75 Best Hotels in South Africa

Almost within soaking distance of the pounding surf, the setting at Storms River Mouth Rest Camp is nothing short of spectacular, making it a must-visit for international visitors. There’s an incredibly wide range of accommodations, including attractive seaside apartments called "oceanettes" that have fully outfitted kitchens. Handsome log cabins, referred to as “chalets,” are popular because they sit closest to the ocean. Forest huts are the cheapest option. There are plenty of activities like kayaking and snorkeling.

This hotel mostly attracts businesspeople and gamblers, but it's a stone's throw from the beach and has some great sea views. Like the adjacent casino, it's designed in the art-deco style of the 1930s, which is in keeping with some of Durban's architectural heritage. The rooms are rather small, but elegantly minimalist with furnishings in pastel shades. The sea views from the higher floors are spectacular (it's worth the slightly higher price for a sea-facing room). Indian cuisine is a speciality at Jeera and will be a highlight of your stay (book ahead for their unique afternoon tea), and cocktails are de rigueur at Lounge Bar. The 36 suites in the towers are more luxurious than those in the hotel.

Built around a hunting lodging dating back to 1888, this beloved lodging has whitewashed cottages neatly arranged around a village green. The inn is well known for its restaurant—De Oude Martha—which was named after the hotel's first cook. Though she has long since retired, her influence lingers. The food is mostly dependable standbys like grilled line fish, chicken, steaks, and pastas. Their most popular dish is a traditional Malay lamb curry with dried apricots.

About 16 km (10 miles) from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, this lodge lies in a forest of fever trees on the 3,700-acre Ubizane Game Reserve and makes a great base from which to explore Hluhluwe, Mkuze, and St. Lucia. Built of thatch and wood, the open-sided lodge sits on stilts overlooking the Mzinene River. Rooms are in separate cottages, also on stilts, along the riverbank. The rooms themselves are small but tastefully decorated. A qualified ranger will take you for a bush walk or a game drive (which is included in your stay) through the small reserve, or a little farther afield for a game drive in nearby Hluhluwe-iMfolozi.

This attractive Victorian-style B&B is set in a delightful garden bursting with roses. Luxurious bedrooms are decorated in pastels and have crisp white linens, bath and shower, satellite TV, and tea/coffeemakers. The two rooms on the first floor of the main building are completely private but share a balcony and lounge; they look out over an area known as Fairyland, a communal farm area where Sir Percy Fitzpatrick set up camp on his way to Lydenburg/Mashishing. Two garden suites are in a detached building and have private entrances. Guests can use a visitors' lounge as well as a refrigerator in the main house.

Spectacular floral arrangements, deep-pile carpets, and voluminous drapes framing the sea-view windows add to the sense of opulence at this beachfront guesthouse. The classic style—with dramatic shades of terra-cotta, soft blues, and corals and rich, vibrant fabrics—tells you you're about to be pampered. Rooms are individually decorated and have private balconies. The beach is just a short hop from the lawns or the saltwater pool. A small kitchenette means you can prepare a small snack or call for delivery.

This self-catering establishment, built in 1915 for the manager of the old Belvedere Power station that provided electricity for the Pilgrim's Rest mining operations, is a great place to experience the awesome beauty of the Blyde River Canyon. Double up in nine twin-bedded rooms, or go it alone in the single room. Plenty of refrigerators, freezers, and stoves make self-catering a pleasure. Several walks, some more gentle than others, take you straight from the house into the surrounding indigenous forests with abundant birdlife and splendid views. The house is fully equipped with linen, towels, cutlery, and crockery, and has a cleaning staff.

This charming boutique hotel, on the banks of the White River, is only a short drive from Kruger Park, and it was originally a 1920s hunting lodge. Rooms, most of which have private gardens and outside showers, are individually furnished in colonial, Victorian, Provençal, or English-country styles. High tea, which includes cucumber sandwiches and cream scones, is a specialty. Sip an evening sundowner, before dining on superb county-style cuisine under the stars ($$). Fly-in guests receive complimentary transfers to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, only 4½ km (3 mi) from the lodge. Balloon flights, helicopter trips, Kruger Park excursions, and scenic trips can be arranged.

Occupying an entire city block in the heart of Cape Town, this mixed-use complex consists of apartments, offices, retail space, and a Three Cities hotel comprised of several buildings. The Tower is the most contemporary and spacious with two-bedroom apartments, while the Fairbairn has an art-deco bent, and the Kendall benefits from wood flooring and inlaid stone work. An excellent location from which to explore by day, the area can feel eerily quiet at night. Doppio Zero on the ground floor is the complex's Italian family-dining franchise. For views of Table Mountain and the Harbor, book as high in the Tower as possible. Rooms in the Winery tend to be noisier, as the reception area is directly beneath.

Accommodations at this small, family-operated game reserve are in luxury tents under the shade of the indigenous camel-thorn trees, with each intimate and secluded tent including a viewing deck overlooking a water hole. The former farm was bought in 1991 by wildlife veterinarian Dr. Johan Kriek, who has developed it as a breeding area for rare antelope species, and the reserve opened its gates to the public only in 2006. It offers 36 different species, including the rare roan antelope and sable antelope, across 4,856 acres of privately owned land. Game-capture tours are also available, as are fly-in bushveld dinners and game-viewing from quad bikes. Facilities include a fully licensed bar, restaurant, pool, mobile spa, and its own helicopter airstrip and helipad; airport shuttle service can be provided from Kimberley. Day visitors are also allowed and encouraged, so you don't necessarily have to stay here.

Built in 1939 in classic colonial style, the Edward is one of Durban's oldest hotels. Although it's been restored almost to its former elegance, it seems to have lost a little of its soul in the process. Nevertheless, service is excellent, and the stylish cut-glass chandeliers, molded ceilings, and subtle art-deco details bring to mind a more refined past. Rooms are tastefully furnished; 10 have balconies overlooking the sea, and the others have bay windows with sea views. The hotel faces beautiful South Beach.

If you find Shakaland too commercial, then consider delving into Zulu culture at this small settlement in a remote valley of Zululand, 60 km (37 miles) from Babanango. Simunye's introduction to traditional Zulu culture extends to contemporary Zulu lifestyles, too. Park at Depart Point and access the camp by a very bumpy road on horseback or 4x4—the views are breathtaking. You'll watch Zulu dancing, visit a working kraal, and meet the locals. Rooms, built of stone and thatch, are a mix of Zulu and pioneer cultures, with locally handmade wooden beds and chairs and decorated with Zulu cooking pots and cow-skin rugs. All the rooms have electricity and hot water. The dining room and bar overlook the quietly flowing Mfule River.

Originally built as the home of a British missionary, this lovingly restored guesthouse also once served as a school before becoming a hotel with rooms decorated with rich fabrics and luxurious finishes. Two have their own plunge pools, one has a Jacuzzi, and others have generous fireplaces. You're a five-minute stroll away from Franschhoek. On arrival, you're automatically booked in at highly rated Bouillabaisse, the sister seafood restaurant down the road, but you're welcome to eat anywhere in the food lovers' paradise that is Franschhoek.

On a quiet street in leafy Oranjezicht, this midsize boutique hotel has spacious, contemporary rooms laid out on two floors around a lovely courtyard in a beautifully restored old building. Amenities include high-quality linens and robes, great bath products (a designer biodegradable line), free off-street parking, and a local mobile phone for your use. Public spaces are somewhat limited, with the breakfast room–cum-bar on the small side, but there is a nice if small pool and outdoor area with an exercise bike and elliptical machine tucked in a corner. The best public feature is probably the roof deck area with stunning views of Table Mountain and the city, though in summer the wind may keep you downstairs.

Hidden among beautiful gardens that extend down to the Lourens River, this peaceful lodge makes a good base for exploring the entire southwestern Cape, including the peninsula, the Winelands, and the Overberg. Large, airy, comfortable rooms with sliding doors open onto the gardens; in the distance the peaks of the Helderberg are visible. D'Vine Restaurant has equally high standards and is regularly voted onto the country's top-100 list. The menu changes seasonally, but the owner is Italian, so there's a strong emphasis on Mediterranean flavors and fresh, local produce.