From the sparsely-populated rural Karoo to Soweto, South Africa’s famous bustling township, to the international playground of Cape Town - you will find your B&B hosts go out of their way to ensure that you have a comfortable stay. They are also on hand to advise you about the best sites and adventures in the area.
Homegrown Hospitality
Many travelers and tourists say there is no better way to get to know a place and to get to know ‘the locals’ than in a B&B. This especially appeals to the growing trend amongst visitors to actively ‘live’ the cultural experience of a country.
The Business Trip Alternative
Plenty of local and international businesspeople prefer staying in B&Bs, as opposed to larger, more impersonal hotel accommodation. Many return to the same B&Bs on their business trips, which in some way becomes their home-away-from-home.
The Lowdown
As the name suggests, B&Bs include breakfast in the per person room rate (either a full English or Continental breakfast).
Rates vary enormously from establishment to establishment. There are many fine B&Bs for just under or just over R200 per person per night. Others charge several hundred rand per night. Costs depend on a number of factors: location, whether it’s high season or low and what type of accommodation is on offer.
Dining Options
Some B&B’s serve dinner on request - this varies according to where they are situated. For example, if they are in a small country town where there are no or few restaurants available – such as in the Namaqualand/Northern Cape region or in the Karoo, then your hosts often provide lunch and an evening meal.
If you know where you’re heading, it’s often a good idea to book meals (other than breakfast) in advance.
Those in-the-Know
Vanessa Sand, South African hospitality specialist who publishes the popular AA (Automobile Association) Travel Guides says: ‘An increasing number of travelers and tourists to South Africa are following the “B&B trail” – touring South Africa from top to toe and only staying at B&Bs along the way.’
South African hospitality doyenne, Liz Westby-Nunn - who publishes a fine collection of places to stay in South Africa called The Portfolio Collection notes that the local B&B industry has come of age. She says, ‘When we started our Portfolio B&B guide in the early 1990s, we struggled to find 75 B&Bs. We now feature well over 500 in our collection alone and there are well over 10 000 B&Bs in South Africa today’.
She goes on to explain that B&Bs have boomed as an incredibly successful ‘alternative accommodation’ option in the last fifteen years. Westby-Nunn says, ‘they have filled the gap in our market for more affordable accommodation. It’s not always the more affordable option, but generally it is’.
Township Stays
You might want to experience a ‘township stay’ – which is becoming increasingly popular with visitors. Select one out of hundreds of township B&Bs all over the country. Most township B&Bs charge from around R200 per person per night. Highly recommended in Soweto is Botle’s in Soweto near Vilakazi Street (the Hector Petersen memorial is here) and Lolos in Diepkloof.
Rural Retreats
At the other extreme, if you want unpopulated space, glorious semi-desert landscapes and 360-degree horizons, the Karoo is for you. An increasingly popular destination, the Karoo is packed with exciting B&Bs – either situated on the farms or in the larger towns or in the hamlets.
Grading System
Many B&Bs are not part of any star-grading system, yet still offer fine accommodation. However, if you prefer the assurance of grading, South Africa has a voluntary grading system for the hospitality industry. Managed by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA), establishments are awarded anything from one to five stars.
The AA Travel Guide also grades establishments and those accredited carry its ‘quality assured’ status logo. The AA Travel Guide also offers an annual ‘best of’ lineup in its awards brochures and
on its website.
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