Port Elizabeth Hotels
Port Elizabeth is the capital of the Easter Cape province of South Africa and is set on the shores of the stunning Algoa Bay. It is the fifth biggest city in South Africa and is known as The Friendly City. It’s a hugely popular holiday resort and has a year round buzz about it, mainly due to the fact that it gets more sun than any of the other coastal towns in the country. This ensures that the beaches are always packed with people who are there to soak up the rays, surf, sail and dive. It offers some of the best diving opportunities in the country and is also home to a number of beautiful parks, botanical gardens and nature reserves. Tsitsikamma National Park is only a day trip away as is the Addo Elephant Park where you can see more than 200 elephants as well as Cape buffalo, black rhino and more than 180 species of bird.
It is served by Port Elizabeth airport, also known as the ‘ten minute airpor’t, which is only a five minute drive from the beach front and business district, and just ten minutes from other important areas in the city.
Port Elizabeth hotels offer good value for money and you’ll probably find that a five star hotel here is not as pricey as a comparable hotel in Cape Town. If you’re looking for luxury that’s just a short walk from the beach, then check out the Signa Lodge in Summerstrand. This stunning hotel is set in lush gardens and the décor has been inspired by the rich and diverse cultures of Africa and the East. The 12 luxury suites are very spacious and the service is warm, friendly and thoroughly professional. Foodies will be in heaven in this hotel as the resident chefs are renowned for their creativity and attention to detail and are constantly trying out new dishes to tempt your palate.
Just one notch down the official star rating scale is Poseidon Lodge, another popular Port Elizabeth hotel, which is situated along a stretch of beautifully unspoiled beach on Algoa Bay. Poseidon Lodge has its own beach entrance and is just a short 50m dash to the surf. The views are absolutely stunning and dolphins and whales can often be seen from the deck of the guesthouse. It’s just 20 minutes from Port Elizabeth airport and 12 minutes from the city centre, so it’s ideally located if you’d like to head into town for shopping, nightlife and the wide range of restaurants that central Port Elizabeth has to offer. The owners speak English, German and Spanish will be more than happy to arrange a number of activities for you, from sailing on the lodge’s very own yacht, to deep sea fishing and safaris.
For something a little more affordable along the beach, take a look at Bishops Inn, which is located opposite Kings Beach and not far Hobie Beach – a haven for all water sports enthusiasts. The inn is self-catering, although there is a breakfast lounge which serves a continental and full English breakfast every morning. It’s wheelchair accessible, offers a daily laundry service and Wi-Fi is available in all the rooms. As well as being right on the beach, the inn is within walking distance of plenty of restaurants as bars, shopping malls and The Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment complex. It’s the perfect budget option if you’re looking for comfort (but not luxury) and want to be close to all the action that Port Elizabeth has to offer.
As is the case when you’re booking any hotel, when you’re looking at Port Elizabeth hotels, think about where you would like to be based, what you want from your holiday – action or sun, sand and a good book – and make sure you hunt around the internet for any special online deals.
