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| An unforgettable trip |
| by Brian Kelly |
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When people ask me where they should go for a honeymoon or a once-in-a-lifetime trip, my first question is always: “Have you been to South Africa?”
I’ve visited more than 10 times, and each trip leaves me smiling and in awe. This past week, I was there for our 10th annual PeaceJam Conference with my friend, Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee of Liberia. Afterward, I took Leymah on her first safari at Royal Malewane in the Thornybush Game Reserve — a bucket-list destination of mine that exceeded every expectation.
Royal Malewane, part of The Royal Portfolio (which also owns Cape Town’s Silo Hotel and La Residence in wine country), offers unmatched luxury. I split my stay between Masiya’s Camp, with its private decks and plunge pools, and the Farmstead Lodge, which has a refined countryside feel.
But the real magic is the wildlife. The Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and water buffalo — are all here, and private reserves let you get up close without the crowds. I’ve also stayed at Cheetah Plains, Singita Ebony Lodge and Lebombo Lodge — all phenomenal — but Royal Malewane stands out as my favorite so far.
If you haven’t been on safari, go at least once. It’s an unforgettable experience.
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How I avoid devaluations
I talk about transferable rewards all the time — credit card points and miles can offer amazing flexibility and, through transfer partners, help you redeem your points for maximum value.
Case in point: In Cape Town, I stayed at the Cape Grace hotel, a Fairmont-managed Accor property. Earlier this year, I transferred Bilt Points to Accor when there was a 100% transfer bonus. Accor points are worth 2 cents a piece when redeeming, so with the transfer bonus, for every Bilt point, I got 4 cents toward Accor stays.
The Cape Grace is a beautiful place to stay for a couple of days in the waterfront area of Cape Town. More and more these days, I am booking hotels via Chase Points Boost, where you get up to 2 cents per point, or using programs like Accor that have a set valuation.
As we have seen with other programs like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy, they keep raising the points pricing on award stays, whereas I like having points in a currency without the threat of a devaluation.
Have a great weekend,
BK
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| Photo Credit: BRIAN KELLY/THE POINTS GUY. |
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