Best hotels in South Africa

Maison Chablis is a serene Georgian-style guesthouse, well-situated only a block from Franschhoek high street’s stylish boutiques, many of the region's award-winning restaurants, and the ever popular wine tram. If you're looking for some serious R&R, the Maison caters for that too, and you'll enjoy the pretty garden and peaceful swimming pool area. It's also an extremely well-priced abode for the exclusive Cape Winelands area, but standards are as high as they should be and the overall experience, top-notch.

The southern Sabi Sand is leopard country, and very little stands between it and the Kruger (the borders here are unfenced, so the animals wander as they please). On the banks of the seasonal Sand River sits Umkumbe Safari Lodge Riverside, an owner-run camp that does something rare: it keeps the price sensible without skimping on the game. Elephants, buffalo and hippo amble past camp between drives, often while you're mid-length in the pool. Although, a tripwire keeps the larger visitors at a polite distance so parents can rest easy. It's honest, unshowy, and right in the thick of it.

Skydance is a delightfully modern family home in Bishopscourt, an exclusive neighbourhood near one of Cape Town’s oldest wine-growing regions. With sweeping panoramas of Table Mountain’s slopes and the vineyards that climb them, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens nearby, and the ocean in the distance – and only a 20-minute drive from Cape Town’s city centre – the location is exceptionally well-placed. The home is stylish but unpretentious, with superior fixtures, large open-plan interiors, and perfect outdoor entertainment areas. Book a stay for a family retreat or a celebratory getaway, Skydance will spoil everyone, with oodles of space and views for days.

Step into the private corner of the Sabie Game Reserve, where humans and nature coexist in harmony. You’ll have a front-row seat to the untamed African wilderness at Umkumbe Bush Lodge, an unassuming yet luxurious tented camp. Enjoy breathtaking views of a drainage basin, watering hole, and open plain right outside your doorstep. From listening to the hyenas from your tented suite to venturing through the canopy of Tamboti trees, at Umkumbe Bush Lodge, you'll be part of the incredible habitat that surrounds you.

Closed for renovations. Opening January 2027.

Set a few streets back from Camps Bay beach, a favourite of Cape Town’s rich and beautiful, Sea Five is blissful in every way. From the palette of earthy African tones and soothing Mediterranean blues and the sweeping views of the mountains and sea to the divine lavender scented gardens, you can’t fail to feel utterly zen after a stay here. But with private transfers to the bustling city, easy access to the hip bars and restaurants of Camps Bay Strip and the spectacular coastline of the Western Cape only a few minutes away, there’s plenty to keep you feeling lively too.

Thirty minutes from central Cape Town, in the beachside suburb of Hout Bay, lies a truly breathtaking mountain retreat that exemplifies the essence of African communal heritage. Maison Noir, "black house" in French, is a private family estate in which each member owns a small home. The architect drew his inspiration from the many cultures that have taken root in South Africa, and he's created a winner. The homestead incorporates indoor/outdoor design around an interior courtyard in a setting that'll appeal to lovers of fine design, and those keen to explore Table Mountain National Park – just steps away.