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Honeymoon to South Africa
Olivia Hawes and James Lindley, 11th February 2022We had the trip of a lifetime! Each place we stayed felt so different; we had an excellent balance of adventure and relaxation. Everything was so well organised and each property went out of their way to welcome us and make our stay with them feel so special. We loved the energy of Cape Town, the breathtaking landscape and relaxation of Franschhoek and the magical charm of safari.
Countries Visited
South Africa
“We loved South Africa and would definitely love to return again! The weather was fab and the people were so friendly. We tasted fantastic food, saw beautiful sights and loved the energy of the country.”
Accommodation Visited
The Silo
“The Silo upgraded our room which was a lovely surprise. They went out of their way to create special little touches for all the occasions we were celebrating, like leaving chocolate dipped strawberries (my fave!) in our room on Valentine's Day, a congratulations cake for our honeymoon (and again for my birthday!). They were also very helpful organising a private tour of the cape peninsula and tickets for Robben Island. When we arrived in Franschhoek I had realised I'd left a clutch bag at The Silo but the reception staff were so helpful, organising for a Royal Portfolio ambassador (who they knew was travelling to Franschhoek later that day) to pick it up and take it with him to drop off at La Residence which was so kind.
The only comment for improvement we have is that the men on the security reception (on the ground floor) asked us every day whether we stayed at the hotel and what room we were in. I presume they do this so they can keep track of your leaving/returning to the hotel for safety. However we would have expected that as we were staying 5 nights, these staff members should make the effort to remember you as guests. This would have helped create a more premium, personable feel that you would expect from a luxury hotel.”
La Residence
“Such a beautiful hotel! We loved the decor and boutique hotel vibe. Everything was so relaxing and peaceful; we enjoyed just walking around the grounds and listening to the rustle of the leaves in the wind and the calling of the peacocks. The sofa spot for sundowners was beautiful too. This hotel also upgraded our room which was an amazing surprise! We loved hiring the bikes and cycling to a few of the vineyards. All the staff were so friendly and made an effort to chat to us during breakfast and find out how our stay was and if they could help us with anything which was a really lovely touch. The welcome to the hotel and goodbye was also very special. We wish we could have stayed for longer than two nights!
Comments for improvement: 1.I woke up in the night with a spider on me and then realised the back of the bed had cobwebs/insects. Housekeeping should ensure everything is kept super clean, even behind furniture like behind the beds/mattresses. 2. We only had one day to do the wine tram and planned our line after chatting to one of the reception staff; however when we got to the tram terminal the next day it transpired that the line we had planned wasn't running that day. It would be good for the hotel staff to be aware of which lines are running/not running each day so they can advise guests accordingly.”
Ngala Safari Lodge
“Such a magical experience! I cried when we had to leave Ngala Safari Lodge! We felt like we had got to know the Ngala staff so well during our stay; everyone was so lovely and friendly. We had such a special time here, seeing all the big five, plus many other animals. Our last day was spectacular - we found a beautiful leopard, zoomed through the bush to follow her go on a hunt, saw white rhino, had surprise birthday drinks in the Bush (where an elephant tried to crash the party!) and followed the day with stargazing and learning about the constellations with Kel. The food at the lodge was amazing and the room was so comfortable. The morning coffee/cookies pre-drive and the afternoon tea before the evening drive were all really lovely touches. We would definitely return to Ngala Safari Lodge. We just wish we had seen the elephants by the pool but maybe next time!!”
Staff Review
“We are so happy we had booked with Mahlatini, especially since we had to postpone so many times because of Covid! Natasha made the experience very stress-free and handled everything really well, her communication was great. We are now safari super fans so will definitely look to book our next safari experience with Mahlatini :-)”
