Winchester Mansions and Garden Route Game Lodge

While visiting Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA, my husband, Joe, and I decided to stay in the residential neighborhood of Sea Point. We chose Winchester Mansions (221 Beach Rd., Sea Point, Cape Town, South Africa; phone +27 21 434 2351, fax 434 0215 or visit www.winchester.co.za) for our September ’06 stay because of their sea-facing rooms.

Even though this Dutch Cape-style hotel is on a busy road, each room has double-paned windows which completely cut out any traffic noise. Across the street is a beautiful walkway which locals use for jogging and walking their dogs. Behind the concrete barricade, huge waves crash against rocky beaches. It’s an excellent area to get exercise or just watch the locals go by.

The middle of the hotel has a lovely courtyard where birds squawk and twitter, giving the hotel a wonderful ambiance. The rooms are spacious and the beds, very comfortable.

We paid $180 per night for two people in a double room. Breakfast was included, as we bought the “Spring Fling” package. Breakfast was amazing, either made to order or from the buffet.

After visiting the Victoria & Albert Waterfront area, where most visitors are encouraged to stay, I was so glad we were staying at the Winchester. Cape Town is known for its natural beauty, and what the V.A. Waterfront area reminded me of was a huge shopping mall. If you want to enjoy the natural beauty of Cape Town, we highly recommend the Winchester Mansions.

• We then drove up the coast and stayed at Garden Route Game Lodge (Box 344, Albertina, 6695, South Africa; phone +27 28 735 1200, fax 1202 or visit http://capetown.gopassport.com/go/categories/game-lodges/garden-route-ga...). A combination of a game park, an educational center for the conservation and preservation of animals, and a cultural center, this lodge is a wonderful way to ease into a safari.

We stayed in one of their chalets — a fun and interesting way to spend the evening. It cost $126 per person per night, which included breakfast, dinner and two game drives. The food and entertainment were excellent.

If you have difficulty transferring your own luggage, the chalets may be a bit hard to stay in as there is very little assistance from the staff. If this is the case, stay in the lodge; it, too, is very well appointed.

SARA KRAS

Glendale, CA