Bloemfontein Hotels

Bloemfontein, or The City of Roses as it has become known, is situated in South Africa’s Free State Province and has an old world charm about it that makes it the perfect choice for a relaxing holiday of sightseeing and culture. It has a very chilled out vibe and offers a real change from the hectic pace of some of South Africa’s other main cities. With game parks, museums, botanical gardens and lots of historic buildings, there’s plenty to see and do in this beautiful city, and you’ll find that your rand goes further here than places like Cape Town and Jo’burg. The summer months are between October and March and the average temperature at this time of year is 26⁰, although it has been known to get hotter at the height of the season, around January time. Afrikaans, English and Southern Sotho are the main languages spoken.

The city is served by Bloemfontein airport, which, like many other South African airports, underwent a multi million rand facelift prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. South African Airways and Mango, one of the country’s budget airlines, operate services at this airport and they fly to Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth.  It is also served by the smaller Tempe airport.

Bloemfontein hotels range from small, privately owned houses to luxury four and five star spas and conference centres. You’ll also find a great number of B&B’s offering a wonderfully friendly service that will make you feel right at home.

If your budget allows and you’d like to splash out on a little luxury, make sure you put the Corporate Boutique Hotel top of your list. It’s just five km from either Bloemfontein or Tempe airport and is located in the upmarket business area of Westdene. Attention to detail and outstanding service are what sets this hotel apart and you’d be hard pressed to find a bad review of the place. Its wonderfully homely feel and atmosphere married with the professionalism you’d expect of a five star hotel make it an absolute treat, and even if you can only afford a couple of nights, it will be on the things you remember about your trip.

If your budget is a little tighter, then check out The Urban Hotel, one of the more affordable Bloemfontein hotels. Children of all ages are welcome and a cot can be provided if you’d like to book one of the four family rooms. The hotel has a chic bar, and although there’s no restaurant they do allow you to order from a couple of local eateries and have the food delivered to your room. Location-wise The Urban is located close to the picturesque Loch Logan Waterfront, Mimosa Hall and the Sports Stadiums.

One of the bigger Bloemfontein hotels is the Southern Sun hotel, which is part of a chain throughout South Africa. It’s situated 10km from Bloemfontein airport and is only a stone’s throw from the famous Mimosa shopping mall. It’s also within walking distance of two of the cities beautifully tranquil parks – Vodacom Park and Goodyear Park. The hotel has a total of 147 rooms, all of which are en suite and it is set in beautiful gardens with an outdoor swimming pool.

All in all, a trip to Bloemfontein will be relaxing, tranquil and will give you a real flavour of warm South African hospitality.