Thursday, May 28, 2009

Sabi Sabi Game Reserve, Kruger National Park SOUTH AFRICA

Sabi Sabi Top 10 Best Hotels in the World

Travel + Leisure Magazine has just completed its 2009 Worlds Best Service Awards, asking its readers to nominate destinations around the globe that "really deliver". The results were published in the magazine's June edition, and the Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve in the Kruger Naional Park in South Africa is honoured to have been voted as 7th best hotel overall in the world, the only South African establishment in the World's Top Ten category. In the regional category Sabi Sabi was voted 2nd best on the African continent.

A measure of any hotel's success is the number of repeat visitors that come through its doors. Ask Sabi Sabi's returning guests why they come back again and again, and the answer will be, "for the unforgettable experience made all the more memorable by the warmth and hospitality of the staff."

In its 30 years of existence, Sabi Sabi has become renowned for succesfully balancing luxury and world class safaris, with genuine African warmth and hospitality - inviting guests to enjoy a personalised home in the bush experience. The caring management and staff play an integral part in the overall Sabi Sabi experience, offering superb service that complements the 5-Star accommodation, exciting Big 5 open Land Rover safaris and superb cuisine.

Marketing director, Jacques Smit attributes this international recognition to several factors: "People form the heart of our business. The majority of our team hail from nearby villages and they have an inherent connection with the reserve. They bring a special brand of African hospitality to our lodges that makes guests feel instantly at home.

We have also made significant investments in recent years to ensure that our lodges are on a par with the best in the world. We are especially proud that this accolade is being awarded on our 30th anniversary and thank the readers of Travel + Leisure for their stamp of approval."

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Jembisa Game Lodge - Waterberg

Jembisa is situated within its own private game reserve in the heart of the beautiful Waterberg region, 3 hours of Johannesburg. It is a totally spoiling safari destination – a luxury country house safari lodge – with delicious food, great comfort, massages and a wide variety of game-viewing and wildlife activities.Only one family or group of guests are taken at a time, allowing exclusive use of the lodge and the reserve. Children are welcome and can be looked after and entertained, allowing parents some time for themselves. Guests can be as active as they wish or may choose to relax with a cooling swim in the saltwater pool after a game drive or enjoy a game of tennis following a bushwalk with rhinos. There are 5 en-suite bedrooms plus a children’s bunk room. Jembisa is the perfect bush retreat and easily accessible from Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Check-In 02:00 PM Check-Out 11:00 AM
Rooms and units
Jembisa 1
Master Room : Spacious room with views over the garden, double bed, adjoining dressing room with wardrobes and dressing table. Mosquito nets and ceiling fan. Dressing room leads through to bathroom with twin sinks, large oval bath (with views!) and a double shower.
Africa Room : King size bed, mosquito nets and fans. Large room with beautiful bronze-tiled bathroom en-suite, copper twin sinks, large corner shower and bath.
Queen Room : A light airy bedroom with queensize bed, and ensuite bathroom with twin sinks, shower and a bath with a view of gardens.
Twin Room : Twin room with English-style décor. Spacious room with en-suite bathroom, twin sinks, bath and shower. Two twin beds in an English-style bedroom with mosquito nets and fan. En-suite blue and white ceramic bathroom with bath and shower.
Bunk Room : Children’s bunk room with two bunk beds, sleeping four children. Themed with animal rugs and linen embroidered with wildlife!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Londolozi - Cubs Den

Disneyworld comes to Londolozi Private Game Reserve

When visiting Londolozi, you'll have more fun for the whole family.

While mom and dad are being occupied by a relaxing treatment at the Spa, or a romantic bush walk, the kids would now have entertainment in the comfort of a bush lodge.
Londolozi Bush School was made famous in 1984 with the launch of a 52 part bush school film series by Disney worldwide. This exciting program is relived “live” in the “Cubs Den” when young adventurers visit Londolozi.

This winter Londolozi have added a mini game ranger training course including guiding and tracking skills taught “real time” on the Londolozi Game Reserve by a fully qualified specialist guide.

Each course is adapted to match the age and ability of the individual. Children are encouraged to realise their full potential gently guided by the instructors who ensure at all times that it is an uplifting and rewarding experience

THE BUSH SCHOOL MINI GAME RANGERS
CURRICULUM INCLUDES:

How to read the bush & know the sounds around you (squirrel alarm calls, what the birds are telling you, animal behavior).
How to work out direction of animal tracks.
How & when to approach a wild animal.
How to survive in the bush.
How to make a fire.
How to find water.
How to gather food in the African bush.
How to make a Bush medicine chest.
How to make a rope, build a trap & traditional fishing.
How to drive a 4x4 & change a tyre.
DURING JULY 2009 LONDOLOZI OFFERS ALL OF THIS,
INCLUDED IN YOUR BOOKING
FOR ENQUIRIES CONTACT a Reservations agent at SA Golfing Tel: +27 (0)21 794 9050

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Thanda Game Reserve: Thanda Game Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal South Africa


Thanda takes double honours at 2009 World Travel Awards


Thanda Private Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal has taken top honours at the 15th annual World Travel Awards. At the glittering ceremony held in Durban last night, Thanda won esteemed awards for ‘South Africa’s Leading Safari Lodge’, and ‘Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge’ for the third consecutive year. The awards were presented at the Africa Gala Ceremony during this year’s tourism Indaba in Durban, South Africa. The evening was hosted by local celebrity MC and inspirational speaker Gerry Rantseli-Elsdon. Guests were entertained by Boney M’s Maizie Williams and South Africa’s all-girl electric string quartet Sterling EQ. Princess Nandi Zulu attended the event in support of Thanda.

Managing Director of Thanda Private Game Reserve, and CEO of Thanda Group, Pierre Delvaux was thrilled with Thanda’s achievements, “It is with enormous pride, honour and humility that I accept these awards on behalf of Thanda Private Game Reserve, especially ‘Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge’, which has been awarded to us for the third year running. Although achieving awards for outstanding service and an amazing product has become synonymous with Thanda since its opening in 2004, we are forever mindful of the challenge of being able to maintain such standards and even higher expectations from guests and the trade alike. Competition is incredibly tough due to the number of world class destinations in Africa which means that we can never allow ourselves to become complacent. Essentially, what it amounts to is the experience that tour agents and operators and guests discover when they visit and stay at Thanda. I believe that service excellence is a state of mind, a consciousness that transcends formal hospitality training. This is what makes the difference: being able to anticipate what guests want. I would therefore like to thank the committed and passionate marketing and sales staff led by Anita Vernes as well as the dynamic and service-minded special staff at the lodge, led by GM Dr Tim Allen-Rowlandson. These are the magic people who make a difference and enable ‘team work to make the dream work’. I would lastly like to thank all the tour agents, operators and guests as well as Graham Cooke who leads the World Travel Awards and who oversees a distinguished international operation. I am truly grateful for all of their ongoing support.“

The World Travel Awards was established in 1994 to recognise and reward outstanding achievements within the global travel industry and the awards are endorsed by celebrities, travel trade and press from around the world. The awards have been hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry’, and winners are nominated by over 40 000 travel trade professionals world-wide.

Thanda Private Game Reserve is currently the only game reserve in the world to hold Leading Hotels of the World status. Five-star facilities include the opulent main lodge, non-electrified tented camp, award-winning wellness centre, the cultural showcase Vula Zulu, as well the newly-introduced exclusive-use royal suite.

Thanda’s World Travel Awards History:
Winner of ‘Leading Safari in South Africa’ category in the 2006 World Travel Awards
Winner of ‘Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge’ in the 2007 World Travel Awards
Winner of 'Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge' and 'South Africa's Leading Safari Lodge' in the 2008 World Travel Awards
Winner of 'Africa’s Leading Luxury Lodge' and 'South Africa's Leading Safari Lodge' in the 2009 World Travel Awards