At Perfect Earth Tours we found the accommodations to be excellent and the staff very friendly and helpful. During our stay we were able to hike, canoe, enjoy the company of other guests, and recharge our batteries. We experienced a healthy, organic and luxurious travel experience and thought it offered great value for the money.
Our visit to Angsana Spa was a success. My husband and I arrived there just after a satisfying lunch at Myoga, an Asian fusion restaurant located on the same property. The reception area was quiet and we received a warm welcome from the staff. We spent a few minutes reviewing treatment options before a staff member escorted us to our double treatment room where we had the Duet Treatment Package, three hours of treatments including a scrub, massage and facial each and a shared milk and orange bath at the end.
At Rattray’s on Mala Mala, a small and exclusive safari property in one of the best game viewing areas of Africa, Big Five game viewing was the number one priority. Game drives lasted about three hours and were limited to four guests per vehicle. During our last visit, we shared the vehicle with two enthusiastic repeat visitors, a mother and daughter from Europe, who made an annual pilgrimage to Mala Mala, and now Rattray’s, for their game viewing fix. We were accompanied by Warren Meredith, an English speaking young guide who drove the vehicle, and Jeffrey, a tracker who sat in the last row and whose job it was to spot the game viewing opportunities, especially of the highly coveted Big Five animals (elephant, hippo, lion, leopard, and rhino). Warren was our go-to person during our stay. He dined with us, accompanied me on a bush walk, and organized wake up calls and any activities we might want to schedule.
Our second visit to Singita Lebombo was almost four years to the week from the date of our first visit to the safari property deep in the eastern boundaries of the Kruger National Park near the border with Mozambique. We were pleasantly surprised to discover many subtle changes and improvements that enhanced our stay and made us fans all over again.
Ten Bompas, a remarkable boutique hotel near Sandton, is now one of our favorite small hotels. When we first heard about it, we were hesitant. We had planned to stay at one of Johannesburg’s larger and more opulent properties, which offered all the usual bells and whistles. The more we learned about Ten Bompas, the more we wanted to stay there. From the moment we arrived, we felt genuinely welcome by the hotel staff. Conveniently situated in an attractive Johannesburg neighborhood, it offered a wonderful haven of quiet African elegance with accommodating service, delicious food, a selection of fine wines and a guest-centered emphasis on comfort.
After a couple of weeks in the bush, a much delayed flight and airport delays, we could hardly wait to arrive at our warm and cozy Ten Bompas rooms. In spite of a late arrival, our rooms were waiting. A home-style meal at Sides Restaurant brought us back to life. We liked it so much, we wish there were Ten Bompas hotels in other cities.
As we approached The Outpost I wondered how the property was faring since we first visited the area in 2004, especially now that it was under new management. From my first visit I became convinced The Outpost was a special place worth a detour, even a special trip. I hoped nothing had happened in the past four years to change that.