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Cape Town designer Elbeth Gillis’ Spring 2009 Collection will be showcased on Friday 21 August at the Victoria & Alfred Hotel. Invite your friends, colleagues or business associates for lunch supporting the Kids with HIV Foundation. The event is hosted by Olive Hamilton-Russell.

Executive Chef, Sanel Esterhuyse, will prepare a three course set lunch inspired by Elbeth’ collection and paired with wines created local wine maker Hannes Storm from the Hamilton-Russell Estate. Lunch will be served from 12:00 until 14:30.

Elbeth specialises in bridal couture, but has expanded her design range into evening and vintage couture.

Date: 21 August 2009
Venue: Victoria & Alfred Hotel
Entry fee: R300 per person

Contact Information
Contact Tracy Stewart
Tel:  021 419 6677  
Email: events@vahotel.co.za
Website: http://www.vahotel.co.za/

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  The Victoria & Alfred Hotel

The 2009 South African Wine Tourism Conference will take place on Tuesday 21 July and Wednesday 22 July at the stunning Vineyard Hotel & Spa in Newlands, Cape Town. The theme for this year is: ‘share. innovate. inspire.’ Delegates will have the opportunity to network with other key figures in the wine industry and will also have access to the latest tends, at this two-day event.

Delegates can look forward to interactive panel discussions and interesting programme topics such as the following:

• Wine Festivals – are we killing the goose that lays the golden egg?
• Overview of South Africa’s Wine Tourism Strategy
• Wine Tourism Uncorked – an overview of Australia’s successful Wine Tourism Strategy
• E-marketing and blogs – how to use the Internet to position your brand
• Lessons learnt by the German wine & tourism industry during the FIFA Soccer World Cup in 2006
• Customers – how to source, treat and keep them
• Is South Africa meeting the Wine Tourist’s expectations?
• Responsible Tourism – what does it mean for the Wine Tourism industry
• International & local best practices shared  by Peter Lehmann Wines in the Barossa Valley, Waterford Wine Estate, Vergelegen Wine Estate and Kleine Zalze – from ordinary  to extraordinary wine tourism brands – what are their secrets in creating unique experiences?
• The new liquor law: implications for the local Wine Tourism industry

Guest speakers at this event include Alan Pick, founder and proprietor of the internationally renowned Butcher Shop & Grill; Itumeleng Pooe, Executive Manager at Cape Town Routes Unlimited; Ken Forrester (Ken Forrester Wines); Robin Shaw, Director Tourism & Business Services: Winemakers’ Federation of Australia; Kevin Arnold (Waterford); Jennifer Seif, CEO of Fair Trade Tourism; and Lynda De Holtnecker, CEO: The Touch Company.

Date: 21 July 2009 to 22 July 2009
Venue: The Vineyard Hotel
Entry Fee: R1710 per day

Contact Info:
Tel: +27 21 7621442
Email: zelda@imfunzelelo.co.za

Visit their website for more details:
http://www.winetourismconf2009.co.za/article/home

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• Stellenbosch Hotels
• Cape Winelands Hotels
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It’s that time of year again when Hermanus holds their annual Whale Festival.

This particular festival is held each year to celebrate the return of the Southern Right Whale to the Hermanus Area – the Walker Bay waters to be exact.

The festival begins on the 24th September and runs until the 28th September. The festival will feature a range of activities and festivities to choose from including live shows, arts and crafts, activities for kids and Eco Experiences.

If you thinking of visiting this lovely town, only about 120km outside of Cape Town, then make sure to have your accommodation booked.

More Information

• Hermanus Hotels
• South Africa Hotels

For those who have seen or are currently watching the series called “Long Way Down” will have noticed that when stopping over in Botswana, Ewan, Charley and the gang stayed at a beautiful lodge in the Okavango Delta called Mapula Lodge. So, we just couldn’t resist mentioning it in the SA Hotels Online blog!

As the team gets closer to home, it’s great to see the beautiful country that we live in and it’s even better to see celebrities exploring the vast bushveld and towns us South Africans have come to love.

The Long Way Down is currently featured on the National Geographic channel on Sunday evenings at 8pm (SA time), so watch Ewan and the gang for their adventures in our neighborhood in the following weeks.

More Information

• Mapula Lodge
• Botswana Lodges

National Women’s Day is just around the corner – taking place on Saturday, 9th August 2008. This particular South African public holiday commemorates the 1956 national march of women who petitioned against legislation that required that all African people carried special identification, known as the “pass”. This identification allowed them to enter allocated white areas.

Why not consider treating your special woman to a weekend away at one of our South Africa Hotels? SA Hotels Online offers a range of South African hotels and South African Lodges to choose from. Simply browse our hotel and lodge directory to find the perfect destination for your special getaway.

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• South Africa Hotel Directory

The Stellenbosch Wine Festival began yesterday at the Paul Roos Centre in Stellenbosch. The annual festival has over 100 wineries on display and over 500 wines to enjoy tasting. The festival provides a fabulous opportunity to taste wines on the market, get up close and personal with the wine makers and ,  of course, enjoy the entertainment such as the cooking demonstrations that will be taking place.

Visitors to the festival can enjoy delicious meals and food from the range of stalls that will have food on offer.

This festival is a must for any wine lover! The festival ends on the 3rd August 2008.

Tickets can be bought online at Computicket – Click here to buy your tickets online.

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• Stellenbosch Hotels
• Cape Winelands Hotels
• South Africa Hotels

The Tri Nations is taking place on the 16 August at the Newlands Rugby Stadium located in Boundary Road, Newlands. The game promises to be a good one as always and it’s Cape Town vs New Zealand, so for rugby fans – make sure to grab your tickets ASAP!

If you are not  from Cape Town and are looking for some Cape Town accommodation, find a list below of hotels nearby or in close vacinity to the Newlands Stadium:

• Southern Sun Newlands
• Vineyard Hotels
• City Lodge Pinelands
• Courtyard Cape Town
• Andros Country Lodge

Alternatively, checkout our Cape Town Hotels page for hotels in Cape Town where you can enjoy a weekend away in Cape Town while enjoying the rugby too!

Lugogo Sun Hotel

We have chosen to feature this hotel as it has just been added to our growing hotel database.

Just a few minutes from the Royal Swazi Sun, the lugogo-sun-hotel is part of the Sun International Hotels group and is located in the beautiful Swaziland. The hotel features a sub-tropical garden and 72-par golf course landscape and is one of the largest hotels located at the Royal Swazi Sun Valley Resort. Lugogo Sun is ideal for conference groups and families.

Kind regards

The SA-Hotels-Online Team.

The Drakensberg Sun is one of Southern Sun’s timeshare resorts located high in the Drakensberg Mountains, in the dramatic landscape of the Cathkin Peak area.

The natural surroundings provide guests with spectacular scenery, breathtaking views and fresh mountain air – perfect for a relaxing getaway. With the use of natural materials, polished wood and rich earthy colours making the resort one of South Africa’s most striking resorts, the Drakensberg Sun offers comfortable luxury rooms and suites with uninterrupted Drakensberg mountain views. The restaurant offering an excellent buffet overlooks the private lake at the resort. Drinks and light snacks can be enjoyed throughout the day on the terrace.

In addition to the comfortable accommodation, the resort has a proven track record in hosting private events including seminars, conferences, banquets and special occasion functions.

For more information click here: Drakensberg Sun Hotel

The Teremok Riverside is situated in one of Gauteng’s suburbs called Fourways, north of Johanneburg and offers guests a serene getaway on the banks of the Jukskei River.

This five start boutique hotel offers a “home away from home” experience and is suitable for both leisure and business traveller.

For more information click here:  Teremok Riverside