February is the perfect time to spoil yourself and your significant other by enjoying a romantic getaway.
Shaun Pozyn, marketing manager for British Airways, knows all the best places for a romantic weekend getaway.
Shamwari Private Game Reserve
, in the malaria-free Eastern Cape, has undergone a revamp of its luxury lodges, including Eagles’ Crag, which is specifically for couples.
It’s surrounded by lush vegetation and the rock-faces for which it’s named. There are just nine suites at the lodge, which has its own spa, and each suite has a private deck with a heated plunge-pool. The game-viewing is unrivalled, and guests know that visiting Shamwari supports its conservation and rehabilitation operations.
Tintswalo Atlantic
is a five-star boutique lodge at the foot of Chapman’s Peak on the Cape Peninsula’s Atlantic seaboard.
It’s the only lodge in the Table Mountain National Park, a World Heritage Site, and is on the edge of a pebble beach, with its 10 suites overlooking the ocean, the Sentinel mountain range and Hout Bay. It’s hard to imagine a better place for supper as the sun sets. While the lodge is secluded, it’s also a short drive away from Cape Town’s many attractions, including wine-farms, museums and galleries, markets, restaurants, and of course, scenic views. www.tintswalo.com
Babylonstoren
is a historic wine-farm with a vast fruit and vegetable garden that dates from 1692, with the Paarl mountains as a backdrop.
The rooms have hot tubs, four-poster beds and fireplaces. There are two restaurants on the farm: the Greenhouse, which offers breakfasts and light lunches, and Babel, which focuses on fine dining, with seasonal food grown on the farm, and a “pick, clean and serve” and farm-to-fork approach. Facilities on the farm include a bakery and a hammam, a traditional Turkish bath. www.babylonstoren.com
Kangelani Lodge
in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal overlooks the scenic Assegay Valley and offers hotel rooms, self-catering units and luxury tents.
You can request supper in the wine-cellar or in the bush boma, surrounded by indigenous trees and aloes. Nearby attractions include the Shongweni Farmers’ Market and game-viewing at the Phezulu Safari Park. The Umgeni Steam Train offers a nostalgic and relaxing way to see the Valley of a Thousand Hills and beyond, and the Shongweni Brewery and Porcupine Quill Brewing Company offer craft beer tastings.