Where to sleep in South Africa: the best hotels, B & Bs and more

Each budget is different, so we wrote articles advising you the best accommodation for each type hotel in South Africa. You will find on our site our selection of the best youth hostels, the best value for money accommodation, the best guesthouses, the best safari lodges, the best charming hotels, the best luxury hotels, the best accommodation for families, the best hotels with swimming pools or even those near a golf course in South Africa. We recommend that you prioritize accommodation in the accommodation included in our guide: accommodation at the best value for money in South Africa. These are guest houses or hotels that we loved offering unbeatable prices for their quality of services and very well located. Then we recommend that you treat yourself for a night or two during your itinerary and make your trip to South Africa unforgettable. For us, the wine route between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek is the most beautiful place in the Cape region to book a magnificent boutique hotel. In the North of the country, you must book without hesitation a night to sleep in a Kruger National Park private reserve.  

NB: If you are doing a road trip in South Africa, then we advise you to read our articles on the best accommodation for each stage: The best hotels in each region to stay in South Africa

The establishments with the best value for money in South Africa: top and cheap hotels and B & Bs

Accommodation is often the first expense when you go on vacation. To reduce the hotel budget as much as possible without compromising on quality, we have compiled a list of hotels and B & Bs that have the best value for money in South Africa. Our criteria are: affordable prices, an ideal location and clean, comfortable rooms. Of course there are less expensive than these establishments but we found that our recommendations are the best compromise for a good stay (you don't want to be too far from points of interest and waste time in transport or arrive in a bathroom not well cleaned…). On average, these accommodations cost around € 60 per night for a standard double room, which amounts to € 30 per person if you share with your partner. These low prices allow you to use your savings to fully enjoy South Africa. We strongly advise you to choose as a priority the guesthouses and hotels from this list, which can be found in full in our article: Accommodation with the best value for money in South Africa. You will not regret it ! We have been sleeping ourselves in all these accommodations during our vacation and we strongly recommend them because we were impressed by the very good level of services given the low prices offered.

NB : These good plans are quickly full, so remember to book well in advance so as not to be disappointed before leaving for South Africa…

The best youth hostels in South Africa: the quality of a B&B, the ambiance!

The backpackers in South Africa are really great. We were impressed with the quality of the rooms far from the low-end bias. We recommend our selection of the best youth hostels in South Africa for everyone: young people, group of friends, family and even a couple. Indeed, they all offer dormitories at unbeatable prices but also very comfortable double and family rooms. Having slept there very often, we can assure you that the standard and cleanliness of the rooms are equivalent to a quality guest house. The big difference with a guest house / B & B is the atmosphere! Youth hostels are the perfect place to meet new people. They very often offer BBQ evenings where people come to grill their meat around a fire and have a drink at the hostel bar. In addition, the prices are often cheaper than in other types of establishments which allows you to save money to treat yourself during your stay.

Find our full selection here: The best hostels to stay in South Africa 

NB : All the youth hostels that we recommend on the Garden Route in South Africa are served by the Baz bus (it is a means of transport by mini bus that allows you to travel on the Garden Route without having to hire car).

The best guest houses in South Africa: quality guest houses always very well located

The guest houses we have selected are real nuggets. They are as good as a hotel but cheaper and more user-friendly. The hosts who received us have always been fantastic. They are full of great advice and have helped us book many excursions. In addition, all of these guest houses that we recommend are extremely well located. We strongly recommend them if you have a budget to keep but you do not want to compromise the standing and comfort of your room.

To discover all these cheap good deals, it's here: The best guesthouses for accommodation in South Africa

The best unusual hotels in South Africa: treehouses and safari tents

South Africa will certainly amaze you during the day but you can also extend this enchantment for a night in a of the best atypical hotels in the country. Whether one night at the top of the trees in a luxurious cabin or in the middle of the savannah in a safari tent worthy of a king, these unusual accommodations with magnificent design are perfect for spending an unforgettable night. It is ideal if you are on vacation in South Africa for your honeymoon or if you simply want to treat yourself for an evening.

Our selection is available here: The best atypical hotels to stay in South Africa 

The best boutique hotels in South Africa: boutique hotels better than 5 stars

South Africa has an exceptional offer of charming hotels scattered throughout its territory. These are establishments that offer a standard similar to 4 or 5 star hotels but without the large complex that goes with it. Here the key word is exclusivity. The number of rooms is often reduced to less than 10 and they all have a different style. In addition, the quality of services is worthy of the largest hotels. In our selection of the best boutique hotels in South Africa, all the accommodation we recommend is even better for us than traditional hotels. They have a character and a charm which offer you a unique experience.

We invite you to discover these tastefully designed accommodations in our article: The best boutique hotels to stay in South Africa.

Consulting: If we had to recommend a place that is really worth it in South Africa to book one of these charming hotels, it is of course on the wine route between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek in the middle of the vineyards.   

NB : As we said earlier, these charming hotels have very few rooms. We therefore advise you to book your dream night well in advance to avoid disappointment.

The best seaside hotels in South Africa: rest on the idyllic beaches of the South Af 'coast

South Africa has a sumptuous coastline. It is therefore not surprising that one can find seaside hotels just as magnificent. Our selection covers the entire coast of the country, whether in the South between Cape Town and the Garden Route or in the East between Durban and St Lucia. These establishments offer all the comfort you need to relax during your vacation. Furthermore, the best beach hotels in South Africa that we recommend are always located in an idyllic setting.

NB : For us, the best place to rest in a seaside hotel and spend a quiet holiday is Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route with its hot water lagoon and its many activities. You can spend a few days there by following one of our itineraries.

Find all our recommendations here: The best beach hotels to stay in South Africa 

South Africa's best luxury hotels: top of the top nationwide

Whether for an unforgettable trip or for a special occasion, the best luxury hotels in South Africa will not disappoint you. These 4 to 5 star hotels are mostly institutions whose names are known to all locals. We guarantee you have slept ourselves (or family members / friends) in all youth hostels, guesthouses and other hotels we recommend. On the other hand for these luxury hotels, we did not have the privilege of testing them all! What is certain is that living in South Africa for many years, we can guarantee that the reputation of these establishments is not to be remade. You are bound to have a perfect night's sleep in the crème de la crème of South African hotels.

Discover the top hotels in the country here: The best luxury hotels to stay in South Africa 

The best hotels on reservations in South Africa: safari lodges on private reserves

South Africa is known for these exceptional natural parks and more particularly for the legendary Kruger National Park. The safaris here are so large that you can cross them in several days without ever having to leave the park (see the best route for visit Kruger Park in 2 days and our guides to visit Addo Elephant Park, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve or even Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary). Suddenly, they house many lodges which are like islands of civilization in this wild immensity. We selected the best hotels located in South African reservations so that you can enjoy a unique safari day and night. Indeed, all these safari lodges are built near a water point so you can see the animals of the savannah come to drink at sunset while sipping a Gin & Tonic. Magic !

You will find in our article on the best hotels for lodging on reservations in South Africa a list of safari lodges from cheap deals to the most sumptuous establishments.

The best dream hotels in South Africa: the best to make your trip unforgettable

South Africa offers many magnificent accommodation, be it 5-star hotels, boutique hotels or even guest houses. To keep an unforgettable memory of your vacation, we advise you to pay attention to your budget to accommodate 90% of your stay (see our article on establishments with the best value for money in South Africa) but to make you happy for one or two nights.

Not to be mistaken, we have compiled a list of all the best dream hotels to stay in South Africa. We promise you that you won't regret booking in these exceptional establishments!

NB : These dream hotels are quickly full because their reputation is well established, so remember to book well in advance so as not to be disappointed before leaving for South Africa…

The best 3-star hotels in South Africa: hotel comfort at affordable prices

We selected the best 3 star hotels in South Africa for those who prefer the comfort and service of a hotel rather than a Guest House. We decided on the different offers by looking at their location, their price and their level of service. Of course, the beauty of the place is also taken into account.

Our list of the best 3-star hotels to stay in South Africa you will be of a great help to find the rare pearl without spending in hours searching on the internet.

The best hotels for families in South Africa: child-friendly accommodation

For a successful family vacation, we recommend a list of child-friendly hotels. All parents know that if your children are happy you can relax! We therefore hope that our selection of best hotels for families in South Africa will make many happy young and old alike! All of these accommodations offer clean, comfortable and spacious family rooms. To learn more about the best route to visit South Africa with the family, we invite you to read our article here.

The best hotels near a golf course in South Africa: sleep near the most beautiful courses

In addition to being a country known worldwide for these landscapes and these safaris, South Africa is also famous for these golf courses. If you are an enthusiast, you cannot miss all of these magnificent courses. Our favorite? Green Point Golf Course in Cape Town with Ocean View and Table Mountain! Spoil yourself by sleeping near all these courses surrounded by sublime landscapes.

We give you all the information to know in our article: Best golf hotels to stay in South Africa

The best hotels with a pool in South Africa: very important if you go in summer!

Nothing better than to end a day full of sightseeing with a jump in a swimming pool! Not all establishments offer this benefit so we have listed all the best hotels with swimming pools in South Africa for those who want to afford this little luxury. In addition, all these accommodations are not more expensive than those without a pool so you can go for it!

Discover all our recommendations here: the best hotels with swimming pools to stay in South Africa 

NB : We strongly advise you to book a hotel, guest house or youth hostel with a swimming pool if you come to South Africa during the summer (from December to early March) because the temperatures are high.

To find out more about South Africa:

• Go on a circuit in South Africa
• The best routes to visit South Africa
• Where to sleep in South Africa?
• The best areas to stay in Cape Town