South Africa wins four more awards

Three South African hotels were named among the 18 winners of this year’s Boutique Hotel Club Awards. Competing with over 500 nominees from 80 countries, these boutique hotels have been recognised as some of the best in the world.

South Africa’s award winners

The Boutique Hotel Awards is the first and only international awards organisation exclusively dedicated to showcasing the finest luxury boutique hotels. A panel of experts who follow a strict process and assess 400 gold standards of hospitality select the winners.

Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel and Spa

The Vergenoegd Löw Boutique Hotel and Spa in Stellenbosch received two awards this year – the World’s Best Honeymoon Hideaway Hotel and also Africa’s Best Honeymoon Hideaway.

It is one of the oldest working wine farms in South Africa. Some of the features that the panellists highlighted are that the cottages are spacious and private, and the historical buildings where wine tastings are held and breakfast is served are beautifully restored.

Akademie Street Boutique Hotel   

The Akademie Street Boutique Hotel in the centre of Franschhoek won the 2024 World’s Best Boutique Hotel award. The original Italian mid-century furnishings and also the evening piano recitals during cocktail and wine hour are two of the features that impressed the panel of judges.

“If you asked us to describe what our ideal boutique hotel experience would be, it wouldn’t be far away from our experience at Akademie Street – style, charm, service, food, facilities and location.”
Boutique Hotel Club

Markedly, the Akademie Street Boutique Hotel won the World’s Best Design Hotel award in 2023.

Rockfig Lodge

The Boutique Hotel Club awarded the Africa’s Best Family Hotel award to the Rockfig Lodge. It is located in the Madikwe Game Reserve at the north-eastern tip of South Africa.

Features that stood out to the panellists in particular were the facility’s service, gourmet food, and wine list among other things.

Markedly, in 2023, the Rockfig Lodge won the World’s Best Family Hotel award.

Other winners

Some of the other 2024 winners include Borgo Egnazia in Italy, the Carlin Boutique Hotel in New Zealand, and also Domaine Les Oliviers de Palombaggia in France.

Nominations include nominations by travel industry experts, luxury travel journalists, and self-nomination subject to approval. The Boutique Hotel Club’s panellists evaluate the shortlisted hotels. Thereafter, the panel members vote to select the winners.