The Royal Portfolio is one of the leading companies of high-end travel in South Africa, operating little shop homes in stunning areas throughout the nation. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to experience their impressive homes and amazing hospitality throughout our recent trip.
From their stylish city hotel, to quiet sanctuaries in Franschhoek and Hermanus, to a broad variety of unique safari lodges, you will be warmly welcomed at each home in this family-owned hotel group and will feel like part of the family.
Combining numerous homes from within the exact same hotel portfolio has lots of advantages, starting with a constant level of excellent service and amenities throughout your entire trip. The residential or commercial properties will all interact with one another about your choices and dietary requests, including the wine designs that you enjoy! We loved the personalized menus provided to each member of our group at every location, including only dishes fit to your choices. Another great factor to combine several portfolio residential or commercial properties is to make the most of their longer-stay discount rates, typically receiving one complimentary night.
We started our trip at La Home, located in a relaxing personal 30-acre estate in the winelands area of Franschhoek, surrounded by mountains and vineyards. Each room is separately embellished by owner Liz Biden, to her exacting standards and in her special style. In addition to the roomy suites in the primary building, there are likewise vineyard suites which are best for friends or family sharing, and the freshly opened, unique six-bedroom Franschhoek Home.
From here we journeyed to the supreme seaside retreat of Birkenhead Home in Hermanus. Set down on a cliff side ignoring the sandy beach of Walker Bay, this property is calming and inviting. A long list of activities is readily available here, from whale seeing to kayaking to red wine tasting, and we thoroughly took pleasure in mussel picking. Donning wetsuits, we joined Chef Clive and headed down to the beach to discover the correct method to gather mussels, and it was so much fun! Later on that day, we joined him for a cooking class to delight in the fruits of our labor.
Our city remain at The Silo, Cape Town’s premier luxury hotel, was the best base for our expedition of the city. This architectural marvel is located in the heart of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, steps far from excellent dining and shopping.
No journey to South Africa would be complete without venturing out on safari, and we ended our trip with some remarkable wildlife watching. The Royal Portfolio has a variety of elegant camps and lodges in the Thornybush Game Reserve, nearby to the popular Kruger National Park. Each property has its own special beauty, and there is certainly one to match your own individual style!
Each Royal Portfolio safari automobile has a guide and a tracker who interact as a group to host your wildlife experience. These expert safari guides are a few of the most qualified in South Africa, with several attaining the highest level of nationally recognized guide ranking. In reality, there are only 13 guides who have actually attained this greatest status, and 2 of them are on the Royal Malewane team. Collectively, the guiding team has more than 350 years of experience in the African bush, and they will deliver an extraordinary safari for you.
We began our safari at Waterside at Royal Malewane, perched at the edge of a waterhole in the northern section of the Reserve. Opened in 2022, the spacious and light-filled rooms have a modern feel, in shades of green and blue. This family-friendly lodge likewise has a recreation rooms, rock climbing wall, and outdoor pizza oven, and the exclusive-use 4-bedroom Waterside House is perfect for a private household retreat. Wildlife viewing here was excellent, including lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, zebra, wildebeest and more. If interested, you can likewise set up a visit to the close-by Conservation and Research study Centre and the Anti-Poaching K-9 Unit.
Our next stop was the location where all of it began– Malewane Lodge at Royal Malewane! This was the very first high-end safari lodge constructed by the Biden family, and there is an ageless elegance and traditional safari feel at this stunning lodge. Nearby is Africa House, a personal 6-bedroom bush villa with dynamic décor and rich colors, and plenty of space in the numerous living and dining areas for the entire household to delight in.
The wildlife viewing in this southern area of the Reserve was equally remarkable, and we finished our viewing of the big five with a big herd of Cape Buffalo, in addition to seeing more rhino, elephants, and a huge pride of lions.
We visited their small and intimate sister home, the nearby Farmstead at Royal Malewane. This property has just three farm suites neglecting a dynamic waterhole, plus there is likewise the alternative to exclusively reserve their private 3 1/2 bedroom villa, the Farmhouse. The design here is a relaxed modern take on a farmhouse design, with lively colors, contemporary African art, and hanging daybeds for relaxing on your personal deck, taking in the views of the surrounding bush.
The enjoyment did not end there! We were thrilled to have the chance to take a sneak peek at the most recent property in the portfolio, Masiya’s Camp at Royal Malewane, before its official opening! As one of the extremely few luxury tented alternatives offered in the higher Kruger region, we have been anxiously awaiting its opening, and it did not disappoint.
Called in honor of the late master tracker Wilson Masiya, this distinct tented retreat offers an immersive experience in the sights and sounds of the African bush. This intimate camp has simply six tented suites, each individually decorated with bold vibrant colors and artwork. Each large suite has a dedicated indoor lounge area, a personal deck with a heated plunge swimming pool, and an outside lounge with extensive views. The common lounge bar and dining area includes an interactive kitchen area, pizza oven, outdoor barbeque, and 360-degree views. This is an extremely amazing brand-new addition that we believe will become a preferred choice for discerning travelers!
With numerous extraordinary alternatives to select from, we can create a customized itinerary for you so that you too can experience the Royal treatment in South Africa.