In conjunction with title sponsor, Sanlam, Discount Traveler South Africa ensured a special evening themed #MyHeartBeatsAfrica, in which guests were serenaded by the sounds of Ricky Botsis as they sipped on welcome drinks from Ayama Wines, Disaronno, Woodford Reserve, Lakeside Breweries, Carabao, Happy Culture Kombucha, and Sir Fruit, as FoxBox pampered guests with express manicures and Bianca Hamilton-Brown offered hair touch-ups.
The Sanlam Top Destination Awards awarded a selection from 13,400 establishments entered for this year’s awards, with finalists receiving up to R10 000’s worth of marketing from Granadilla Media to accompany their certificate, and the 35 winners received a winner’s certificate, trophy as well as an additional R25,000’s worth of marketing from Granadilla Media.
This year the Sanlam Top Destination Awards has added the Water Sustainability Award. The award has been created in conjunction with Water 4 Cape Town and Cape Town Tourism to reward the country’s most water conscious establishment. !Khwa ttu, a unique San Heritage Centre which combines culture and heritage with adventure and education, also walked away with a 3D Virtual Scan from 3D Virtual Africa to the value of R15,000.
Other major sponsors for the evening included Santam, Travel Africa TV, Magic AM, and the Phangela Group.
Ungraded: Strandskloof Caravan Park (Gansbaai, Western Cape)
Ungraded: The BIG Backpackers (Cape Town, Western Cape)
Four-star category: Once in Cape Town (Cape Town, Western Cape)
Ungraded: Paulandi (Leeupoort, Limpopo)
Three-star category: Strandfontein Accommodation (Strandfontein, Western Cape)
Four-star category: Petit & Grande Plaisir (Franschhoek, Western Cape)
Five-star category: Orange Grove Farm (Robertson, Western Cape)
Ungraded: Oregon Place Guest House (Middelburg, Mpumalanga)
Three-star category: Sun Bell Lodge (Cape Town, South Africa)
Four-star category: Island Way Villa (Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape)
Five-star category: Tree Fern Guest House with Spa (Fochville, Gauteng)
Ungraded: Edenbrook Country House (Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape)
Four-star category: Blue Gum Country Estate (Stanford, Western Cape)
Five-star category: The Wild Mushroom Luxury Country House (Cape Winelands, Western Cape)
Ungraded: Leopard Lily Bead & Breakfast (Potchefstroom, North West)
Three-star category: La Teranga Accommodation & Conference Group (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal)
Four-star category: At the Nest B&B (Aliwal North, Eastern Cape)
Five-star category: Azamare Camps Bay (Cape Town, Western Cape)
Ungraded: Zanchieta Animal Farm (Bloemfontein, Free State)
Three-star category: De Herberg Lodge (De Aar, Northern Cape)
Four-star category: Sunset Beach Lidge & Spa (Cape Town, Western Cape)
Five-star category: Tintswalo Atlantic Boutique Hotel (Cape Town, Western Cape)
Game Lodge
Four-star category: Morokolo Game Lodge (Pretoria, Gauteng)
Ungraded: Lindani (Waterberg, Gauteng)
Two-star category: Tented Adventures Pretoriuskop (Kruger National Park, Limpopo)
Four-star category: Letsatsi Private Game Lodge (Vanrhysdorp, Western Cape)
Five-star category: Buffalo Thorn Lodge (Rustenburg, North West)
Ungraded: Holkrans Guest Lodge (Griekwastad, Northern Cape)
Four-star category: Koekais Guest Farm (Griekwastad, Northern Cape)
Ungraded: The Grey Boutique Hotel (Cape Town, Western Cape)
Three-star category: Arendsrus Country Lodge (George, Western Cape)
Four-star category: Krystal Beach Hotel (Gordan’s Bay, Western Cape)
Five-star category: Lakeside Lodge & Spa (Lakeside, Western Cape)