S.A./Cape Town/Madikwe/Eastern - Need advice on Hotels/B&Bs/lodges
 

Just wanted to get some opinions on Hotels vs. B & Bs and the differences (advantages/disavantages), as well as some lodge choices in certain areas:

Madikwe: Any reccomendations for lodges that are good, but maybe wouldn't break the bank

We were suggested Madikwe Safari Lodge so far.

Eastern cape and/or Kwangwe: which one? was suggested Ecca Lodge, Amakhala Private Game Reserve or Blaaubosch

Shamwari: which one?

Johann: suggested southern sun o.r. tambo international airport hotel

Capetown: Hotel or B & B? was reccomended cape cadagon, radisson hotel, but I'm sure there are really good ones.

Winelands: Fransshhoek Country House, Ocean 11,

Tstikamma Mountains: Hog Hollow Lodge

Garden Route: spier (stellenbosch), Rosendorf (oudtshoom), Periwinkle Lodge (Plettenberg Bay)

Also seeking information on how to book by ourselves instead of an agency (cannot find many direct email links to places, and if you think that would save money - usually we book rooms instead of per person, especially for hotels). So any info at all for some real newcomers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

madikwe - i would go for mateya! if the budget doesn't allow i would book with impodimo!

generally speaking: direct bookings are not necessarily cheaper!

try a travel consultant who has been to all these places or at least met the reps in person.

in germany i have got one:
www.marketconsultkeller.de

they charge an initiation fee which is not that high and also a service fee for bookings and consultations.

but it doesn't come more expensive than direct bookings as far as i have experienced

Just stayed at Kensington Place in Cape Town, its wonderful and with its own web site so I'm sure you can book direct.
In Madikwe, I can recommend Makanyane highly.

After all of your multiple posts I see you have now come up with a list of places you would like to consider.
If you are kkeen on Madikwe Safari Lodge why not go to this site they do direct bookings for several lodges in Madikwe.
http://madikwegamereserve.net/Madikw...odge/index.php
There are many other similar sites. Do not forget to find out how you are going to get there, it is a long drive from Joburg but you can get a charter from Lanseria.

I believe Fed Air also run a daily service from JNB to Madikwe.

hi, animallover...

I can only tell you about te hplaces we stayed -

CPT - the Radisson - it was terrific, from the standard of the rooms, through service, to teh breakfast buffet.

depending on the time of year, you may be able to get a good deal direct - we had 3 nights free with a "mantis" deal, but got the 4th night for U$200 per room.

Tsittiskama - hog hollow - it was excellent and friends that we resommended it to said it was the best place they stayed in their three weeks in SA. it does get booked up very quickly though.

Shamwari - we stayed at Bushman's River lodge, which was probably the most luxurious place I've ever stayed! it's only got 5 rooms which may not suit everyone, but for our second night we were the only guests so it was like a private trip.

our two nights at Shamwari got us the three nights at the Radisson, so it's well worth looking at the parent company's web-site at www.mantis.com to see what offers they've got.

hope this helps,

good luck,

regards, ann

@napamatt
you are right: makanyane is very nice especially the room with their 3-window walls. excellent management, good game drives and sam the chef is awesome.

but impodimo has got the tracker/guide system where the tracker is shangan which is very efficient and the wildlife is more diverse incl. leopard and wild dogs. okay they are not for granted but as an overall impression: impodimo has got better value for money and the guide/tracker system makes a huge diffrence.

YES fed air has scheduled flights