Sunday, December 9, 2012

SOUTH AFRICA: Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town


The term “Out of Africa” has come to have new meaning for me.  You see, right at this very moment, I was supposed to be in Africa, and but for a nasty foot injury I would now be on a two-week trip touring South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.  It was a big disappointment to have to cancel my first trip to that continent, but there’s no reason not to take the trip vicariously and to share it.
 
After two back-to-back red-eyes (first from Los Angeles to London, then from London to Cape Town), I would arrive at 7:00 a.m. and be whisked off to the Mount Nelson Hotel. 
 
I have travelled a great deal in the world ... but my favourite hotel is the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town"
— Sir Laurens van der Post

 
To put the above quote into context, the late Sir Laurens was, among many other things, a political adviser to British heads of government and godfather of Prince William.  So in keeping with that glowing recommendation, the ScheckTrek pick for accommodations in Cape Town, South Africa, is the Mount Nelson.

 

(Photo from Orient-Express.com)

I didn’t look forward to the flights, but did relish the idea of arriving at that renowned hotel—soaking in a hot tub, perhaps slipping between some luxurious sheets for a short nap, and following up with plenty of picture taking.

(Photo from Orient-Express.com)

 
 
 (Photo from Expedia)

 
A friend who’d lived in South Africa told me I had to have afternoon tea there—that tea at the Mount Nelson is an institution—so reservations were set for 2:30.
 
(Photo from Orient-Express.com)

 

(Photo from Orient-Express.com)

 
I wouldn’t be staying for dinner.  My visit to the Mount Nelson would be for only 8 daytime hours, just a preamble to the Ntaba tour for travel agents that I would be joining later in the afternoon.  For all the excitement that tour promised, the pace would be a demanding one: the next 11 nights would be spent in 10 different hotels.  But since I love seeing different hotels, that would be a treat for me!
 
More on that next time.

3 comments:

  1. Please ignore the links that blogspot has insisted on putting in for "Nelson Hotel," "flights," and "hotels."

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  2. Though among the fifty four there is quite a number that offer safari tours, not all can quite fill up your expectations. Tanzania, the country made up of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, is home to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Mt. Kilimanjaro

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  3. Hi,
    It is really a nice hotel with lots of value added facilities like best accommodation facilities, affordable foods facilities, etc.

    We are leading three star rated hotel, offering best budget hotels in Cape Town &
    affordable accommodation in Cape Town facilities.

    ReplyDelete