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Holiday to South Africa
Lydia Murithi, 21st April 2023This was my best vacation/trip ever! And that's saying a lot because I am well travelled. Donna is a miracle worker! She pulled together an amazing itinerary that treated my sister and me to an experience of our lifetime... literally speaking. Everything from personalized airport meet-ups and transfers, a choice of beautiful hotels, advice on must do activities/experiences in each city (Mahlatini moments), and a choice of extremely informed tour guides... oh my goodness! We felt like royalty. We learned so much about South Africa - got to experience Joburg, Cape Town and Durban! My sister and I cannot stop talking about this trip... we've been recommending it to everyone and their mothers. Special shout out to our favorite tour guide, Rob of Wilderness tours, who guided us in Cape Town. He wins the trophy for the most fun, engaging, informed and courteous guide. Somebody please thank him for us!
Accommodation Visited
DaVinci Hotel and Suites
“The location of this hotel was just perfect for our two nights in Joburg. We would walk from our rooms in the evenings and explore Mandela Square, shop in the mall, and enjoy delicious African cuisines at the HomBaze restaurant located right below the hotel. The hotel room was spacious, clean and cozy. The hotel staff (and especially the concierge desk) was extremely helpful and efficient. Everyone was very kind to us and wore big smiles.”
Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa
“Now, this hotel was out of this world! Everything about it felt royal! Our room was expansive with a sitting area inside and a deck outside all overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. There was a well-kept lawn right outside our room where you would walk from the deck to take a closer view of the ocean. The spa is to die for. We had relaxing massages and spent an hour in their jacuzzi which was dreamy... which is built underground with a white rock cave feel. Incredible architecture. The hotel is located in a secluded location so we had all our meals at the hotel and they were delicious. Their room service was like none I have experienced before... the speed of response, follow-up calls to check if you're enjoying your meal or if you need anything else, and prompt pick up of dirty dishes! Wow, the sunset experience at the rooftop bar!! Donna said we shouldn't miss it and she was right.”
The Oyster Box Hotel
“The Oyster Box Hotel was quite busy when we stayed there... I think at full capacity if not almost full capacity. But they maintained very high standards of cleanliness and guest service. I had a bad stomach due to some street food I had eaten during our trip to Kwazulu-Natal and they were very kind enough to organize a shuttle to drop us back and from a nearby hospital.”
Staff Review
“Donna!!! I am so glad our paths crossed because I will not have anyone else (if I had a choice) organize a trip for me or my loved ones other than you. I learned about Mahlatini online while I was stressed and trying to plan a trip to South Africa as a gift to celebrate my elder sister's 50th birthday. I sent an inquiry email and Donna responded to me by the next day. And she was truly godsent! She set up a call, listened carefully to my rough idea of the trip I was hoping for, then sprung to action. She shared itinerary options (I could write a whole script about Mahlatini's itinerary presentation... a detailed webpage just for us. Incredible!!); talked me through her recommendations on how many days to allocate the trip for it to be enjoyable, fun and restful; made suggestions about which cities to visit to get a good feel/sense of the country; helped me choose Mahlatini moments in each city that fit within my budget; emailed and mailed hard copies of the itinerary and gave me a pre-departure call. I mean, wow! As that wasn't incredibly awesome enough, I reached out to her office when we got to Durban to help have our room changed, and although she was on vacation, she called me back in less than 10 minutes and worked her magic to get our room changed despite the fact that the hotel (Oyster Box) was fully booked. Her attention to detail, knowledge about travel/vacation planning, and overall customer service are unmatched. I honestly couldn't love her enough if I tried! The only downside is that she is now stuck with me... because in my mind she is my personal trip planner haha! As a matter of fact, she is currently planning a trip to Zanzibar for me and my parents in June.”
