Traveling To Cape Town? Take A Shower Before You Leave And Don’t Flush When It’s Yellow

Tourists traveling to Cape Town these days may have to select between experiencing one of the most beautiful towns in the world or taking a shower.

Forget pools, sauna, steam rooms, and please don’t take a bath. The day Cape Town, South Africa will run out of water is imminent.

The measures follow almost three years of water shortages, Cape Town’s rainfall dams are sitting at 27 percent full.

In a statement on the situation, South African Tourism said: “South African Tourism would like to thank the many tourists and tourism businesses that have heeded the call to reduce their water usage over the festive season – while urging them to not lose steam.”

South African Tourism CEO Sisa Ntshona added: “We are pleased that we have not received any reports of any tourism attractions and services interrupted by the water shortage and we appeal to tourists, and tourism businesses to continue being good responsible tourism citizens and continue being water-wise, even as the peak holiday season in South Africa winds down.”

A BBC reporter puts it the way it is:

My wife does not use the shower anymore. Instead, she boils about 1.5 liters of water and mixes it with about a liter of tap water to have her daily wash while the rest of us catch the slow running water in a bucket for re-use in the toilet cistern.

As for flushing, which in the past would have used around six liters at a time, we have adopted the popular slogan: “If it’s yellow let it mellow and if it’s brown flush it down.”

South African Airways Celebrates Freedom Day With Sale Fares To Destinations Throughout South Africa, 5 Day Sale Starting April 30th

 

5-Day Sale for Summer Travel Starting at $1,299.00* (restrictions apply)

 

 South African Airways (SAA), Africa's most awarded airline, is celebrating South Africa's Freedom Day with a 5-day sale offering special fares from New York-JFK and Washington, DC-Dulles to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and East London.  The Freedom Day Fares start at just $1,299.00* (restrictions apply) from Washington, DC-Dulles to Johannesburg and $1,399.00* (restrictions apply) from New York-York to Johannesburg for travel during the peak summer season. The Freedom Day Fares are available for sale through April 30, 2016, for travel June 1 through August 10, 2016.  To celebrate Freedom Day with SAA and take advantage of these special fares, customers can visit www.flysaa.com or call SAA Reservations at 1-(800) 722-9675, or their professional travel consultant.

"The Freedom Day holiday celebrates the first democratically-held elections in South Africa back in 1994," said Marc Cavaliere, executive vice president, the Americas for South African Airways.  "On this holiday, South Africans honor the strides that have been made to ensure a democratic South Africa and a better life for all. As the national flag carrier of South Africa, we're incredibly proud of this achievement and salute the country's achievements by inviting our customers to visit South Africa this summer with these special fares."

South Africa's first democratically-held elections took place on April 27, 1994, when Nelson Mandela was voted as president of the newly democratic republic.  For the past 22 years, South Africans celebrate Freedom Day on April 27^th, as a day to commemorate the sacrifices that were made to achieve equality, to strengthen democratic ideals and to reflect on the country's successes in fostering a free and equal South Africa.

South African Airways is one of the world's most awarded airlines, having been honored as "Best Airline in Africa" for 13 consecutive years by Skytrax.  On-board, SAA provides an inflight experience designed for pure comfort for long-haul travel. Our customers enjoy fully-flat seats in Premium Business Class, industry-leading legroom in Economy Class, gourmet cuisine and a selection of complimentary spirits and award-winning South African wines and generous checked baggage allowance. Also included are individual audio / visual entertainment systems that deliver an extensive menu of first-run movies and music choices.  Via our Johannesburg hub, SAA links the world to dozens of cities and destinations across Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands.

About South African Airways

South African Airways (SAA), South Africa's national flag carrier and the continent's most awarded airline, serves over 75 destinations worldwide in partnership with SA Express, Airlink and its low cost carrier Mango. In North America, SAA operates daily nonstop flights from New York-JFK and direct flights from Washington D.C.-IAD (via Accra, Ghana and Dakar, Senegal) to Johannesburg. SAA has code share agreements with United Airlines, Air Canada and JetBlue Airways, which offer convenient connections from more than 30 cities to SAA's flights. SAA is a Star Alliance member and the recipient of the Skytrax 4-Star rating for 14 consecutive years.

Like South African Airways here. 
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Terms & Conditions

*Restrictions:  Fares are per person and valid for round-trip travel and include government and airline imposed taxes and fees.  Valid for travel between 6/1/2016-8/10/2016. The $1,299.00* fare is valid for travel from Washington, DC-Dulles Airport (IAD) to Johannesburg, South Africa.  The $1,399.00* fare is valid from New York-JFK Airport  (JFK) to Johannesburg, South Africa. Minimum stay: Must stay over one Sunday for fares to apply.  Tickets must be purchased within 72 hours of reservation being made or by April 30, 2016.  Seats at these fares are limited and may not be available on all flights or dates.  Cancellations before / after departure:  fares and fuel surcharge (YR / YQ / Q) are non-refundable.  Date change fee: $300.00, plus any applicable fare difference. Administrative fees may also apply.  Baggage and optional services fees may apply.  Reservations made 7 days or more prior to scheduled departure may be cancelled without penalty up to 24 hours after the reservations is made.

8 New Destination Hotels For 2016

Rendering of the Rosewood Phnom Penh.

Hotel openings might seem like everyday events, but a handful come with more excitement and anticipation than the rest. They may be in a particularly notable building, bring a fresh concept to an already-popular destination or have the potential to attract travelers to a location they may not have thought of visiting. With these factors in mind, we turned to travel professionals who check out new properties for a living and picked eight names worth checking into in 2016 (excluded from the list below are hotels that are reopening after a renovation, as with the Ritz Paris).

Rosewood Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Expected opening: Late 2016

Cambodia’s capital city will add luxury accommodations to its hotel roster when the 148-room Rosewood makes its debut late in the year in the Central Business District. The hotel will occupy the top 14 floors in the Vattanac Capital Tower One, Phnom Penh’s tallest building, which is shaped like a rising dragon with panoramas of the city skyline and Mekong River. Historic landmarks such as the Royal Palace are close by, and amenities include a spa, two restaurants and a bar on a cantilevered terrace. Bobby Zur, who owns Travel Artistry, a consultancy in Franklin Lakes, N.J., says that Rosewood’s venture is timely because of the city’s growing popularity with international travelers. “The property will be innovative in its approach of combining luxury with an authentic sense of place,” he said.

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Amanemu. CreditAMAN

Amanemu, Ise-Shima National Park, Japan

Expected opening: March

When Aman opened a Tokyo property at the end of 2014, it was the brand’s first foray into Japan, and now comes a far more remote one in Shima, a city that’s about a four-hour train ride from the capital. The resort is perched on the shores of Ago Bay within a national park, and abundant hot springs are the draw: The 24 rooms and four villas have their own onsen, or mineral hot springs, and the spa has two onsen bathing pavilions. Jack Ezon, the president of the New York City travel consultancy Ovation Vacations, says that Amanemu will open a new frontier for Western tourists. “Most travelers to Japan hit Tokyo or Kyoto, but this resort is a rural perspective of the country that’s a big change from the traditional city experience,” he said.

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The Silo.

The Silo, Cape Town, South Africa

Expected Opening: Late 2016

A city venture from the Royal Portfolio, a hospitality group with three other high-end properties in South Africa’s countryside including La Residence in Franschhoek, this boutique hotel on the Victoria & Albert Waterfront is being built in the grain elevator of a historic silo complex and will occupy the six floors above what will be the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Royal Portfolio owner Liz Biden is designing the 28 rooms while the notable London-based architect Thomas Heatherwick is in charge of transforming the building. Mr. Ezon says that the former grain storage space will be an integral part of the Cape Town skyline. “You have an important museum and new luxury hotel in one building with an eye-catching design,” he said.

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Park Hyatt St. Kitts. CreditRendering courtesy of Park Hyatt

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Park Hyatt St. Kitts, St. Kitts

Expected Opening: November

Set on Banana Bay in the southeast peninsula of St. Kitts — an area with plenty of secluded white sand beaches — this property is the initial effort in the Caribbean from a brand known for sleek city hotels. It’s also the island’s first upscale beachfront resort. “Most travelers pass through St. Kitts airport to get to Nevis, but the Park Hyatt is going to make the island a destination,” Mr. Ezon said. It will have 125 rooms, a 12-treatment room spa and an aesthetic that combines contemporary architecture and a colonial feel reflective of the island’s historic roots; several of the suites will have a rooftop pool and unobstructed ocean views.

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Sereno Lago di Como. CreditIl Sereno Lago di Como

Il Sereno Lago di Como, Lake Como, Italy

Expected Opening: Spring 2016

The owners of the see-and-be-seen Le Sereno St. Barth are hoping to bring some of that hotel’s glamour to their luxurious Lake Como venture on a promontory a few miles away from the town of Como. The notable Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola has created a property with a contemporary, relaxed feel, and, in keeping with the brand’s philosophy of intimacy, it has just 30 rooms, each oversized and with lake views and terraces. There’s also a restaurant, infinity pool and spa. Stacy Small, the founder of the Los Angeles-based consultancy Elite Travel International,says that most hotels in Como are traditional and lean toward formality, but that the Sereno is hip and modern. “It brings freshness to a destination that’s on the bucket list for so many travelers,” she said.

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Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro. CreditGrand Hyatt

Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Expected Opening: Spring 2016

As home to this year’s Summer Olympics, all eyes are on Brazil, and this 436-room Yabu Pushelberg-designed oceanfront property is a needed addition to a city where full-service, family-friendly resorts are scarce, according to Ms. Small. Though it’s in Barra, a residential neighborhood that’s away from the crowds of Copacabana and Ipanema, guests will find all the amenities that come with a large hotel: three restaurants — Japanese, Italian and Brazilian — a large spa, a yoga studio, an extensive outdoor pool and lounge area, a kids program and two club floors.

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1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge , Brooklyn Heights, New York

Expected Opening: Late 2016

The third location for Barry Sternlicht’s 1 Hotels brand, founded with a mission toward sustainability, this 194-room hotel is being built on a pier in Brooklyn’s new riverfront park and will have impressive views of the East River and Manhattan skyline.

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The nature-inspired touches throughout the space include shipping containers and pier structures, and there’s no shortage of attractive amenities to lure guests: several farm-to-table food outlets overseen by the New York City chef Seamus Mullen, a rooftop plunge pool, a screening room and car service from Tesla. “This will be Brooklyn’s only full-service luxury hotel so far and will put the borough even more on the map than it already is,” Mr. Ezon said.

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Rendering of the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel. CreditArtist Concept Only/Disney

Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel, Shanghai, China

Expected Opening: June 2016

These two resorts are part of the excitement about the first Disney park opening in mainland China and are conveniently built right next to the fun. The Art Nouveau-inspired Shanghai Disneyland Hotel has 420 rooms, whileToy Story Hotel, inspired by the Disney Pixar series of “Toy Story” animated films, has 800. Both immerse guests in the world of Disney with character-themed room keys, bath amenities and also family activity centers with crafts and games. Mr. Zur says that the park and hotels may go beyond being the usual tourist draws. “Disney could be to U.S.-China relations what the Gorbachev-Reagan Summits were to U.S.-Soviet relations. Or, it may just mean that hundreds of millions of Chinese nationals will be donning Mickey ears in the years to come,” he said.

By By SHIVANI VORA, www.nytimes.com

Marriott Rewards Now Available Across Africa At All 100 Protea Hotels

Protea Joins Over 4,000 Marriott International Hotels Where Members Can Earn And Redeem

 Points For Global Travel

 Marriott Rewards, the award winning

 global hotel loyalty program, is being expanded to all Protea Hotels and African Pride Hotels 

across Sub-Saharan Africa, giving its 53 million members 100 more hotels where they can earn

 and redeem points.  Today's expansion follows an initial rollout of Marriott Rewards to 25 properties

 in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban and expands the program to Protea and African Pride

 hotels in Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Malawi.

"Marriott Rewards members--our most loyal guests--are seeking travel experiences that empower 

them to pursue their passions. Marriott Rewards' expansion to include all Protea Hotels allows

 members to enjoy the benefits of loyalty when traveling to Africa, whether for business or leisure,"

 explains Mark Satterfield, Chief Operating Officer for Marriott International, Middle East & Africa and

 Marriott International's Business Leader for Protea Hotels. 

For individuals who travel around Africa, this is the first time an African hotel brand has offered

 loyalty points for domestic stays that can be redeemed for travel internationally. Protea Hotels

 is positioned in the moderate and upper moderate tier categories, with properties situated in

 key business centers and sought-after leisure destinations. Protea Hotels offers accommodation

 ideal for both business and leisure travelers, with modern design and a unique blend of local style

 and personal service.

Marriott Rewards points can be redeemed for hotel stays, as well as for a range of other benefits, 

such as air travel, frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, and merchandise. In addition to earning 

points for their stays, Marriott Rewards members enjoy exclusive benefits, such as free Wi-Fi and

 mobile check-in and check-out through the Marriott Mobile app, as well as special  offers only

 available when booking direct on Marriott.com.

To learn more about Marriott Rewards, which is free to join, please visit: www.MarriottRewards.com.

About Marriott Rewards

Marriott Rewards is Marriott International's award-winning loyalty program spanning 16 brands and

 over 4,000 properties worldwide. Marriott Rewards is free to join and has no blackout dates and

 members can earn and redeem points at Marriott International properties around the world and at

 Marriott Rewards exclusive luxury partner The Ritz-Carlton®.  Members can also redeem points

 for frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, merchandise and more. By making rewards accessible

 with a modern, easy approach, Marriott Rewards continues to be a leader in the industry. Marriott

 Rewards has won the Freddie Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program in the Americas" eight years

 in a row and the 2011 and 2010 Frequent Travel Award for "Best Hotel Rewards Program." In

 addition, the program has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of U.S. News

 & World Report, About.com, Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Executive Travel and

 BusinessWeek magazines. To enroll and for more information about Marriott Rewards, guests

 can visit MarriottRewards.com.

About Protea Hotels

Protea Hotels is Africa's leading hotel brand and has a footprint of more than 100 properties

 throughout South Africa and seven other African countries, including Zambia, Nigeria, Namibia,

 Ghana and Uganda amongst others. Each hotel is uniquely different in character and the

 collection ranges from urban accommodation to country retreats, all in the 3 and 4-star markets.

 Protea Hotels is the winner of 2 World Travel Awards for Best Hotel Group in Africa, winner of 3

 Sunday Times Markinor Top Hotel Brand Awards, the winner of 6 Coolest Hotel Group awards

 in the Sunday Times Generation Next surveys and the winner of the Ask Africa South African

 Customer Service Award 2013 and Icon Brand 2015. The hotel group was bought by Marriott

 International in April 2014 and forms part of Marriott's global brand portfolio made up of 19

 brands that operate more than 4 300 hotels in 81 countries. Follow us on twitter @ProteaHotels

About Marriott International:

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based

 in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 4,300 properties in 85 countries and territories. 

 Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company

 operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands,

 including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® 

Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive 

Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®,

 Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea

 Hotels® and Moxy Hotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and

 for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty

 program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass

 54 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at www.marriott.com

Travelore Tips: Top Free Things To Do In Cape Town

A relatively weak rand makes Cape Town a more affordable destination to visit, and the city certainly provides value for money when it comes to eating and accommodation. However, everyone likes to get something for free, and in this respect the Mother City is overflowing with options.

V&A Waterfront

Attracting 24 million visitors a year – more than Cairo’s pyramids – to its glitzy mix of retail and tourist entertainment, the V&A Waterfront remains a working harbour with much of its historic fabric intact. One of the best ways to get an insight into its past, as well as make sense of this sprawling site, is to follow the self-guided historical walking tour; pick up a free map detailing the route at the visitor information centre on Dock Rd.

Pin this imageStatues of South Africa's four Nobel laureates in V&A Waterfront's Nobel Square. Image by Simon Richmond / Lonely Planet

Along the way have your photo taken with Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela – larger-than-life statues of both men, designed by Claudette Schreuders, stand in Nobel Square beside those of South Africa’s two other Nobel Prize winners, Nkosi Albert Luthuli and FW de Klerk. At the Nelson Mandela Gateway, departure point for ferries to Robben Island, there’s a good free exhibition about the freedom struggle and life in the prison that is now a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Market Square Ampitheatre is the focus of much free entertainment, including buskers and various musical and dance acts. Videos are shown on a giant screen and there are live shows from 5pm to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

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24 hours in Cape TownCape Town's top activitiesMother City markets: where to shop 'til you drop in Cape Town

Mountains hikes

Table Mountain National Park is an amazing natural resource that is the pride of the Mother City. Although there are admission fees to some parts of the park, such as Boulders (home to a colony of African Penguins) and the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve, there’s no charge for hiking the myriad trails on Table Mountain, up Lion’s Head or along Signal Hill.

None of the routes up Table Mountain are easy, but the 3km-long Platteklip Gorge route, accessed from Tafelberg Rd, is at least straightforward. It’s very steep and you should reckon on it taking you about 2½ hours to reach the upper cableway station at a steady pace. Be warned that the route is exposed to the sun, so climb as early in the morning as possible, bring plenty of water and sunblock, and preferably don’t climb alone.

Pin this imageView of Twelve Apostles and Camps Bay from top of Lion's Head, Cape Town. Image by Simon Richmond / Lonely Planet

However, there’s no need to reach Table Mountain’s summit to get brilliant views. A short hike up behind the lower cableway station will bring you to the Contour Path, running a fairly level way eastwards around Devil’s Peak to the King’s Blockhouse. The Pipe Track runs along the west side of the mountain towards the Twelve Apostles and provides stunning coastal views.

Beautiful beaches

Looking down from the Pipe Track you’ll spy some of Cape Town’s most beautiful beaches. Separated from the bar and restaurant lined promenade by palm trees and a grassy bank, Camps Bay is a gorgeous sweep of soft sand. However it can get crowded, particularly on weekends, and is exposed to the wind. The surf is strong and the Atlantic Ocean is freezing, so it's also not particularly suitable for swimming.

More sheltered are Clifton's four beaches, split by giant granite boulders. Clifton 3rd, the prettiest and most secluded of the quartet, cocooned by hillside beach houses, is popular with gay Capetonians, as is Sandy Bay, the nudist beach further south down the Atlantic coast. You don't need to be gay or a nudist to enjoy either beach, though, and the latter has amazing giant rock formations to explore.

Huts at Muizenberg Beach, Cape Town. Image by Simon Richmond / Lonely Planet

Families will love Muizenberg and St James beaches, both lined with colourfully painted Victorian chalets. Located on the False Bay side of Cape Town, both have much warmer water than on the Atlantic side. Also consider a walk along blissful Noordhoek Beach. In the middle of this 5km beach, the rusted shell of the steamship Kakapo sticks out of the sand like a weird sculpture. It ran aground here on its maiden voyage in 1900 from Britain to Australia.

Street art

It costs nothing to admire the vivid street art that decorates the sides of many buildings in District Six and Woodstock. A blue-hued painting of Nelson Mandela covers one side of electricity Substation 13 on Canterbury St, while on the other is a mural dedicated to District Six. Both images are the work of Mak1one (mak1one.com; aka Maxwell Southgate) who also decorated the façade of Charly’s Bakery opposite, and whose distinctive street art can be spotted at several other locations around town.

Another prolific street artist is Faith47 (faith47.com). Land & Liberty, her image of a mother with a baby strapped to her back pointing up towards Lion’s Head, covers the side of an eight-storey building on Keizersgracht. The side of another building viewed from De Waal Drive, is the canvas for the artist’s The Harvest. This proud African woman holding a crop of reeds integrates electronic lights that switch on when a donation is made to the #ANOTHER LIGHTUP project (anotherlightup.com), which funds lighting for public spaces in the township of Monwabisi Park.

Pin this image'The Harvest' by Faith 47, Cape Town. Image by Simon Richmond / Lonely Planet

A grid of streets off Albert Rd around the Woodstock Exchange is a canvas for some amazing street art, much of it created during a collaborative project between a word of art and Adidas Originals in 2011. More pieces have been added since, such as Raised By Wolves by Nardstar, and Freedom Day Mural by Freddy Sam.

Gardens and parks

It costs nothing to stroll through the shady Company’s Gardens in the heart of the city centre, where you can admire various sights: trees that date back to the times of the Dutch East India Company, pretty flower beds and a variety of statues, including a bronze one of politician and mining magnate Cecil Rhodes.

Also in the city centre, the Prestwich Memorial Garden is dotted with a collection of quirky sculptures and installations by Capetonian artists; these include the rainbow arch It’s Beautiful Here by Heath Nash and Full Cycle Tree by KEAG, the latter being made from recycled plastic.

Pin this image'It's Beautiful Here' by Heath Nash, Prestwich Memorial Garden, Cape Town. Image by Simon Richmond / Lonely Planet

An eco-legacy of World Cup 2010 is the Green Point Urban Park, which showcases the biodiversity of the Cape and provides a front row view to the Cape Town Stadium. And from the beautifully laid-out urban Oranjezicht City Farm on the slopes of Table Mountain, there are splendid views of the Table Bay harbour.

Contributed by Simon Richmond

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