Excellence Luxury Villas · South Africa
Luxury Villa Rentals in South Africa
Villas on Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard, with the Winelands, the Garden Route and the bush within easy reach
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A mountain, two oceans and the bush beyond
South Africa rewards the traveller who plans a little. Most of our guests begin in Cape Town, where Table Mountain rises 1,085 metres straight out of the city and the Atlantic breaks on white sand below the Twelve Apostles. From there it is around an hour to the wine estates of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, a long scenic drive to the Garden Route, or a short flight to the bush around Kruger. South Africa is only an hour or two ahead of London, so the flight is long but there is no jet lag to speak of.
Our South Africa collection runs to 190+ villas and apartments. The great majority are on Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard, in Camps Bay, Clifton, Bakoven and Bantry Bay. There are also houses on the Garden Route at Knysna and Noetzie, and a handful in KwaZulu-Natal and in Mpumalanga, close to Kruger. The largest have up to 23 bedrooms.
What follows is a guide to where to stay, when to come and how to fit the pieces together.
South Africa at a glance
- Villas
- 190+ villas and apartments, with up to 23 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £2,400 to £9,100 a week, from around £1,800
- Best areas
- Camps Bay, Clifton, Bakoven and Bantry Bay in Cape Town; Knysna and Noetzie on the Garden Route
- Best time
- November to March for Cape Town; May to September for safari
- Getting there
- Direct flights from London to Cape Town take around eleven and a half hours, with only a small time difference
Browse all 190+ villas in South Africaor see them on the map
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Villa Seeleeu South Africa4 bedrooms
Rent Villa Saota South Africa6 bedrooms
Villa Levante Llandudno Cape Town: Luxury 6-Bedroom Apartment with Seaviews & Pool – Cape Town6 bedrooms
Rent Villa Constantia South Africa5 bedroomsWhere to stay in South Africa
Camps Bay, Clifton, Bakoven and Bantry Bay on Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard for beaches and sunsets, Knysna and Noetzie on the Garden Route for forest and lagoon, and Mpumalanga for safari near Kruger.
Clifton, Camps Bay and the sunset side of the mountain
Most of Cape Town's finest villas sit on the slopes between Lion's Head and the sea, facing west for the sunset. Clifton has four sandy beaches, known simply as First to Fourth, divided by granite boulders and sheltered from the south-easter that blows through summer. Camps Bay, just south, has a palm-lined strip of restaurants and bars, with the Twelve Apostles rising behind it.
Bakoven, beyond Camps Bay, is quieter: a small cluster of houses above rocky coves, where you hear the sea rather than the traffic. Bantry Bay, towards Sea Point, is steep, sheltered and a short walk from the promenade. A word of warning: the Atlantic here is cold, even in January, and most guests are happy to admire it from dry land.
Browse villas in Camps Bay
Table Mountain, penguins and the oldest vineyards
Take the cableway up Table Mountain early on a clear morning, before the cloud locals call the tablecloth rolls over the top. Kirstenbosch, on the mountain's eastern slopes, is one of the great botanical gardens of the world, with sunset concerts in summer. Ferries leave the Waterfront for Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for eighteen years and which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Drive south over Chapman's Peak to Hout Bay and on to Boulders Beach near Simon's Town, home to a colony of African penguins, then to the Cape of Good Hope. Constantia, the country's oldest wine region, is around half an hour from the Atlantic Seaboard.
Browse villas in Hout Bay
Lagoons, stone castles and the Big Five
The Garden Route runs east along the coast from around Mossel Bay to the Storms River, through forest, lagoons and long beaches. Knysna sits on a lagoon guarded by two sandstone cliffs, the Heads. Just east of town is Noetzie, a secluded beach with a row of stone holiday castles built in the last century. Plettenberg Bay, a little further on, has whales offshore in season.
For safari, Kruger National Park covers nearly two million hectares of the north east and is home to the Big Five. It is a short domestic flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town, and our concierge can join a week by the sea to a few nights in the bush.
Browse villas near Kruger
A braai, a glass of pinotage and the right month
South Africans cook over fire, and an evening braai is as much a social ritual as supper. In Cape Town, look for Cape Malay cooking in the Bo-Kaap, bobotie and snoek, with a glass of chenin blanc or pinotage, a grape first bred in Stellenbosch in 1925.
The Cape summer runs from November to March, warm and dry, with the south-easter blowing. Winter, from June to August, brings rain to the Cape but is the best season for safari, when the bush thins out and animals gather at water. Southern right whales come into the bays off Hermanus from around June to November. Our concierge can arrange wine tours, safari stays, domestic flights, private chefs and transfers.
Ask our conciergeFeatured villas in South Africa
Cape Adowa South Africa5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £23,460 a week
Cape Zonke South Africa4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £23,274 a week
Rent Knysna Castle South Africa4 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £21,497 a week
Villa Tafelberg Bakoven: Luxury 8-Bedroom Apartment with Ocean Views & Pool – Bakoven8 bedrooms · sleeps 16From £21,350 a week
Casa Protea Cape Town: Luxury 8-Bedroom Apartment with Stunning Seaview & Pool – Cape Town8 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £21,350 a week
Cape Noord South Africa5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £20,672 a week
Casa Protea Bakoven Bakoven: Exclusive 2-Bedroom Penthouse with Sea Views & Private Pool – Bakoven2 bedrooms · sleeps 4From £19,789 a week
Cape Nelius South Africa6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £19,158 a weekSearch all 190+ villas in South Africaor see them on the map
Why book your South Africa villa with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
South Africa is a big country best seen in pieces, and we know which Atlantic Seaboard villas are sheltered from the summer wind and how best to link Cape Town with the Garden Route or the bush. With 190+ properties in South Africa, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Airport transfers, wine tours in Constantia, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, Table Mountain guides, whale-watching trips, safari stays and domestic flights, private chefs and restaurant reservations. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in South Africa?
For a first visit, Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard is hard to beat: Clifton and Bantry Bay for shelter from the summer wind, Camps Bay for restaurants on the doorstep, and Bakoven for quiet. Knysna and Noetzie on the Garden Route suit a slower second week.
When is the best time to visit South Africa?
November to March is the Cape's warm, dry summer and the best time for the beaches. For safari around Kruger, the dry winter months from May to September are best, when wildlife is easier to see.
Can I combine Cape Town with a safari?
Yes, easily. Short domestic flights link Cape Town and Johannesburg with airports near Kruger, so a week on the Atlantic Seaboard followed by a few nights in the bush is a popular route. Our concierge can plan the whole journey.
Can you arrange a private chef at a villa in South Africa?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury villa in South Africa cost?
Across our 190+ villas in South Africa, weekly rates typically range from £2,400 to £9,100, with the most affordable from around £1,800 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to Cape Town from the UK?
There are direct flights from London Heathrow to Cape Town, taking around eleven and a half hours. Cape Town International Airport is around 20 to 30 minutes from Camps Bay and Clifton, and our concierge can arrange transfers.
Are there villas in South Africa for large groups?
Yes. Our South Africa collection includes properties with up to 23 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your villa in South Africa
190+ villas and apartments from Clifton to Kruger, with our concierge to plan the journey between