South Africa: The winner of the 2012 AA Quality Assured Accommodation Awards

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has announced the national winners of the 2012 AA Quality Assured Accommodation Awards programme, in which only AA Quality Assured members are eligible to participate.
More than 61 000 consumers commented on approximately 800 establishments, either online, via eGuestSurv reviews, or by completing AA guest review forms. Congrats to all the winners!

• Backpacker Hostels
  National Finalist - The Backpack (Cape Town, Western Cape)
• Bed & Breakfast (B&B)
  National Winner - The Hideaway (Swellendam, Western Cape)
• Boutique Guest House
  National Winner - Fernwood Manor Boutique Guest House (Cape Town)
• Boutique Hotel
  National Winner - Banksia Boutique (Cape Town, Western Cape)
• Budget Hotel
  National Winner - Stayeasy Emnotweni (Nelspruit, Mpumalanga)
• Country Retreat
  National Winner - Highgrove House Country Hotel (Hazyview, Mpumalanga)
• Exclusive Retreat
  National Winner - Addo Afrique (Paterson, Addo, Eastern Cape)
• Farm Stays
  National Winner - Rouxwil Country House (Caledon, Weastern Cape)
• Formal Guest House
  National Finalist - Victoria Place Guest House (Polokwane, Limpopo)
• Full Service and/or Conference Hotel
  National Winner - Indaba Hotel and Conference Centre (Fourways, Johannesburg, Gauteng)
• Game Lodge
  National Winner - Nedile Lodge (Welgevonden Private Game Reserve, Waterberg, Limpopo)
• Game or Nature Experience
  National Winner - Mattanu Private Game Reserve (Kimberley, Northern Cape)
• Guest House with Breakfast
  National Winner - Cycad Guest House (Polokwane, Limpopo)
• Guest House with Dinner
  National Winner - Opikopi Guest House (Pretoria, Gauteng)
• Leisure Hotel
  National Winner - Orion Mont-Aux-Sources Hotel (Bergville, Drakensberg, Kwazulu Natal)
• Resort Hotel
  National Winner - Pumula Beach Hotel (Umzumbe, KwaZulu Natal)
• Resort with Varied Accommodation
  National Winner - ATKV Klein-Kariba Holiday Resort (Warmbaths (Bela-Bela), Limpopo)
• Selected Service Hotel
  National Winner - Town Lodge Nelspruit (Nelspruit, Mpumalanga)
• Self Catering Accommodation - Large
  National Winner - The Cycad Lodge and Chalets (Nelspruit, Mpumalanga)
• Self Catering Accommodation - Small
  National Winner - Emerald Cove Beachfront Holiday Chalets (Shelly Beach, KwaZulu Natal)
• Self Catering Resort
  National Winner - Forever Resorts Plettenberg (Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape)
• Small Hotel/Inn
  National Winner - Orion Wartburger Hof Hotel (Wartburg, KwaZulu Natal)
• Suite Hotel
  National Winner - Courtyard Rosebank (Johannesburg, Gauteng)

AA & AA Travel Guides are developing standards for camping and caravanning sites in South Africa

South Africa's Automobile Association (AA), in cooperation with AA Travel Guides, is currently developing certain standards to assess camping and caravanning sites in South Africa and will then rate them according to the (adjusted) AA Quality Assured (AAQA) standards. The AA Quality Assured (AAQA) standards are currently only used to categorise hotels, lodges, self-catering and B&Bs.
According to Tourism Update the camping and caravan sites will get rated using criterias such as "whether they are a resort with a multitude of facilities; a standard caravan park with minimal facilities; located in the bush, a game or nature reserve; or whether they are suitable for 4x4 or overnight stops."

The AA Quality Assured (AAQA) standards are categorising establishments as follows:

• AA Recommended > properties satisfy AA stringent minimum requirements.
• AA Highly Recommended > properties present a product which offers high levels of professionalism and attention to detail in the decor, quality of furnishings and service.
• AA Superior > properties are pristine and present the traveller with decor and furnishings of exceptional quality together with remarkable levels of professionalism and hospitality.

(budget) accommodation in Southern Africa >>