Global travellers rate South Africa tops in Condé Nast awards

That South Africa punches well above its weight in the global luxury travel market was again confirmed with the release of this year’s prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards.The country garnered the top spot in the best 100 hotels and resorts, and Cape Town was voted fourth out of the world’s 25 must-see cities.

Londolozi private game reserve at Sabi Sands in Mpumalanga was voted the best place in the world to stay by some 77 000 readers of the luxury travel magazine, who gave the resort a near-perfect score of 98.96 out of 100. The Singita reserve, also at Sabi Sand, came in at fourth on the list, scoring 98.1. The two reserves beat out such iconic global hotels as the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai, Palazzo Avino in Ravello, Mystique in Santorini and Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, India.

“This five-camp preserve in a riverine forest offers the vacation of a lifetime – everything is fabulous,” Condé Nast said of Londolozi when the award results were published on 20 October.

“In a perfect-scoring location on the Sand River, accommodations include Pioneer Camp, with three private suites decorated in Ralph Lauren style, and Varty Camp, where chalets in earth tones have private pools. Enjoy freshly baked muffins on the deck at sunrise while watching the elephants below – an absolutely incredible experience.”

Foreign travellers are coming to South Africa in larger numbers every year, according to Statistics South Africa’s latest tourism report, released on Monday. In 2013, the total number of foreigners visiting the country rose to 12.1-million, up from 13.7-million in 2012.

Altogether, seven South African hotels and resorts made the top 100, including Lion Sands at Sabi Sand, in 24th place, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve in the Cederberg (41), Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve (54), &Beyond Lodges Sabi Sand (55) and Singita Kruger National Park (69). Including South Africa, 14 African resorts – in Tanzania, Botswana and Rwanda – got the nod in the top 100 list.

South Africa’s coastal city of Cape Town came in at fourth place in Condé Nast readers’ choice of the best 25 cities in the world, ahead of Rome, Barcelona and San Francisco.

“Cape Town is the best city in the world for blending urban culture with the great outdoors,” wrote Maria Shollenbarger, the magazine’s editor at large. “They’re literally a five-minute drive from each other. There’s an exploding food scene, with vegetables, wine, and cheese coming from the gorgeous Cape Winelands; and then there’s the top of Table Mountain which, on the right day, can feel as pristine and empty as when the Dutch first pitched up in the early 17th century.”

The city also swept the board for the Condé Nast list of the best 15 hotels in Africa. The One&Only, Ellerman House, Mount Nelson, Twelve Apostles and Cape Cadogan hotels grabbed the first five positions, the Cape Grace ninth place, the Table Bay Hotel 10th and the Victoria & Alfred Hotel 15th. South African hotels in total took up 11 places on the list of 15, including the Saxon Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg (7), and Le Quartier Francais (11) and La Residence (14), both in Franschhoek near Cape Town.

Condé Nast Traveler Best Hotels in Africa: Readers’ Choice Awards 2014

1 – One&Only Cape Town – Cape Town, South Africa
2 – Ellerman House – Cape Town, South Africa
3 – Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa
4 – Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa – Cape Town, South Africa
5 – Cape Cadogan Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa
6 – Gibb’s Farm – Ngorongoro, Tanzania
7 – Saxon Boutique Hotel – Johannesburg, South Africa
8 – Royal Livingstone Hotel – Livingstone, Zambia

9 – Cape Grace – Cape Town, South Africa
10 – Table Bay Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa

11 – Le Quartier Francais – Franschhoek, South Africa
12 – Giraffe Manor – Nairobi, Kenya
13 – The Stanley and Livingstone at Victoria Falls – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
14 – La Residence – Franschhoek, South Africa
15 – Victoria & Alfred Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa

Condé Nast Traveler Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World 2014
1 – Londolozi Private Game Reserve and Camps – Sabi Sand, South Africa
2 – Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch – Saratoga, Wyoming, USA
3 – The Mulia – Bali, Indonesia
4 – Singita Sabi Sand – Sabi Sand, South Africa
5 – Triple Creek Ranch – Darby, Montana, USA
6 – Nayara Springs – Arenal, Costa Rica
7 – Singita Grumeti Reserves – Serengeti, Tanzania
8 – Aro Ha – Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand
9 – Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle – Chiang Rai, Thailand
10 – Southern Ocean Lodge – Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia
11 – One&Only The Palm – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
12 – Gateway Canyons Resort – Gateway, Colorado, USA
13 – Cal-A-Vie – Vista, California, USA
14 – Casa Palmero – Pebble Beach, California, USA
15 – Viceroy Riviera Maya – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
16 – The Lodge – Sea Island, Georgia, USA
17 – Qualia – Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia
18 – Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens – Arenal, Costa Rica
19 – Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge – Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda
20 – Mii Amo – Sedona, Arizona, Arizona

21 – Lake Austin Spa Resort – Austin, Texas, Te22 – XV Beacon – Boston, Massachusetts, USA
23 – Il Salviatino – Fiesole, Ital
24 – Lion Sands, Sabi Sand – Sabi Sand, South Africa
25 – Rancho Valencia Resort – San Diego, California, USA
26 – Castello di Casole – Casole D’elsa, Italy
27 – Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz Klammer Lodge – Telluride, Colorado, USA
28 – Burj Al Arab Jumeirah – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
29 – 21c Museum Hotel, Cincinnati – Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
30 – The Langham, Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA
31 – C Lazy U Ranch – Granby, Colorado, USA
32 – Palazzo Avino – Ravello, Italy
33 – Primland Resort – Meadows of Dan, Virginia, USA
34 – Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan – Bali, Indonesia
35 – The Point – Upper Saranac Lake, New York, USA
36 – Rancho La Puerta – Tecate, Mexico
37 – Jade Mountain – St. Lucia, St. Lucia
38 – St. Regis Punta Mita Resort – Punta de Mita, Mexico
39 – Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong – Shanghai, China
40 – Summer Lodge – Evershot, Dorset, England

41 – Bushmans Kloof – Cederberg Mountains, South Africa
42 – Guana Island Resort – Guana Island, British Virgin Islands
43 – Las Alcobas – Mexico City, D.F., Mexico
44 – Oberoi Udaivilas – Udaipur, India
45 – Old Edwards Inn and Spa – Highlands, North Carolina, USA
46 – Mystique (Luxury Collection) – Santorini, Greece
47 – Waldorf Astoria Hotel at Shanghai on the Bund – Shanghai, China
48 – Mombo and Little Mombo Camps – Moremi, Botswana
49 – Waldorf Astoria Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA
50 – Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Serengeti, Tanzania
51 – Wailea Beach Villas – Maui, Hawaii, USA
52 – Four Seasons Resort Langkawi – Langkawi, Malaysia
53 – Madden’s on Gull Lake – Brainerd, Minnesota, USA
54 – Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve – Sabi Sand, South Africa
55 – &Beyond Lodges – Sabi Sand, South Africa
56 – Wequassett Resort and Golf Club – Harwich, Massachusetts, USA
57 – Kings Pool Camp – Linyanti, Botswana
58 – Raffles Dubai – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
59 – The Pitcher Inn – Warren, Vermont, USA
60 – Canoe Bay Resort – Chetek, Wisconsin, USA

61 – Twin Farms – Barnard, Vermont, USA
62 – Weekapaug Inn – Weekapaug, Rhode Island, USA
63 – The Cloister – Sea Island, Georgia, USA
64 – Taj Lake Palace – Udaipur, India
65 – The Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island Golf Resort – Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA
66 – The Wauwinet – Nantucket, Massachusetts, USA
67 – Hotel Astoria – St. Petersburg, Russia
68 – Palm Island Resort – Palm Island, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
69 – Singita Kruger National Park – Kruger National Park, South Africa
70 – Stein Eriksen Lodge – Park City, Utah, USA
71 – Hotel Matilda – San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
72 – Hotel Alfonso XIII (Luxury Collection) – Seville, Spain
73 – Amandari – Bali, Indonesia
74 – Hotel Sorella CityCentre – Houston, Texas, USA
75 – Winvian – Litchfield, Connecticut, USA
76 – St. Regis Lhasa Resort – Lhasa, China
77 – Chewton Glen – New Milton, Hampshire, England
78 – Saffire Freycinet – Coles Bay, Tasmania, Australia
79 – Curtain Bluff – Antigua, Antigua & Barbuda
80 – Thompson Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA

81 – Loden Vancouver – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
82 – Sheen Falls Lodge – Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland
83 – St. Regis Bora Bora Resort – Bora Bora, French Polynesia
84 – Colonial Houses – Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
85 – Chateau du Sureau – Oakhurst, California, USA
86 – Montage Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach, California, USA
87 – Lodge at Kauri Cliffs – Matauri Bay, North Island, New Zealand
88 – Ocean House – Watch Hill, Rhode Island, USA
89 – Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora – Bora Bora, French Polynesia
90 – River Inn of Harbor Town – Memphis, Tennessee, USA
91 – Nisbet Plantation Beach Club – Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis
92 – Dunton Hot Springs – Dolores, Colorado, USA
93 – Esperanza – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
94 – Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo – Tokyo, Japan
95 – Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa – Da Nang, Vietnam
96 – Excellence Playa Mujeres – Playa Mujeres, Mexico
97 – Ashford Castle Hotel – Cong, Co. Mayo, Ireland
98 – Serengeti Migration Camp – Serengeti, Tanzania
99 – Savute Elephant Camp – Chobe, Botswana
100 – Four Seasons Hotel Prague – Prague, Czech Republic

Condé Nast Traveler Top 20 Safari Lodges and Camps in Africa 2014
1 – Londolozi Private Game Reserve and Camps – Sabi Sand, South Africa
2 – Singita Sabi Sand – Sabi Sand, South Africa
3 – Singita Grumeti Reserves – Serengeti, Tanzania
4 – Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge – Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda
5 – Lion Sands, Sabi Sand – Sabi Sand, South Africa
6 – Bushmans Kloof – Cederberg Mountains, South Africa
7 – Mombo and Little Mombo Camps – Moremi, Botswana
8 – Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti – Serengeti, Tanzania
9 – Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve – Sabi Sand, South Africa
10 – &Beyond Lodges – Sabi Sand, South Africa
11 – Kings Pool Camp – Linyanti, Botswana
12 – Singita Kruger National Park – Kruger National Park, South Africa
13 – Savute Elephant Camp – Chobe, Botswana
14 – Thornybush Game Lodge – Kruger National Park, South Africa
15 – &Beyond Bateleur and Kichwa Tembo Camps – Masai Mara, Kenya
16 – ol Donyo Lodge – Mbirikani Group Ranch, Kenya
17 – MalaMala Game Reserve – Sabi Sand, South Africa
18 – Camp Okavango – Okavango Delta, Botswana
19 – &Beyond Nxabega Okavango Tented Camp – Okavango Delta, Botswana
20 – Little Vumbura Camp – Okavango Delta, Botswana

By: Mary Alexander
Source: www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com