Best hotels in South Africa

Nestled in the leafy, jacaranda-lined neighbourhood of Houghton in Johannesburg, The Residence Hotel is true delight to behold. Each and every piece was personally chosen by the owners, from richly-patterned rugs to chandeliers and gilded portraits. Outside, the gardens are filled with greenery, creating a tranquil retreat from bustling Joburg – especially if you're in a suite with a hot tub. If you do choose to venture out, there are plenty of pursuits to enjoy nearby and the hotel team simply cannot be faulted in their service and recommendations.

Experience warm hospitality, free uncapped WiFi, spa, gym, outdoor pool, steak-house dining, business amenities, and service excellence at the Southern Sun Rosebank hotel. Perfectly positioned just two blocks away from The Rosebank Mall and Gautrain station our hotel is as equipped for business as it is for a leisure break in the city.

Escape to the Peermont Metcourt at Emperors Palace, and experience the contemporary convenience this 3-star gem has to offer. The hotel’s modern façade is complimented by a private pool terrace, set in a beautifully manicured garden. Guests can enjoy an early morning swim followed by breakfast at the F.L.A.G Café, or enjoy a sundowner at the 21 Degrees cocktail bar. Even business guests will feel at home with a boardroom and business centre available for their exclusive use. The hotel offers 348 stylish and comfortable rooms and is the Peermont Metcourt Hotel is ideal for corporate, convention and leisure guests, as well as groups. The Peermont Metcourt Hotel annex includes the grand Capri Suite, comprising of a private lounge and dining area balcony overlooking the pool terrace, additional seating to the existing F.L.A.G. Café, an extra guest lift, a sky bar, a 24 hour gymnasium and enhanced access to the offerings of the entire Emperors Palace resort.

Despite what the map apps might suggest, this isn't Durban - it's Shaka's Rock, a quiet fold of coastline about forty-five minutes north, where French Mauritian sugar farmers once planted cane and Zulu history runs just as deep. Sala Beach House sits above Thompson's Bay with its ten rooms trained on the horizon, run by a family who've been in Zululand hospitality since 1962 and clearly know the difference between quiet and boring. The pace here is set entirely by the guest: yoga on the deck, a spa using African botanicals, sundowners by the fire pit, or simply the hammock and whatever's passing on the water that day (whales in season, dolphins most of the year). Durban's Zulu and Indian Ocean heritage makes an easy add-on either side of a stay. It's adults-focused throughout the main house, and all the better for it.

The hotel in uMhlanga is your gateway to golden beaches, lush surroundings and the exhilaration of holidaying in an idyllic part of Durban. If you want stunning views overlooking the KwaZulu-Natal coast, look no further than Protea Hotel uMhlanga. The hotel in centrally located in the heart of uMhlanga Rocks, situated 18 km from King Shaka International Airport, just a few minutes from the beach and 10 minutes to Durban city center. The hotel offers friendly service and comfortable accommodations that are all elegantly and stylishly furnished. Most of the hotel's 260 modern rooms feature breath-taking partial sea views, and is the ideal place to stay for that perfect family getaway.

Sungulwane is an exclusive, Big 5 Safari lodge on Zuka Private Game Reserve. With just 8 private chalets, it's the ultimate intimate African bush experience for you and a loved one, friends or the whole family. Each suite is embedded into the thick Red Ivory forest giving you the feeling of sleeping in the tree canopies – in complete harmony with nature. An extensive private deck with large stack back doors and showers allow for endless stargazing or daydreaming over the uninterrupted views of the valley. Whether relaxing on a lounger by the pool, sipping on a glass of red wine while the flames dance in the firepit or enjoying a gourmet dining experience in the Boma, Sungulwane offers warm, friendly Zululand hospitality at its best.

The forest largely dictated where the camp went. When Dale and Shannon Airton built Rhino Sands in Manyoni Private Game Reserve in 2017, they worked around the trees rather than through them — the walkways bend where trunks stood in the way, and the whole thing is invisible from above save for the solar panels. That philosophy runs through everything here. The camp is entirely off-grid, the menus follow what's seasonal in KwaZulu-Natal, and a maximum of ten guests at any one time means the team — small, personally selected, genuinely passionate — can actually get to know you. Five tented suites on a peninsula of the Msunduze River, malaria-free Zululand, Big Five game plus cheetah and wild dog on the reserve. It's a rather good combination.