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Honeymoon to South Africa & Mauritius
Brooke Braswell & Richard Hill, 18th July 2017My husband and I are lucky to have traveled a lot to amazing places. We really wanted our honeymoon to be unique and special, but the bar was set pretty high. We decided to work with Mahlatini after reading their reviews and speaking with Donna. They planned the most PERFECT honeymoon! Every little detail was taken care of and each hotel/ location was unbeatable. My husband and I were blown away with our 16 day trip to South Africa and Mauritius. I would not hesitate to recommend Mahlatini to friends or to use them again on our next trip to Africa.
Countries Visited
South Africa
“We started in Cape Town, then Franschhoek, then Madikwe Reserve near the Botswana border. Cape Town was the perfect way to begin our honeymoon and transition to the time difference (from EST). We did a table mountain hike which I highly recommend and then the hop-on hop-off bus to see the city. Franschhoek is the most picturesque place I've ever been. My husband and I spent the days on the wine trolley - an easy was to enjoy your time and see all the vineyards. It was a great deal and lots of fun. The best part of the entire honeymoon was Madikwe! We stayed at Makanyane - this is an INCREDIBLE lodge! We saw every safari animal multiple times and got to get us close to cheetahs and lions.”
Mauritius
“Mauritius is a sweet beautiful island with an interesting and laid back culture. It was the perfect way to end our honeymoon. Even though it was winter, we were very lucky with weather and had sunny bright days on the beach. We went parasailing, waterskiing, snorkeling, and touring through the island. There are plenty of things to do both on the beach and culturally - whatever you're interested in.”
Accommodation Visited
The Clarendon Fresnaye
“We loved the Clarendon Fresnaye! We arrived in the afternoon after 20 hours of travel from the USA. Emmy greeted us warmly, got us Cappuccinos, and served us cakes for afternoon tea. I'm gluten free (Celiacs) and always bring snacks just in case. There was no need for this at Clarendon. They had tea cakes, muffins, bread, everything gluten free! And they took great care to make sure that there was not contamination. I can't tell you had wonderful that made me feel. They also took the time to leave little treats and decorate our room with flower petals to make it really feel like a honeymoon. I hope to come back!”
The Last Word Franschhoek
“The Last Word Franschhoek was located in the best place in town. It's right on the end of the main village street so everything is in walking distance. The room was spacious, comfortable, and tastefully decorated. Each morning, the breakfasts were very filling and the staff was accommodating to my gluten allergy. We did not have a car, so the location was key for us to easily get around. I would definitely stay here again!”
“I cannot say enough about Makanyane. It was truly an unforgettable experience. Every aspect of our stay was created to be top-notch. The staff, food, decor, main lodge, rooms, etc. were all fantastic. It would be a dream to stay here again. Although we spent 4 nights, I wish we had more time to fully appreciate all that Makanyane has to offer. They catered my gluten-free diet and made such that I was always full. We received great massages in our room and the rooms were stashed with drinks, coffee, snacks, alcohol to have included in our charge. Dylan, our guide was a wealth of information. We felt safe on the game drives but also excited by the adventure.”
The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa
“Beautiful locations with great amenities. They upgraded us to an oceanview room with a lovely balcony and huge bathroom. They gave a special gifts for our honeymoon including massages and a candlelit dinner. They made me gluten free rolls when I asked for them and were always happy to help. It is a great place to stay for a relaxing beach holiday on a beautiful island.”
Staff Review
“Donna was FANTASTIC! She planned an incredible honeymoon. I spoke with Donna a few times and asked her tons of questions, as this was our first time traveling in South Africa. I emphasized my concerns about eating gluten-free on the honeymoon and making each stop feel special. At each hotel, the staff greeted us and provided me with delicious gluten-free options. They decorated our suites with flower petals and gave us special cards/ gifts for our honeymoon - Donna did a great job providing this information to all the relevant parties! Hopefully, we will travel to that part of the world again and we will definitely use Mahlatini/ Donna, if we do.”
