by Editor | Oct 1, 2009 | Africa, Botswana, Kalahari, Simon and Baker Travel Review
Haina Kalahari Lodge gave me an immediate sense of home, a delightful but puzzling first impression from a place tucked in a remote conservancy at the northern edge of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (a 20,386 square mile, 52,800 square kilometer, semi-arid immensity roughly the size of Switzerland; and the second largest game reserve in the world after Tanzania’s Selous). The reason became obvious once I found out that this oasis of laid-back luxury in the heart of some of the harshest wilderness in Southern Africa was originally intended, and functioned for a decade, as a private multi-family holiday retreat before it began to welcome guests in 2007.
by Editor | Oct 1, 2009 | Africa, Kwazulu Natal, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
Our stay at the mysteriously named Ghost Mountain Inn was sorrowfully affected by the weather. It rained more or less constantly during our entire two-night stay. That didn’t seem to dampen the staff’s spirits much. Thanks to their cheerful and can-do attitude we went forward with sightseeing plans and had a pleasant stay.
by Editor | Oct 1, 2009 | Africa, Kwazulu Natal, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
While we were at Amakhosi it rained every day, on every drive. One day we returned so soaked, in spite of the rain ponchos and blankets provided in the safari vehicle, my boots took three days to dry out. And, yet the game viewing rewards were such that all the guests, children included, went out drive after drive in the cold and rain.
by Editor | Sep 1, 2009 | Africa, Cape Town, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
This small family friendly hotel within a quiet residential Stellenbosch neighborhood had much to offer. In the early morning we heard the sounds of birds, making us feel briefly as if we were waking up at home. As the day progressed we heard suburban sounds and neighborhood dogs barking. It was quiet otherwise.
by Editor | Sep 1, 2009 | Africa, Cape Town, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
Madiba Villa, a two-bedroom Cape style rental villa within a 53-room historic boutique hotel property, is tucked away discretely in the back of a nine-hectare garden filled wine estate in Constantia, a leafy suburb of Cape Town. It was a delightful place to spend time during a recent visit to the area. The drive from Cape Town to Constantia is mostly easy and we are always surprised at the contrast between the city’s urban setting and the suburban wine region’s placid green scenery. For those times when we have no need to stay in the city proper suburban areas like Constantia have a definite appeal.
