---

SA hotspots among world's best

29 November 2006

Cape Town was voted the top city in Africa and the Middle East and the eighth best city in the world in the 2006 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice survey, while two lodges in South Africa's Singita Private Game Reserve were together rated the second best resort in the world.

According to the readers of the highly regarded US travel magazine, South Africa also has seven of the top 15 hotels in Africa, nine of the top 25 resorts in Africa and the Middle East - and four properties in the world's 100 "best of the best" list.

The 19th annual Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards, published in the November issue of the magazine, are based on the travel experiences of the 21 000 readers who voted in the 2006 survey.

Triumph for Singita

The Ebony and Boulders Lodges at Singita Private Game Reserve in Mpumalanga province stood out with a score of 98.0.

Conde Nast Traveler scores represent the percentage of "excellent" or "very good" ratings received by a resort, hotel, city, island, cruise line, airline or car rental agency.

Singita's score put the two lodges in top spot for resorts in Africa and the Middle East, in second spot for resorts overall, and in fourth spot on Conde Nast Traveler's 100 "best of the best" list - the only properties in the world to score higher were the Four Seasons Bali at Sayan, England's Buckland Manor hotel and the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest.

Two other Singita lodges, the Lebombo and Sweni Lodges, scored 92.8, making them the eighth best resort in Africa and the Middle East and 29th best resort in the world, and putting them in 89th place on the 100 "best of the best" list.

Cape Town scores

Cape Town, with a score of 82.8, was voted top city in Africa and the Middle East - ahead of Marrakech in Morocco and Jerusalem in Israel - and eighth best city in the world.

According to Conde Nast Traveler's readers - based on the criteria of ambience, culture and tourist sites, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and shopping - Sydney is the top city in the world, followed by Florence and San Francisco.

Four Cape Town hotels were ranked among the top 15 in Africa, with the Cape Grace being rated the second best hotel on the continent - after the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza - and the 32nd best hotel in the world. The Cape Grace's score of 94.5 also put it at 49th spot on the 100 "best of the best" list.

SA hotels in the survey

South African hotels that placed in "top 15 hotels in Africa" category of the 2006 Condé Nast Traveler survey were:

Cape Grace, Cape Town (2nd place, score of 94.5)

The Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays, Cape Town (4th, 91.1)

Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town (7th, 87.8)

Grace in Rosebank, Johannesburg (9th, 82.8)

The Michelangelo, Johannesburg (10th, 81.5)

Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town (11th, 80.8)

The Westcliff, Johannesburg (14th, 76.4)

SA resorts in the survey

South African resorts that placed in "top 25 resorts in Africa and the Middle East" category of the 2006 Condé Nast Traveler survey were:

Singita: Ebony & Boulders Lodges (1st, 98)

MalaMala Game Reserve (7th, 92.9)

Singita: Lebombo and Sweni Lodges (8th, 92.8)

Sabi Sabi Private Game Lodge (10th, 91.9)

Londolozi Private Game Reserve (11th, 91.7)

Phinda Forest Lodge (12th, 91.0)

Sun City Hotel (15th, 86.2)

Palace of the Lost City (18th, 84.9)

Ngala Private Game Reserve (21st, 84.7)

SA among the 'best of the best'

South African properties that placed in 100 "best of the best" category of the 2006 Condé Nast Traveler survey were:

Singita: Ebony & Boulders Lodges (4th, 98)

Cape Grace, Cape Town (49th, 94.5)

MalaMala Game Reserve (88th, 92.9)

Singita: Lebombo and Sweni Lodges (89th, 92.8)

SAinfo reporter