That South Africa punches well above its weight in the global luxury travel market was again confirmed with the release of this year’s prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Awards: the country garnered the top spot in the best 100 hotels and resorts, and Cape Town was voted fourth out of the world’s 25 must-see cities.
Londolozi private game reserve at Sabi Sands in Mpumalanga was voted the best place in the world to stay by some 77 000 readers of the luxury travel magazine, who gave the resort a near-perfect score of 98.96 out of 100. The Singita reserve, also at Sabi Sand, came in at fourth on the list, scoring 98.1. The two reserves beat out such iconic global hotels as the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai, Palazzo Avino in Ravello, Mystique in Santorini and Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, India.
Condé Nast Traveler Best Hotels in Africa: Readers’ Choice Awards 2014
#1 – One&Only Cape Town – Cape Town, South Africa
#2 – Ellerman House – Cape Town, South Africa
#3 – Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa
#4 – Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa – Cape Town, South Africa
#5 – Cape Cadogan Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa
#6 – Gibb’s Farm – Ngorongoro, Tanzania
#7 – Saxon Boutique Hotel – Johannesburg, South Africa
#8 – Royal Livingstone Hotel – Livingstone, Zambia
#9 – Cape Grace – Cape Town, South Africa
#10 – Table Bay Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa
#11 – Le Quartier Francais – Franschhoek, South Africa
#12 – Giraffe Manor – Nairobi, Kenya
#13 – The Stanley and Livingstone at Victoria Falls – Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
#14 – La Residence – Franschhoek, South Africa
#15 – Victoria & Alfred Hotel – Cape Town, South Africa
#1 – Londolozi Private Game Reserve and Camps – Sabi Sand, South Africa
#2 – Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch – Saratoga, Wyoming, USA
#3 – The Mulia – Bali, Indonesia
#4 – Singita Sabi Sand – Sabi Sand, South Africa
#5 – Triple Creek Ranch – Darby, Montana, USA
#6 – Nayara Springs – Arenal, Costa Rica
#7 – Singita Grumeti Reserves – Serengeti, Tanzania
#8 – Aro Ha – Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand
#9 – Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle – Chiang Rai, Thailand
#10 – Southern Ocean Lodge – Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia
#11 – One&Only The Palm – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
#12 – Gateway Canyons Resort – Gateway, Colorado, USA
#13 – Cal-A-Vie – Vista, California, USA
#14 – Casa Palmero – Pebble Beach, California, USA
#15 – Viceroy Riviera Maya – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
#16 – The Lodge – Sea Island, Georgia, USA
#17 – Qualia – Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia
#18 – Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens – Arenal, Costa Rica
#19 – Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge – Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda
#20 – Mii Amo – Sedona, Arizona, Arizona
#21 – Lake Austin Spa Resort – Austin, Texas, Texas
#22 – XV Beacon – Boston, Massachusetts, USA
#23 – Il Salviatino – Fiesole, Italy
#24 – Lion Sands, Sabi Sand – Sabi Sand, South Africa
#25 – Rancho Valencia Resort – San Diego, California, USA
#26 – Castello di Casole – Casole D’elsa, Italy
#27 – Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz Klammer Lodge – Telluride, Colorado, USA
#28 – Burj Al Arab Jumeirah – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
#29 – 21c Museum Hotel, Cincinnati – Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
#30 – The Langham, Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA
#31 – C Lazy U Ranch – Granby, Colorado, USA
#32 – Palazzo Avino – Ravello, Italy
#33 – Primland Resort – Meadows of Dan, Virginia, USA
#34 – Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan – Bali, Indonesia
#35 – The Point – Upper Saranac Lake, New York, USA
#36 – Rancho La Puerta – Tecate, Mexico
#37 – Jade Mountain – St. Lucia, St. Lucia
#38 – St. Regis Punta Mita Resort – Punta de Mita, Mexico
#39 – Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong – Shanghai, China
#40 – Summer Lodge – Evershot, Dorset, England
#41 – Bushmans Kloof – Cederberg Mountains, South Africa
#42 – Guana Island Resort – Guana Island, British Virgin Islands
#43 – Las Alcobas – Mexico City, D.F., Mexico
#44 – Oberoi Udaivilas – Udaipur, India
#45 – Old Edwards Inn and Spa – Highlands, North Carolina, USA
#46 – Mystique (Luxury Collection) – Santorini, Greece
#47 – Waldorf Astoria Hotel at Shanghai on the Bund – Shanghai, China
#48 – Mombo and Little Mombo Camps – Moremi, Botswana
#49 – Waldorf Astoria Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA