getaways; as well as for families as they also have a family unit.

The owners are very friendly and welcoming and will make sure that you have the time of your life. They will take really good care of you.

You will also love the breakfast menu... amazing!!!

I can't wait to go back.

For more information, pictures and prices: http://www.lodgesinafrica.com/South_Africa/Garden_Route_Honeymoon_Accommodation/Elephant_Hide_Lodge_-_Knysna/

Emily Moon River Lodge... in Plettenberg Bay... WOW - what a beautiful place!!!


The view from the chalets and the restaurant is breathtaking - overlooking the Bitou river... it almost look like a very small part of the Okavango Delta.




The atmosphere at the lodge is vibey and relaxed and it feels like you just want to be there... being there is a destination in itself. They have this beautiful restaurant with food to die for. The restaurant is quite popular and reservations need to be made in advance. There is just such a 'lekker' feel to this lodge. All the furniture, decor and materials are from all over the world. The owner has been travelling a lot and he also has a furniture and decor shop in Johannesburg and at Emily Moon River Lodge... so you can even buy these beautiful things.



This is the beautiful view I've been talking about:

This is the entrance to the restaurant... you can also sit outside for lunch and dinner:

Here it is... the furniture shop at the lodge (lovely things):

They also have a sushi bar called Katy:

The owner's one daughter's name is Katy so the Sushi Bar has been named after her and his other daughter's name is Emily and the restaurant has been named after her. The name of the lodge also has a unique story behind it so be sure to ask your hosts if you get the change to visit them.

Each chalet has a private viewing deck and all the chalets are beautifully decorated with all the amenities you'll need. I highly recommend Emily Moon River Lodge for honeymooners, romantic getaways or even a long holiday in the Garden Route.

Beautiful!!!

For more information, pictures and prices:
http://www.lodgesinafrica.com/South_Africa/Garden_Route_Honeymoon_Accommodation/Emily_Moon_River_Lodge_-_Plettenberg_Bay/

African Oceans Manor on the Beach - Mossel Bay

What a nice surprise... a beautiful Manor on the beach in Mossel Bay which is 4 hours from Cape Town and 2 hours from Knysna. African Oceans is a 5 Star Guest Manor with 9 luxury suites and it's right on the beach as you can see below.



The suites are super luxurious with only the best of everything. From the dining room to the lounge to the suites... everything is new, clean and very luxurious. The honeymoon suite is very romantic and all the suites are very well priced... good value for money.


You can find more information and pictures of the suites on the Lodges in Africa website:
http://www.lodgesinafrica.com/South_Africa/Garden_Route_Honeymoon/African_Oceans_Manor_on_the_Beach_-_Mossel_Bay_%285_Star%29/

Why would you go to Mossel Bay for a honeymoon or a romantic getaway or even a week's holiday? It's only a 4-hour drive from Cape Town and close to all the attractions of the Garden Route such as the Wilderness, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Tsitsikamma and Oudtshoorn. There is a lovely beach for swimming and lazing in the sun so it's surely a great beach destination.

The staff are very friendly and welcoming and will take really good care of you. I highly recommend African Oceans Manor in Mossel Bay for honeymooners and people looking for a romantic beach getaway or a beach holiday.

Elephant Back Safari at Addo Elephant Safari Lodge

What an awesome experience... sitting bare-back on a gentle elephant giant and riding through the Zuurberg Mountains bush.


Addo Elephant Back Safari Lodge is a very special place - it's in the middle of nowhere and it feels like you're on top of the world. Wow, what a romantic place. It is definitely a romantic honeymoon spot, but also for anybody looking for an amazing experience with beautiful accommodation in a secluded place.


My pictures below definitely does not give this beautiful place justice. It is so much prettier.




We arrived late afternoon after a 1.5-hr nerve-wrecking drive up the Zuurberg Mountain pass. I would strongly suggest you avoid driving this road. It is a steap mountain pass with a very narrow road and lots of turns and bends. My sister and I were quite stressed along this road. I have to say that when you arrive at the lodge and see how beautiful it is, you feel the stress of the road is definitely worth it. There is however much better ways to get to Addo Elephant Safari Lodge. You can take their road transfer from Port Elizabeth Airport or Addo or you can fly with them from Port Elizabeth or Addo. They have an excellent deal where you get your transfers for FREE if you stay at the lodge for 2 nights. This is quite a good deal. You get a road transfer to the lodge and an air transfer out of the lodge. I would definitely recommend a 2-night stay at Addo Elephant Safari Lodge.


There is more than just the Elephant Back Safari that you can do whilst staying here. You can enjoy guided walks, game drives, medicinal plant walks, sundowners on the hill, bush dinners, elephant walks and bushman caves walks.


This is me riding on Thaba (it means happy) with Ignesuis (the Elephant Handler).

The elephant handlers at Addo Safaris are very professional and well-spoken. Their English is well and they can truly interact with the guest. They also know how to make you feel comfortable on this big animal. They have been working with Ellies for years and years. I was VERY impressed with them.

The chalets (built on stilts) are connected to the lodge with wooden walk-ways so it's really private. The view from the chalets are BEAUTIFUL and there's a jacuzzi on the deck that they will prepare for you once you return to your chalet.

The main area of the lodge is quite small with a dining room, lounge area and small bar area. It is however very cosy and comfortable and you get to meet other travellers and discuss your day's adventure. The owner of the lodge also eats with the guests in the evening and has a real hands-on operation. He made potjiekos the evening that we were there. I have to mention that it was also the best potjie that I ever had.

I highly recommend this lodge and it was certainly the highlight of my trip.

For more information, pictures and prices: http://www.lodgesinafrica.com/South_Africa/Game_Lodges_-_Safari_in_Addo/Addo_Elephant_Back_Safari_Lodge_%284_paws%29/