Do you know what should be at the top of your list when planning your vacation? Well, the lodging, of course! Moreover, one suitable alternative to booking hotel rooms when traveling is to choose a Bed and Breakfast! Do you have any idea how many Bed and Breakfast in South Africa there is?
The number is quite staggering, over 4,600! Personally, I never thought that there were so many B&B out there!
The bed and breakfast accommodations are spread out throughout South Africa, and since there is an overwhelming number of B&B in South Africa.
I am not going to list them all! Instead, I will only mention a few B&B accommodations that are worthwhile.
However, before choosing your accommodations for your next vacation in South Africa, you might want to know your options.
How to Choose the Lodging that is Best Suited for You?
First off, if you are booking a safari package from a tour operator that is all-inclusive, you don’t have to worry about the accommodations since it is usually included in the tour package.
However, suppose you don’t want to book a tour package. In that case, you instead wish to customize your vacation by picking the activities and the destinations to visit during your stay in South Africa. You need to answer a few questions before choosing your lodging.
Here is a sample of questions to ask yourself:
- What is your budget?
- Are you traveling alone or with your spouse, or is it a family vacation?
- What type of traveler are you?
The first question about the budget is of the utmost importance. It would be best if you first decided how much you are willing to spend on your African vacation. This will determine what type of Bed & Breakfast you can afford. Like hotels, the B&Bs offer a vast selection, ranging from very affordable to luxurious, enabling you to find the one that fits your budget!
As for the second question, you must remember that there are different types of Beds and Breakfast. For instance, some are more suited for families, whereas others are designed to accommodate solo travelers or couples.
The third question is broad and what I mean when I am referring to the type of traveler is: are you an adventure seeker and traveling only with your backpack? If not, are you a “typical tourist” looking to visit landmarks and going on game drives to see the wildlife?
Because the chances are that if you are an adventure seeker, the type of lodging that you will be looking for will differ significantly from the one that the “typical tourist” is seeking!
So, figuring out the answers to these questions will help you select the best accommodations suited to your style and your budget!
Then the next question is:
Why Stay at a Bed & Breakfast?
The answer to this question can be divided into 4 points:
- Price: In general, B&Bs are less expensive than hotel rooms. However, consider that Bed & Breakfast also uses the star rating system, which ranges from 1 to 5 stars, just like hotels; therefore, some might be more expensive than hotel rooms!
- Better Location: Because of the high number of B&Bs available throughout South Africa, the chances are that you can find one that is close to the main attractions you plan to visit, whereas a hotel might be further away and cost you more!
- Flexibility: With the Bed & Breakfast, even though you don’t have room service, many of them offer access to their kitchens to make yourself a snack!
- A Wealth of information: Your host has the local knowledge and can give you unique insight, such as the best places to eat or visit, and even help you book your activities. As a bonus, you get a cultural experience out of your vacation through your interactions with your host!
I have listed only a few of the B&B accommodations available throughout South Africa. Therefore, this is a very short list of the best Bed and Breakfasts. I created this list to give you an idea of what is available!
Bed and Breakfast in Cape Town
There are more than 1,000 B&Bs in the Western Cape Province, including the ‘Mother City’ (Cape Town).
Here are two of the best B&B within Cape Town:
22 on Rose Bed & Breakfast
The 22 on Rose B&B is in Cape Town in the old Malay Quarter. It is close to Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, and the Camp Bay beaches.
Also, private tours can be booked to see many different attractions, such as the vineyards in the Cape Town area, since it is part of the Cape Winelands region.
Parker Cottage B&B
Parker Cottage offers very luxurious rooms for an affordable price. It is close to the South African National Gallery Art Museum and the Fugard Theatre.
This is the perfect choice for travelers looking for a cultural experience in Cape Town.
Along the Garden Route
You will find more than 250 Beds and Breakfasts along the Garden Route. Among the best ones, you have the Panorama Lodge and the Storms River Guest Lodge.
Panorama Lodge
Along the Garden Route, there is the Panorama Lodge in the town of Knysna, which offers breathtaking views of the Knysna lagoon.
Some of the activities available in the proximity of this lodge include golf, forest walks, boat trip on the lagoon, and water sports, to only name a few.
Storms River Guest Lodge
The Storms River Guest Lodge stands within the Tsitsikamma National Park and, specifically, in the town of Storms River.
The Storms River accommodations are best suited for nature lovers and adventurers alike. Among the most popular attractions, if you are an adrenaline junkie, is the Tsitsikamma Adventure Falls Zipline near Storms River town.
Other activities available include mountain biking, black water tubing, treetop canopy tours, horse riding, and hiking, only to mention a few.
The KwaZulu-Natal Province
The Province of KwaZulu-Natal is a coastline province along the Indian Ocean. More than 400 B&Bs can be found in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. One Bed & Breakfast that stands out is the Akidogo Guest House.
Akidogo Guest House
The Akidogo Guest House is in Warner Beach and about 30 minutes drive south of Durban. It is a very luxurious Bed and Breakfast. Still, it’s very affordable.
There are plenty of activities available in and around Warner Beach.
First off, there are up to 12 beaches in the area, perfect if you are looking for a beach holiday!
Furthermore, if you are a bird lover, you can visit the Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary, also known as the Umdoni Bird Park.
If you are more into sightseeing, you can go for a day trip to the Valley of a Thousand Hills to observe the spectacular scenery.
However, if you are an adventure seeker, you should head out to the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve to try out the “Wild Swing” and experience a free-fall of over 328 ft (100 m) over the Lehr’s Falls, but only if you are looking for an adrenaline rush!
The Mpumalanga Province
The Mpumalanga Province harbors the very popular Kruger National Park and the privately owned Sabi Sand Game Reserve. There are more than 200 B&Bs spread out throughout the Mpumalanga Province.
Utopia in Africa Guest Villa
The Utopia in Africa Guest Villa is on the hills of the Nelspruit Nature Reserve and overlooks the town of Nelspruit.
The Utopia in Africa Guest Villa can easily reach many famous attractions. I only listed here a few possibilities:
- The Kruger National Park is a well-renowned destination for the big five game viewing drives.
- Blyde River Canyon / God’s Windows.
- Elephant sanctuary.
- Sudwala Caves.
Conclusion
As you can see, choosing a Bed and Breakfast will enable you to be within reach of many great attractions and for a better price than hotels!
Furthermore, you’ll get more personalized service by booking your lodging in a B&B. Your host will be able to help you book your different activities.
In fact, your host is an invaluable source of information that will enable you to get the most out of your South African vacation!
Since there is an overwhelming number of B&B lodging in South Africa, you’ll be able to find the one that fits both your budget and your traveling style.
If you have any questions about Bed and Breakfast accommodations or would like to offer your personal review on B&B, please leave a comment below. I am looking forward to hearing from you.
B&Bs look so much more beautiful than big hotels. They can give you a more authentic vacation, where you get to meet and talk to some local people who can share invaluable local knowledge with you.
Plus, as you say, you can stay in some more exciting and central locations. There aren’t many B&Bs; in Thailand, people don’t have big enough houses to offer it! There are a few homestays here, but most tourists stay in hotels and resorts, which is a shame because you really don’t experience the local culture that way. Staying in bed and breakfast in South Africa definitely seems like a great option.
As you say, if you want to get a feel of the local culture you should opt to stay in Bed & Breakfast for sure! It’s a pity that there is no more B & B in Thailand since the culture is so fascinating and the people are so warm and friendly!
Thanks.
Bed And Breakfast in South Africa are something I never thought about, and it sounds a splendid idea to travel on a budget.
One thing I will love to do with my life is travel to Africa and do a Safari.
This article opened my eyes because I know now there is a way to do it with a small budget.
Thank you very much, I´ll read again soon.
When you are ready to travel to South Africa for your safari adventure of a lifetime, because of the overwhelming number of Beds and Breakfasts places in South Africa, you will have no problem finding a B&B that fits your budget! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Sonia,
Thank you for providing all of this great information about Bed and Breakfast in South Africa. I had no idea that there were so many options available. And knowing that I would have no clue where to start, I am going to save this page because I would like to travel to South Africa and this will be very helpful information.
Thanks for sharing,
Ilyssa
You should most certainly consider staying in a B&B while traveling in South Africa. If you are on a tight budget, the savings that you will make by choosing a Bed and Breakfast can be used to do additional activities such as visiting famous landmarks, or if you are looking for something more adventurous, you should try zip lining, bungee jumping only to name a few!
Thanks.
For real? Over 4,600? Is there any reason behind the numbers which made B&B everywhere around South Africa?
If you list and detail every single B&B, that would be a post that’s gonna take ages, and in the end, you’re struggling to come up with conclusions.
I never have thought B&B was luxurious. I always believe that it’s just affordable hospitality. I was wrong, after all. You can live quite a posh with B&B.
Yes, there is more than 4,600 Bed And Breakfast in South Africa and growing! There are a few reasons for the high number of B&B. First off, B&B is usually cheaper than hotels, and the Bed & Breakfast offers a more personalized service to its customers.
Another factor contributing to their popularity is their location. Since many of them is situated at a short distance from many attractions such as National Parks, museums, famous landmarks and so on.
Sonia,
I have heard a lot about South Africa as a great place to travel. I have never been there but have been thinking about it. I had no idea that there were so many Bed and Breakfast accommodations in South Africa. This sounds like an excellent way to go. Your suggestions are priceless. I liked your video on Panorama Lodge. It looks like a place that I would like to stay at. Thanks for sharing.
Bob
South Africa, with its cultural diversity, is also known as the ‘Rainbow Nation’! Personally, for the same price, I would choose a Bed and Breakfast instead of a hotel room, because of the personalized service you get.
The Panorama Lodge is a lovely place. However, I would prefer to stay in an old manor converted into a Bed and Breakfast!
Thanks.
Great article to get people asking themselves the right questions when planning a trip to South Africa so they should end up finding good holiday accommodation to suit their needs. I didn’t realise there were so many B&Bs; in SA! I like your 4 points, it could be particularly useful having a host on hand to ask questions about local knowledge if you haven’t been to South Africa before. B&Bs; can be relaxing, peaceful places but at the same time friendly and personable. I would definitely consider using one on a trip to SA.
I like B&Bs better than hotels. They are less expensive than hotels and smaller. So you feel more like if you were staying with friends!
I think that by interacting with the locals and getting the ‘local knowledge’ you get to learn about places that might not be the main tourist attractions, but turned out to be awesome places to visit!
Nice tips, great post! I love bed and breakfast places for their personal, and private touch. They can be found in remote, places, but can be surprisingly elegant, and full of history. I once stayed at Charles Darwin’s nieces manor. It was built beside a remote lake during the turn of the century, in Canada! She married a sea captain and moved to the middle of nowhere. What an elegant stay, and a surprising find! Anyway, I’m sure there is lots to discover and experience in South Africa. Is there any security worries about staying at a B&B in South Africa? We would like to travel there soon.
You’re right Bed & Breakfast can be a real Gem! Just like the B&B you mentioned in Canada, there are in South Africa some old castles or manors that have been turned into a B&Bs!
As for security issues, South Africa is safe to travel to and is a malaria-free country. But, like everything else, you have to use common sense and caution when traveling. The B&Bs in South Africa is safe to stay in, so no worries there. 🙂