We’ve been on the road for a few weeks now and I thought it would be a good idea to list the places we’ve stayed so that you can trace our route and get a sense of where we are going. Essentially, this post is perfect for those looking for family friendly accommodation in South Africa.
Self catering is the name of the game and paying per night vs paying per person has saved us A LOT of money. That said, we would love to review your accommodation or thing to do or place to eat while we are on the road. We will Instagram, Tweet and Facebook the hell out of the experience and you will be featured on our site. #JustSaying
So we left Cape Town on 13 April and our super packed car headed to Montagu.
- We stayed at Koo Karoo Guest Lodge and we LOVED it! Perfect place for families with young children. It is central, quiet and beautiful.
- Then we pointed our car in the direction of Oudtshroon. We stayed at Le Petit Karoo Ranch. For some reason I thought this was self catering but it’s not. There is a communal area where you can eat and store your food in the fridge. There is also no TV in the room so the communal area is where you will probably find your kids. The owner is very accommodating and you could braai if you wanted to. They will let you borrow their cutlery and crockery. It is quite far out of town but it’s close to the
so it’s perfect for getting away from the hustle and bustle of town life.
- After that it was on to George where we stayed at Abbaqua Guest House. This is across the road from George Airport so you can watch planes take off and land while washing dishes in the kitchen.
- We stayed at Rivertide Lodge in Knysna which was lovely. It’s so green and it feels very safe to walk along the wetland.
- But we also stayed at the stunning, eco friendly Teniqua Treetops
6. Then we headed to Plettenberg Bay. But we had a bit of a backwards and forwards due to media arrangements so, even though this didn’t happen chronologically, the next place on the road we stayed at was Coral Tree Cottages
7. River Club Villas was the first Air B&B type place we stayed. It was actually quite nice to stay in a flat and the apartment complex is very snazzy. There is a pool and a tennis court that you can use and everyone you deal with is very professional and friendly. It’s within walking distance of a Spar and a number of restaurants near the beach.
8. Our next stop was Country House Allegria in Cape St Francis. This was the most well kitted out flat we’ve ever stayed in as we could use the washing machine (HUGE PLUS for a nomad family) and it was down the road from SANCCOB and the Seal Point Lighthouse.
- At this point WordPress is refusing to count beyond 6 so let’s pretend it’s just an upside down 9, okay? After Cape St Francis it was on to Jeffrey’s Bay for the longest stop on our trip so that our car could get fixed. Do I have to tell you about the place we stayed? I wouldn’t recommend it. After having to pay a R500 damages deposit, we we charged R50 for a broken glass, R100 for a stained sheet (which we didn’t stain at all) and R100 for leaving a few dishes in the sink when we left. So I got R250 of my R500 back. Click on the hyperlink above if you want but don’t blame me if you’re covered in itchy bites by the end of your stay.
- Urrgh! The numbering is still bonkers. Sorry. The 10th place we stayed was The Plantation who happened to be celebrating their 10 year anniversary…and it was the 10th place we stayed. Woohoo! You can book your stay here. And read our review here.11. Oops, I almost forgot about Deer Park Guest House. This place is run by a lovely old couple who are very helpful but the 4 sleeper chalet is very low budget, not in price but in furnishings. The lounge as a sleeper couch of sorts as a place to sit while watching TV but I challenge you to find something more uncomfortable. It sort of spoiled the whole experience for us. Also, there is no oven. Just a gas stove. And the beds are not comfy.
- We did a lot while we were in Port Elizabeth and I will update this post shortly with our review of the Summerstrand Hotel.
- (No WordPress, it’s number 12!) We then moved onto Avoca River Cabins. This is a very family friendly place complete with play frame and wide open spaces to run around. Most of the cabins have a view of the river and it makes for gorgeous sunsets.
- I give up with these numbers. Accommodation number 13 was Laragh on Hogsback which was perfectly lovely. I will update this when I get around to publishing the full review.
- Then it was onto Camelroc Guest Farm in the Free State so that we could have a base from which would could explore Lesotho. Since this accommodation is literally next to Caledonspoort Border Post, you couldn’t find a better base. I will also update this with the link to the full review once it is live.
- We are currently at La Picasso Guest House. Our first night wasn’t great but after I brought our issues to the attention of the staff, they went out of their way to make our stay more comfortable.
- Our next stop was Aan de Fliet in Hazyview. Our complete review is coming soon. It’s a brilliant base if you want to visit Mac Mac Falls, God’s Window and Kruger National Park.
- Then we headed to Gauteng and stayed at BellaCanella. It was super spacious and comfy. Not the best breakfast but it was included in the price which was the most affordable we could find, so I’m not complaining.
- Our final stop before we headed back to Cape Town for a rest was 44 Memorial Manor in Kimberly. It was in a good part of town and the accommodating was cozy. It’s not self catering though and, while the booking.com profile says you have access to a laundry and shared kitchen, this is not the case.
Road Trip 2.0 to Kwazulu Natal
Since KZN is insanely far away, we broke up our road trip and took a week to get there.
- Our first stop was Waterval Farm Stay in Graaff Reinet. This is located deep into Camdeboo National Park which means peace and quiet is the name of the game.
2. Our next stop was Clarens where we stayed at the luxurious Clarens Retreat. You are within walking distance of the town square where you can find loads of homemade, natural products and some delicious food.
3. We then finally arrived in Empangeni where we stayed at Dumami Lodge for a few days. This is about 20kms from Richard’s Bay and less than an hour away from St Lucia.
Our next stop was Coffee Bay where we stayed at Coffee Shack Backpackers
We didn’t have another sponsored stay until we got to The Wilderness where we spent 2 nights in The Wilderness Hotel
