Most of us are aware that it is Tourism Month in South Africa for the entire month of September. When you think about tourism or taking a tour in another city or country, what usually comes to mind? One of the few things I could think of was the currency, culture, transportation, and most importantly, accommodation. Where am I going to stay?
In most cases, you will have a lot of options when it comes to accommodation. It will, however, all depend on your style, taste, and budget. These factors are going to determine where you spend the rest of your holiday or vacation.
According to the South African government, Tourism Month is celebrated annually in South Africa and particularly focuses on the importance of the sector to the South African economy. It encourages South Africans to travel domestically in an effort to sustain jobs and ultimately contribute to the recovery of tourism as per the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan.
If you are travelling, you have the option to choose between staying in serviced accommodation or non-serviced accommodation. They are all in the private sector, which means the aim is to make a profit.
So, if you are planning to stay overnight at your destination and want to live in serviced accommodation, you can look at hotels, guesthouses, and hostels. This also means you do not have to worry about cleaning; there is staff specifically hired for such services, including changing your bed covers and towels while also serving food and drinks when you need them.
Non-serviced accommodation is designed for tourists who wish to cater for themselves. This means that you enjoy staying in places such as cottages, campsites, as well as caravans, and you prefer taking care of your own cooking and cleaning when you are on vacation.
Let’s talk about what it takes to run accommodation in South Africa. There is a series of steps that you need to go through, and these include:
Starting a BNB in South Africa:
- Making a plan
- Creating your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
- Developing your marketing plan
- Enquiring about permits and zoning
- Raising start-up capital
- Finding hotel premises, building, and furnishing
- Recruiting staff
- Putting systems in place
- Training your team
- Opening your hotel
If your goal is to open a BNB, amongst other factors, the most important aspect is getting your plans approved by the Town Planning Department of your local council. Upon receiving approval, the next steps would include registering the venture and obtaining a trading license from the Licensing Department.
Opening a lodge:
There are certain standards and criteria that you need to meet. They include:
- A proven available investment amount
- 60% of your employees need to be South African
- A comprehensive business plan
- Your lodge’s company structure
How guesthouses work in SA:
By definition, a guesthouse is traditionally a small, privately owned homestead that rents out its rooms at a daily rate. A guesthouse will also have fewer rooms than a hotel, usually anything from 4-10 rooms. It is up to the owner how they go about renting and their daily rate.
Now let’s have a look at the best accommodation across the country. This list will help you decide where to stay for your next vacation.
Top 5 Accommodation | Eastern Cape:
- Tri-Angle B&B and Guest House
- Bon à Vie Self Catering And B&B
- Mantis Founders Lodge
- The Sands @ St. Francis Bay
- Shamwari Private Game Reserve
Top 5 Accommodation | Gauteng
Top 5 Accommodation | Mpumalanga
- Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge
- Lion Sands Game Reserve
- Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve
- Kruger Gate Hotel
- Tintswalo Safari Lodge
Top 5 Accommodation | Western Cape
- Rustic Manor Guest House and Retreat
- Blue On Blue Bed and Breakfast
- Botlierskop Private Game Reserve
- Arabella Hotel, Golf & Spa
- Grootbos Private Nature Reserve™
Top 5 Accommodation | KwaZulu Natal
- ANEW Resort Vulintaba Newcastle
- Fordoun Hotel & Spa
- Ammazulu African Palace
- Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge
- Beverly Hills Hotel
Top 5 Accommodation | Northern Cape
- Burgsdorf Guest Farm
- !Xaus Lodge
- Kgalagadi – Lodge – Guesthouse – Camp Site
- Tutwa Desert Lodge
- River Place Manor
Top 5 Accommodation | Limpopo
- aha Thakadu River Camp
- Palala Boutique Game Lodge & Spa
- Tawni Safari Lodge
- Mabalingwe Nature Reserve
- Unembeza Boutique Lodge & Spa
Top 5 Accommodation | North-West
- Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge
- Pilanesberg Private Lodge
- Tambuti Lodge
- Black Rhino Game Lodge
- Sun City Resort
Top 5 Accommodation | Free State
- The Clarens Country House
- De Oude Kraal Country Estate
- Devondale Guest House & Function Venue
- Cheetau Game Lodge
- The Royal Fischer Hotel
Owning a hotel, B&B, guesthouse, or lodge can be very profitable if you have the right blend of location, price point, quality of the physical asset, marketing strategy, dedicated employees, supportive investors, and management partners.
