South Africa

[Onesipmore]

Hi
DH and I are planning 5 nights in SA in February, split between Cape Town and the Winelands. Does anyone have any top tips on great hotels, wine tastings etc?
We will go and see the penguins and Table Mountain, but don't want to pack too much in as some relaxation needed. Thanks so much.

You’ll get more helpful responses if you post this in the Holiday topic!

YABU.

We booked a longer trip through trailfinders with both of those included, and loved it. Mont Rachelle Hotel in Franshoek is amazing and came with a complimentary wine tasting.

Check out this place in Franschhoek I found on Hotels․com.
https://hotels.app.link/4RopUro8HZb

The town is also really nice to wander around too. I didn't really rate the hotel we stayed in Cape town (southern sun) but it was a good base close to the waterfront and within easy reach of everything there.

We did a really lovely picnic and wine tour at Groot Constantia, many wineries do them and it’s well worth it.

Apologies to those offended by me posting in AIBU, just a simple mistake !
Thank you to those who have offered some food for thought

Franschoek -
franschoek country house hotel
wine tram
lunch at babel
dinner at La petite colombe

Cape Town - dinner at fyn, maybe pier, if interested in nobu the one there is pretty cheap. Kirstenbosch botanical gardens. Don’t see the penguins from the boardwalk, get down onto the beach (may need to scramble over a rock or two)

Why only 5 nights? Sounds like a lot is on your agenda in just a few days

We stayed at The Portswood on the waterfront at Cape Town and The Last Word in Franschoek. Both great. The Portswood is a large 4 star hotel in a central location and The Last Word is a boutique hotel.

I think if you want relaxation as well, you'd be better staying in Cape Town tbh - just going to see the penguins takes most of the day. We were there in April and stayed at the AC Marriot on the Waterfront for a couple of nights (we were in a different hotel before as were there for a wedding, but it was a taxi into the city each time) and it was really nice and a very good price.
The Silvermist vineyard is in Cape Town and do wine tasting of their organic wines which we really enjoyed (the drum show is way better than you might think too).
Rather than trekking to the penguin beach if you are short on time, you can see the wild penguins on Robben Island

Went last year to Capetown for 6 nights. I would really recommend the Capetown pass thing for being safe / good value. The HOHO buses were great, went up sunset hill, sunset cruise, table mountain, and all of the other stuff houts bay etc. Groots Constantia was part of the pass and excellent. We also booked a wine tour through the HOHO people and it was OK, but not great. We booked a private driver to go to Cape point, boulders bay etc. for the day and it was worth it. I would stay at V&A or somewhere that can shuttle bus you in. V & A area is safe, but other areas are not. We stayed in the Doubletree, which although out of V&A had shuttles, and a decent tour desk. I travel a lot and it is not the place to say "well, I am just going to take public transport and get down with the local scene", ubers are cheap anyway. Eating out and having a good time is relatively cheap, but I think you have to stay in your lane iykwim. HTH x

Been to South Africa twice solo.

Fab time. Stayed in Soweto.Travelled all over.

Met 2 young women driving alone.

1 18 and another 21. Both from Germany.

MN eh, always scared.

Live life!