by Editor | Nov 1, 2006 | Simon and Baker Travel Review
Millions and millions of chocolate bubbles swirled at my feet; foaming in a chocolate lover’s fantasy. In the dimly lit room, rose petals and candles transported me to an imaginary cloud of soothing silence; while chocolate morsels and chocolate liquor tempted my sweet tooth during the Cybele Spa 45-minute Chocolate Balneotherapy. Prior to that, I enjoyed a back and massage with hot stones and 15-minute stopover in the spa’s oriental style steam room with a garden view. My final treatment was a scalp massage right before the spa closed for the day.
by Editor | Nov 1, 2006 | Africa, Kruger, Sabi Sand, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
In the early 1900s, several attempts were made to substitute Mala Mala’s wildlife with cattle farming. A losing battle with lions and a constant struggle with wildlife, diseases and drought proved that it was not a viable option. Established in 1929 by Wac Campbell as a preservation area and legacy for his children, by the 1950s it had become a game viewing property. In 1964, the Rattray family purchased the property and upgraded the accommodations to a 1950s style luxury standard. Now part of a conservation gene pool of 5.5 million acres of South African lowveldt, it shares 19 kilometers (12 miles) of border with the Kruger National Park in one of the prime game viewing areas of the world.
by Editor | Nov 1, 2006 | Africa, Johannesburg, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
When I found out I had an eight hour layover in Johannesburg before boarding my international flight to Europe I booked spa treatments at Octavia’s, which is located in a luxury hotel a stone’s throw away from the Johannesburg airport. That was a fabulous way to kill time before my long evening flight.
by Editor | Nov 1, 2006 | Africa, Johannesburg, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
What could be better after 48-hours of travel than an afternoon of spa pampering? Massages, body wraps and scrubs, facials, manicures, and pedicures all sounded appealing. The Renaissance Spa in the Michelangelo Towers next to the famous Nelson Mandela Square shopping arcade was a short cab drive from my Melrose boutique hotel. It offered a myriad treatment options and spa packages, as well as tanning and hair removal so I was sure I would find something I liked.
by Editor | Nov 1, 2006 | Africa, Kruger, Sabi Sand, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
A few months before we visited the property, the aptly named River Lodge in the Exeter Private Game Reserve joined the ranks of Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa), a well known African property management company. Although the child friendly property was still completing its incorporation into the new management company’s way of doing things, we heard about upcoming modifications and saw part of the Lodge transformation.
by Editor | Nov 1, 2006 | Africa, Kruger, Sabi Sand, Simon and Baker Travel Review, South Africa
Singita Boulders Lodge, situated within the coveted Sabi Sand Reserve just west of the Kruger National Park, offered understated luxury in a magnificent bush setting. Singita was named for the Shangaan word meaning “The Miracle.” Boulder’s Lodge, a distinctive luxury property with an elegant contemporary style fronting the Sand River for which the reserve is named, stood out for its fabulous adult oriented accommodations (children were welcome in a private section of the property); rustic elegant décor; tasty dishes; and varied activities options such as twice daily Big Five game viewing drives, cellar wine tastings, local village visits, shopping, work outs a the fitness center and spa treatments.
