BA to The Western Cape - 3 Towns in 2 Weeks
Dec 30, 2018, 3:29 am
#18
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: JNB
Programs: Flying Blue, Miles and Smiles, Hhonors, ICHotels
Posts: 1,307
Having been to Hermanus as a youngster and then after, say, 25 years, I enjoyed this spot.
But next time, try going through the Hemel and Aarde valley - some lessor known wineries and great scenery close to Hermanus.
Great that you enjoyed yet another trip to my Country, and yes, true what you mentioned about the Zimbabwean and Malawian servers.
Dec 30, 2018, 3:55 am
#19
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Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Having been to Hermanus as a youngster and then after, say, 25 years, I enjoyed this spot.
But next time, try going through the Hemel and Aarde valley - some lessor known wineries and great scenery close to Hermanus.
Great that you enjoyed yet another trip to my Country, and yes, true what you mentioned about the Zimbabwean and Malawian servers.
But next time, try going through the Hemel and Aarde valley - some lessor known wineries and great scenery close to Hermanus.
Great that you enjoyed yet another trip to my Country, and yes, true what you mentioned about the Zimbabwean and Malawian servers.
Hemel and Aarde noted ... I must ask Adriaan to divert next time [if he has the time, of course].
Glad to get further validation on the servers. ^
Dec 30, 2018, 11:47 am
#20
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
OMG, we’ve only been home a week and we’re already planning a similar trip in Oct 19 and Feb 20 ... and paying money to fly for one of them!! This place is seriously addictive!
In the current BA Sale for Club World/Business, and taking these hotel costs going forward, we can do this for about Ł7.5k for 2 weeks (F&B exempt, of course). We’ve already paid Ł6.5k for one week’s AI in St Lucia for next June!!!
In the current BA Sale for Club World/Business, and taking these hotel costs going forward, we can do this for about Ł7.5k for 2 weeks (F&B exempt, of course). We’ve already paid Ł6.5k for one week’s AI in St Lucia for next June!!!
Dec 30, 2018, 12:43 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: OTP
Programs: AF/KL platinum, Turkish gold, QR gold
Posts: 1,572
Thanks for the trip report! Looks like it was a lovely trip with some great food and wine.. I really have to make it down south there myself one day, it all looks very appealing!
Dec 30, 2018, 12:53 pm
#22
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
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It is, without any reservations, our favourite destination on so many levels. But of course there are other places we haven’t been yet!
Last edited by T8191; Dec 30, 2018 at 12:58 pm
Dec 30, 2018, 1:48 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Platinum
Posts: 2,375
I too was in the WC...
I too visited the Western Cape this year, and spent my time 2 nights in Hermanus, 3 nights in CT (well that's where I thought I was staying) and 1 night in Franschoek.
In Hermanus I stayed at the Whale Rock Luxury Lodge. www.whalerock.co.za
I stayed here last year, and will stay here again. Its not in the centre of town, and is actually very close to the little harbour. Driving distance for me, but a 20-30 minute walk for others. I loved the welcome I got last year, and again this year was made to feel completely welcome. While the rooms were not quite as luxurious as Uncle T's, I was more than happy with everything.
I can't give prices, because mine was booked as part of BA holiday, but I would guess it was around Ł75 per night. A particular touch I really like is that all their bathroom amenities are made from/with named grapes Eg Merlot.
In CT I had booked somewhere in Camps Bay but as I was not willing to accept their conditions ended up staying elsewhere. I usually book via booking.com as I did this year. My original accommodation wrote to me in February advisingthat they needed payment in full by next week Thursday for my refundable changeable booking in December. If I didn't pay they would cancel my booking, and as I declined to pay, they duly cancelled the booking. So I ended up booking at the Blaauwberg Guest House., which was essentially cheap self catering accommodation. The pics looked brilliant for the cost, with the pool looking particularly inviting. What the accommodation was, was a young family having a room at the back of their house which they were renting out. The room itself was distinctly nothing like the pictures, although the bathroom was. In fact the bathroom may have been larger than the bedroom. The swimming pool was separately enclosed and not accessible. It was also nowhere near as close to the beach as I thought. As I'm not very familiar with Greater Cape Town, I also had not realised this was a 45 minute drive from town centre on a very good day... Nothing wrong with the accommodation but not what I wanted.
My final night I stayed in Franschoek at Le Manse, self catering accommodation right in the hear of the town. It really is in the centre of the town, being a small apartment attached to The Church Pastor's Home right next The Church in The Town Centre. I stayed here last year, and will stay here again happily next year. Not quite luxurious, but spacious, and very comfortable as well as impeccably spotlessly clean. Despite being self catering, it was fully prepared with tea, coffee, milk, as well as some small snacks should I need. The cost was R900 for the night. Approx Ł50. I cannot recommend this location and accommodation sufficiently.
My trip was a holiday booking ex EU from AMS to JHB, with separately booked internal flights. JHB-DUR-CPT-JHB. 4 flight reservations, of which 1 was the holiday with accommodation and car hire. Total cost including ALL accom (11 nights) , and 3 car hires covering 13 days and flights was approx Ł1100. In Y, unfortunately.
FYI. I am South African, from Durban, but have lived in the UK for 30 years now. It has been my intention to return home to SA for my retirement, and I have been holidaying in SA as a way of seeing my country, and familiarising myself with it as it is now...
In Hermanus I stayed at the Whale Rock Luxury Lodge. www.whalerock.co.za
I stayed here last year, and will stay here again. Its not in the centre of town, and is actually very close to the little harbour. Driving distance for me, but a 20-30 minute walk for others. I loved the welcome I got last year, and again this year was made to feel completely welcome. While the rooms were not quite as luxurious as Uncle T's, I was more than happy with everything.
I can't give prices, because mine was booked as part of BA holiday, but I would guess it was around Ł75 per night. A particular touch I really like is that all their bathroom amenities are made from/with named grapes Eg Merlot.
In CT I had booked somewhere in Camps Bay but as I was not willing to accept their conditions ended up staying elsewhere. I usually book via booking.com as I did this year. My original accommodation wrote to me in February advisingthat they needed payment in full by next week Thursday for my refundable changeable booking in December. If I didn't pay they would cancel my booking, and as I declined to pay, they duly cancelled the booking. So I ended up booking at the Blaauwberg Guest House., which was essentially cheap self catering accommodation. The pics looked brilliant for the cost, with the pool looking particularly inviting. What the accommodation was, was a young family having a room at the back of their house which they were renting out. The room itself was distinctly nothing like the pictures, although the bathroom was. In fact the bathroom may have been larger than the bedroom. The swimming pool was separately enclosed and not accessible. It was also nowhere near as close to the beach as I thought. As I'm not very familiar with Greater Cape Town, I also had not realised this was a 45 minute drive from town centre on a very good day... Nothing wrong with the accommodation but not what I wanted.
My final night I stayed in Franschoek at Le Manse, self catering accommodation right in the hear of the town. It really is in the centre of the town, being a small apartment attached to The Church Pastor's Home right next The Church in The Town Centre. I stayed here last year, and will stay here again happily next year. Not quite luxurious, but spacious, and very comfortable as well as impeccably spotlessly clean. Despite being self catering, it was fully prepared with tea, coffee, milk, as well as some small snacks should I need. The cost was R900 for the night. Approx Ł50. I cannot recommend this location and accommodation sufficiently.
My trip was a holiday booking ex EU from AMS to JHB, with separately booked internal flights. JHB-DUR-CPT-JHB. 4 flight reservations, of which 1 was the holiday with accommodation and car hire. Total cost including ALL accom (11 nights) , and 3 car hires covering 13 days and flights was approx Ł1100. In Y, unfortunately.
FYI. I am South African, from Durban, but have lived in the UK for 30 years now. It has been my intention to return home to SA for my retirement, and I have been holidaying in SA as a way of seeing my country, and familiarising myself with it as it is now...
Last edited by Cris L; Dec 30, 2018 at 1:55 pm Reason: Spelling
Dec 30, 2018, 2:02 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Platinum
Posts: 2,375
Wine Farms
While in Hermanus, I visited the Benquela Cove Estate, where I tasted 5 wines.as part of a wine and cheese pairing experience.
Cost was R110 or around Ł6.
On the way to Franschoek I had booked a wine blending experience at the Vergenoegd estate, which was quite pricy at R300 or approx Ł17, which was as stated a blend your own wine experience. I was the only person doing the experience so got incredible attention, and included in that was a bottle of your wine blend with a special label stating blended by...
Funnily enough ALL the wine farms I visited this year charged for the tastings, whereas those I visited last year didn't.
Cost was R110 or around Ł6.
On the way to Franschoek I had booked a wine blending experience at the Vergenoegd estate, which was quite pricy at R300 or approx Ł17, which was as stated a blend your own wine experience. I was the only person doing the experience so got incredible attention, and included in that was a bottle of your wine blend with a special label stating blended by...
Funnily enough ALL the wine farms I visited this year charged for the tastings, whereas those I visited last year didn't.
Dec 30, 2018, 2:26 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, Vietnam Airlines Lotusmiles Platinum
Posts: 2,375
Dec 31, 2018, 1:56 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
Hi Cris L, and thank for adding some alternatives! ^
Well-funded retirement is good, Physci, but not everyone can achieve that. Anyway, you're [almost] too young.
Well-funded retirement is good, Physci, but not everyone can achieve that. Anyway, you're [almost] too young.