Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa
Website

The five-star Arabelle Western Cape Hotel and Spa is a short drive from Hermanus, famous for its whale-watching, and boasts a Pete Matkovich-designed golf course, which was rated the number two course in South Africa in 2007 by the Compleat Golfer.

The hotel has 145 rooms and suites, all with their own balconies or terraces.

For conferences, the Kogelberg Centre is able to host up to 400 people. It can also be divided in three smaller rooms. Standard equipment supplied includes lectern, flipchart with pens, whiteboard with pens, equipment trolley with TV, VCR, DVD, CD player, and overhead projector. A data projector can also be arranged.

The International Conference and Business Centre offers five boardrooms for smaller groups, which are all fully equipped.

In addition, ISDN, data and fax points, full secretarial services, facsimile, colour photocopying, a travel desk, and two internet booths are available.

The Spa facilities include saunas, steam baths, heated indoor/outdoor Hydro pool, hydro massage, fitness pavilion, massages and a hair and beauty salon, and different relaxing, toning, and beauty treatments are on offer.

Ashmead Resort
Website

The Ashmead Resort is situated on the edge of Knysna's picturesque lagoon.

It has 66 accommodation units, most of which are self-catering, but the resort offers bed and breakfast accommodation to suit tour groups, corporate or conference guests.

The conference centre can host up to 250 people and equipment is supplied, along with secretarial services, if required. There are plenty of catering options and the restaurant and bar, Right on Rex, will also attend to any special requirements.

Team-building is also on offer.

Facilities include extensive indigenous gardens, slipway and mooring facilities for boating, volleyball court, a putt-putt course, children’s playground, and angling.

Caledon Casino, Hotel and Spa
Website

Located an hour's drive from Cape Town, in Caledon, the Caledon Casino, Hotel and Spa has 92 bedrooms.

It also has two conference rooms that can be subdivided into three, allowing for groups ranging in size from 25 to 250. Standard equipment, as well as Internet access is supplied.

For recreation there is the casino, a fully equipped hot mineral spa, quad and mountain bike riding, paintball and clay pigeon shooting, horse riding, abseiling, golf, and 4 x 4 driving.

Club Mykonos
Website

Located on the beautiful west coast of the Western Cape, near Saldanha, on the West Coast, Club Mykonos is able to host conference groups ranging in size from 10 to 100 delegates.

It is an ideal venue for working hard and playing hard; all equipment for a successful conference is provided and once outside the doors of the conference venue the facilities for a relaxing and enjoyable time are available.

Houw Hoek Inn
Website

Located in Grabouw, famous for its export apples, Houw Hoek Inn boasts five conference venues able to host groups from as small as 10 up to 500 for cocktails.

The conference packages include accommodation, a full English breakfast, morning and afternoon teas, a three-course meal for lunch and a four-course dinner. Standard equipment is also supplied.

For relaxation that involves a little exertion, there are facilities for squash, tennis, volleyball, swimming, table tennis, putt-putt and snooker.

The inn has 39 rooms and sleeps up to 80 people.

Lanzerac Manor and Winery
Website

The Lanzerac Manor and Winery, in the world-famous Jonkers-hoek Valley, surrounded by the dramatic Helderberg mountains, has three conference venues, able to host groups ranging from 20 to 190 people.

The Manor House can also be used and is able to accommodate from six to 26 delegates. Basic equipment is supplied.

The Manor and Winery has 40 rooms and sleeps 80, while there are also four restaurants to tempt the conference-goer.

Located in the Jonkerskloof Valley, the manor was built in 1830. The winery, which was established in 1692, is well worth a visit, and maybe also an investment in a bottle or two (or more)!

Monkey Valley Beach Nature Resort
Website

Monkey Valley Resort is located in picturesque Noordhoek, directly below Chapman's Peak, about a 20 minute drive from Cape Town's CBD.

It has 87 bedrooms and three main conference venues, as well as a number of cottages from smaller conference groups. The largest conference room is able to accommodate 200 people cinema-style.

Standard equipment is supplied and teambuilding activities are also available. For relaxation there is a herbal sauna, swimming pools, horse and camel rides, tennis, golf, and beach and mountain walks.

Protea Hotel Cumberland
Website

The Protea Hotel Cumberland is located in Worcester, in the Breede River Valley, just over 100 kilometres from Cape Town.

It has 55 rooms and room service is on offer 24 hours a day.

There are five conference venues, some of which can be combined, which allows for as many as 380 delegates to be hosted.

Conference equipment includes white board, air-conditioning, slide projector, flip chart, television, overhead projector, PA system, video recorder, microphone, portable screen, fixed screen, lectern, fax, personal computer, and photocopying machine.

The hotel's leisure centre offers a fully equipped gym, as well as squash and tennis. Spa and steam baths are a welcome offering after physical exertions. Nearby, there are facilities for angling, bowls, yachting, and a Gary Player-designed golf course.

Spier Estate
Website

The historical Spier Estate, founded in 1692 and one of the first wine farms to be established in Stellenbosch, is a mere 25-minute drive from Cape Town and situated on the wonderful Stellenbosch Wine Route.

The Cape-Dutch buildings lend themselves to the natural beauty of the property, that includes a 155-room hotel.

The Spier Conference Centre has a 430-seater auditorium and three breakaway rooms that can cater for up to 250 delegates.

For leisure time relaxation, a tour of the winelands is hard to beat, but other available activities include tennis, golf and a visit to a cheetah-breeding project, while the well-known Spier Summer Arts Festival takes place over a five-month period.

The Grande Roche Hotel
Website

The Grande Roche Hotel in Paarl offers 29 luxury suites and six executive rooms. It is also home to Bosman’s gourmet restaurant, which has regularly been voted among the 10 best restaurants in South Africa.

The Vineyard Venue Banqueting Centre, surrounded by vineyards and plum orchards, is able to host of conferences of up to 350 people. It can also be divided into three equal sections.

Standard equipment includes two flipcharts, screen, whiteboard, TV, VCR, overhead projector, public address system, and any additional equipment is available for hire.

Built in the Cape Dutch style, the buildings were restored in 1991 and in 1993 the hotel was declared a national monument, ample its beauty and the quality of the workmanship.

Last updated: November 2007

Want to use this article in your publication or on your website? See: Using SAinfo material