Dinokeng Game Reserve Day Visit : Pros and cons My bush cravings were getting serious so on Women’s Day, I dragged my reluctant husband to Dinokeng Game Reserve , since it’s the only Big Five Game Reserve in our province, Gauteng. We got there at 11:30 am, admittedly not a great time to spot wildlife. […]
Looking for things to do in Johannesburg ? Read on... Johannesburg – South Africa’s biggest city and commercial epicentre. Also known as Jozi, Joburg, or Egoli (City of Gold in Zulu), it began as a gold-mining settlement in the 19th century. There is more to this cosmopolitan city than shopping. If you are visiting Johannesburg, […]
Hennops Hiking Trail Travelling is what I missed the most during the extended lockdown period. Yes, I know that it is a first-world problem, but I can’t help it - I’m a dromomaniac. Dromomania is a term used to describe a desire for frequent traveling or wanderlust. So until travel resumed, I had to find other […]
What makes a great hotel? Is it the beautiful surroundings, the great service or the delicious food? If it is any of these, then Kievits Kroon can safely boast all of them. It was awarded Best Luxury Country Hotel in Africa by the World Luxury Hotel Awards multiple times, proving that this is not only […]
Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa Review A journey to forty-one different destinations. I thought that it was a rather apt way to describe the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel and Spa, with its forty-one exquisitely designed units. The five-star hotel was recently crowned the ‘Best Luxury Boutique Hotel’ in South Africa by the World Luxury Hotel Awards, […]
The Orient Hotel and Restaurant Mosaic A short drive away from Pretoria, ensconced in a 280 hectare nature reserve, stands a Moorish-inspired marvel rising like a mirage above the trees. As you enter the gateway leading to the palace-like structure, you leave the real world behind and enter a world of fantasy and make-believe, a […]
Thaba Ya Batswana Eco Hotel and Spa Review During the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, long before the official on-field battles for the Cup began, two prominent teams were engaged in another sort of battle. Mexico and Portugal were both fighting for the privilege of staying at Thaba Ya Batswana Eco Hotel and […]
If your children love to fidget / experiment , are budding scientists or struggling with science, then you definitely need to take them to Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Johannesburg’s Newtown district. Here the words “Don’t Touch” don’t exist and they can touch, feel, press and play to their little hearts’ content. Scientific concepts are explained with […]
If you ever doubted that Johannesburg was an urban forest, then you should look at it from the Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff (aka The Westcliff Hotel ). You will see a canopy of verdant treetops with sprinklings of purple jacaranda blossoms and the occasional red-tiled rooftop, stretching far into the horizons. The hotel overlooks the Johannesburg […]
Mount Grace Country House & Spa Review A weekend away is always a pleasant prospect to look forward to and when the destination happens to be a five-star hotel in the countryside, then one’s eager anticipation can be forgiven. I had been to African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa twice before and was […]
De Hoek Country Hotel I had heard much about the five-star De Hoek Country Hotel before I went there so, needless to say, my expectations were high. After a beautiful drive through the bucolic Magaliesberg area, we crossed the stone bridge shaded by willow trees, over the Magalies River and into a serene valley. Picturesque […]
The preceding few weeks had been hectic and my stress levels were at an all-time high. A weekend away sounded enticing but a long drive to get there didn’t. I had been wanting to visit Valley Lodge and Spa for a while and its proximity to Johannesburg was a plus. Then the cold front attacked […]
27 Boxes, Melville 27 Boxes is a shopping centre in the trendy suburb of Melville, Johannesburg. What makes it unique is that it is made entirely of shipping containers - a first in South Africa. It was inspired by the Boxpark in London and the George Pompidou Centre in Paris . For those of you wondering where the […]
I walked into the huge open-plan lobby of the Radisson Blu Gautrain and was immediately struck by its size – extending all the way from the Central One Restaurant on the one end to the bar at the other, with the reception area in–between. The public areas seemed to flow together harmoniously, welcoming me to […]
Nizamiye Mosque - "Where heart and mind meet" As one travels on the busy highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, it is likely that one’s eye will be caught by a striking vision of domes and minarets, a sight one would be much more likely to see in Istanbul, Turkey than in Midrand, Johannesburg. It is […]
