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WHAT SOME OF OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING
Darren - Ireland |
First of all I would like to say a big thank you from both of us for organising a super holiday for us - the great thing was we didn't have to do too much planning for the whole 2 1/2 weeks - just what the doctor ordered! We got all the photos of our holiday over the weekend and it brought it all back!
Anyway, as promised some feedback.
Primi Royal - a great place to start. The hotel is in a perfect location and the room was absolutely fabulous! The staff there are really friendly and helpful as well. Would not hesitate to recommend it as a great place to base yourself in Cape Town.
Hermanus Schulphoek - A nice place to chill out. After the "pressure" to sightsee in Cape Town, we were glad of the excuse to just chill out. Did a nice walk along the beach front. The food there is excellent and the "communal dining" was a nice change.
Arniston - it's a fantastic location and it was great to have a room facing the sea.
Phantom Forest - as promised this place was fantastic. It really has the wow factor and has to be seen to be believed. The best thing about it is the luxury combined with the privacy - we could have been a mile from the next chalet. The outdoor jacuzzi was great! We were very unlucky in that our full day there it never stopped raining. This meant we couldn't take advantage of the coolest pool in the world or do the walks as they said they were too dangerous in the wet. That was just bad luck though and I would tell everyone it is a fantastic place to stay. The food there is incredible. Hog Hollow - I think this place was the highlight of the holiday for us. Again, our cottage was only a few metres from the next, but you had a feeling of complete isolation. Again, the food there was excellent, with the communal dining. They make a real event of it, and the manager impressed us by walking around the table and getting everyone's name (all 20) correct - pretty good touch. We had good fun at the meals - and had 2 scary small world experiences, one, the 2 ladies from my home street (who you met!) and a guy who works for my best man - scarily small world. Another thing that really impressed us, on our full day there, we woke up and it was lashing rain again. We were writing off the day and I planned a day in the hammock with a book - but the owner, Andy, pulled out a big folder and basically ordered us off the premises with a load of walking maps :-) It was the best thing he ever did as we had a fabulous day in Storms River and the Tsitsikama National Park - the weather picked up and it was one of the best days of the entire holiday. We didn't get to see him again to thank him, but if you are talking to him, let him know we appreciated it. We both really loved this place, and if people were looking for somewhere to stay for say a week, I would say this place is perfect - it's a wonderful location to go in either direction along the Garden Route - and judging by the size of the folder Andy had, he could keep you walking for months! :-) Only problem would be, you couldn't eat there 7 days in a row - you'd put on 2 stone! :-)
Karoo Lodge - the Swartberg Pass was a real experience - I love that sort of thing! We arrived at the Karoo Lodge at 11 am and were a bit worried that we might be too early for check-in. The welcome we got from the 2 owners was nothing short of fantastic. I likened it to arriving at the house of an aunt who had missed the wedding - she was that excited. They were delighted that we arrived early and her only complaint was that she had not had a chance to leave flowers and champagne in our room! Her husband brought us around his garden showing us all the fruit. They were fantastic. They also sent us 25k down a dirt track to a pass between 2 valleys for sunset - it was wonderful - we were in the middle of nowhere, with only the sounds of the Karoo. Truly unforgettable! We would have loved to have more than one night there. Interestingly, 2 other couples I know have stayed in Prince Albert and they all loved the place too - I don't know what it is about the place, but it was definitely our number 2 after Hog Hollow.
Auberge Clermont - this was a really nice place and Franschoek is a good place to end the holiday. We had a lovely time here. We had a great day touring the vineyards with a local guide. He was fantastic, bringing us first of all to a small wine farm where the guy there gave us a real good basic explanation of the whole winemaking process. We then went to a few other vineyards of different sizes. We were well drunk by the end of it. I haven't got the guide's card in work with me but will dig it out and send you his details. He was excellent and would be a good contact to give to other people. Summary
The highlights have to be Hog Hollow and Karoo Lodge - both for location and the people. Followed closely by Phantom Forest and Primi (both of these are real "Wow Factor" places). I think an ideal chill out holiday could be arrive in Cape Town, head straight to Prince Albert for 3 or 4 days for chill out and a little sight seeing, then Hog Hollow for a week with a load of walking, depending on budget, a couple of nights in Phantom Forest, and finish up in Cape Town at the Primi. That's what I would love to do if I went back in a few years, or was sending my parents, for example. No holiday in South Africa is complete without mentioning the food - we ate in Blues, One (Cape Grace Hotel) and Codfather in Cape Town. Blues was good, One was excellent (my work colleagues bought this as a present for us) and Codfather was out of this world (Siobhan had never had sushi, but she hasn't stopped fantasising about it since!). Of the 3, Codfather is the must eat. Of the places we stayed, Schulpoek, Phantom Forest and Hog Hollow were all excellent! Hard to separate them to be honest. Anyway, thanks again for a wonderful holiday. Hopefully we will find another excuse to go back again soon. |
I am more than certain that it was a great choice and we owe a substantial part of it to your good advices and services along the period of the trip planning and the 2.5 weeks of the trip itself.... 
The stops you recommended, and the places you booked, were wonderful....
The hotels the lodges in the park were excellent as well as you advice for touring. I travel for many years and I never found such high professional escort....
The Kruger park trip was wonderful, lots of nature and wild!...
Africa was great! I had high expectation to start with - and the experience has exceeded my best expectations....
NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING can overshadow the unbelievable experience we've had in the past 30 days!!!!!...
We had the best time! ...
Moira and Chris Greenhalgh - Australia
You guys really helped to make our honeymoon special. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....
So much happened on this holiday that we could write a book ......
Malcolm and Margaret Knight - UK
You have the most incredible country and the friendliest of people.
The local information that you provided for each stop proved invaluable and really did help us to make the most of our time there....
Thanks for finding and arranging Nedile Lodge for us, it was just perfect....
Thank you for having organized every thing to a perfection, I'll keep very good memories for having worked on that trip with you and as I told before I'll give your contacts to the many friends we have around and who are looking forward to coming to RSA t...
Just a quick email to thank you for your assistance with the planning of our trip to SA. All went very smoothly without any problems....
We had a wonderful time in South-Africa. Everything worked out, and we had no problems....
Mandy Chweidan and Family - Israel
We wanted to thank you very much for planning and organizing the best trip of our lives. Everything about the trip was perfectly planned and executed which is RARE when you are traveling to the other side of the world....
You did an incredible job for me and I will always be grateful for that. You are very good at what you do and I have only praise for everything you arranged for me/us. I had no idea what to expect and through your effort I really maximized my ...
We had a wonderful time! We did the travel program almost exact as you offer us and found it very comfortable and interesting.
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Our trip to South Africa was an outstanding experience and we ended it on such a high note because of your expertise and assistance....
I am telling everyone they need to go to South Africa so if someone wants to go I am definitely passing along your name....
... a super-dooper holiday - made seemlessly simple through all your hardwork and commitment! I will not hestiate in recommending you to any friends, family and colleagues I know - you run a real slick operation! ...
Beth and I had a wonderful time in South Africa and we thank you very much for helping us plan our trip and for being there for us when we needed assistance. Our memories will last a lifetime and we are positive that we will be back at some point in the...
Thanks again for a superlative holiday. We both enjoyed it thoroughly. The highlights for us were the Blue Train, Etali, and Four Rosmead. ...
What an interesting and beautiful country! Very friendly people, beautiful landscapes and fantastic animals (although the leopard will be for our next trip)....
Your service was inspirational - I've always been told you don't get something for nothing but Africa Awaits provided us with a hassle free itinerary, directions and peace of mind and lots of top touring tips.......and a bottle of champagne! Thank you so ...
Quad biking in Swakop and Serra Cafema was excellent. Well done!...
We have already recommended the lodge (and yourselves) to a number of friends and will continue to do so in the future - we are also hoping to be able to visit Zwahili again soon ... ummm ... perhaps without the kids for a more "romantic getaway"...
Robs tours were wonderful and the energy and enthusiasm that he puts into them is quite superb....
We had a fabulous holiday - thanks so much for the smooth organisation and fantastic recommendations - all accomodation was outstanding....
Lucy and Ian Stewart - England
Over the years we have had many memorable holidays in locations around the world, however our holiday in SA was the best ever. ...
Malcolm and Christine Miller - Scotland
Everything was superb, Klein Genot fantastic place and we did a good bit of shopping in the wine region for art etc. All places you suggested were great. ...
They had a WONDERFUL experience and loved every minute of it.... in their last game drive they saw male leopard, lioness with cubs and the cheetah!!!...
Thanks for a great trip!!! It was effortless for us to plan, and travel because of all of your hard work. ...
Many many thanks for all your help in making it happen, it was very much appreciated....
As to the time away, yes it was just wonderful. Le Franschhoek is a beautiful hotel and we were all very much impressed, and just to be in that part of the world is special....
Thank you for making all the arrangements and for getting everything so very right! ...
Thanks are equally due to you and Mellanie at "Africa Awaits" for your efficient, courteous, and attentive service....
The holiday can best be summed up by Sue who said it was a holiday of a lifetime....
We kindly thank you for your attention and your services; we've had a lovely holiday....
First of all I would like to say a big thank you from both of us for organising a super holiday for us - the great thing was we didn't have to do too much planning for the whole 2 1/2 weeks - just what the doctor ordered! We got all the photos of our holi...
It was the most fantastic time, that neither of us will forget......
Throughout our dealings I have felt I could trust your judgment completely and I can't believe my luck in having found your company on the net......
What a brilliant time we had in South Africa, culminating in that magical day with you and Roger, the wine expert, planning it perfectly so that we were able to sample those delicious wines......
We just arrived home last night from the honeymoon, we had a wonderful time, we truly didn't want to come home! The hotel, the food, the water sports, the service, just perfect. ...
Rachel & Gavin - United Kingdom
Africa Awaits - The best, (but you knew that.....) we would recommend you to anyone... ...
We had a wonderful time, we enjoyed every minute of it!...
Thank You very much for the perfect organization of everything and for calling in at Kagga Kamma to find out if we got there ok!...
They had a wonderful time, but that would not have been impossible without the wisdom and maturity of professionals like you......
Mark Henley & Delamere Travel - USA
Everything was superb, Klein Genot fantastic place and we did a good bit of shopping in the wine region for art etc. All places you suggested were great......
Over the years we have had many memorable holidays in locations around the world, however our holiday in SA was the best ever......
Malcolm and Christine - Scotland
