Which is the best area to stay in Pretoria?
By Ruth Salzwedel. June 09, 2022
It is fairly easy to simply live in a city and never take the time to actually explore it. Pretoria is one of the capital cities of South Africa and begs to be explored. There is much to keep visitors entertained, and its shopping malls and flea markets with live music are a delight for visitors. Visitors who wish to enjoy an African safari experience will enjoy the Dinokeng Game Reserve, a large wildlife sanctuary just 40 minutes from Pretoria. Known as the Jacaranda City because of its exquisite purple-flowering Jacaranda trees in October, visitors stream to the city at this time for splendid photographic experiences.
An area that comes as recommended to stay in Pretoria is Arcadia. The suburb is next door to the city center. Pretoria Central may have some great accommodation options, but the area doesn’t come as recommended. Poverty is rife in the inner city and so is crime. However, even though the distance between Pretoria Central and Arcadia is 2 to 3 miles, the suburb of Arcadia is regarded as a safe place to stay for tourists and gives way to many beautiful hotels, embassies, and historical buildings. Try and avoid looking like a tourist as you photograph these historic buildings and avoid flashing cameras and other valuables around.
Get your trip off to a great start with splendid accommodation options in Arcadia. Take your pick from cozy bed and breakfasts to stylish guesthouses, and an awesome mix of 3, 4, and 5-star hotels. The Sheraton Pretoria Hotel is a 5-star accommodation establishment right opposite the Union Buildings. Other fabulous hotels in Pretoria which are close to the University of Pretoria, superb shopping malls, hospitals, and Loftus Versfeld are the 4-star Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park and the stylish Court Classique Suite Hotel.
Waterkloof Glen, an upmarket suburb in Pretoria, has fabulous accommodation options that cater to budget- and luxury travelers. You’ll find affordable, clean, self-catering options, serene guest houses in leafy streets, bed and breakfast accommodation as well as magnificent 5-star hotels. The well-established Pretoria suburb is close to the N1 highway which takes you to the O.R. Tambo International Airport. Waterkloof Glen holiday accommodation is close to the huge, fabulous Menlyn Park Shopping Mall which offers a massive variety of shops and restaurants.
The lovely, old neighborhood of Hatfield is known for its many embassies and large elegant homes. Hatfield is a fabulous place to stay when exploring Pretoria or using it as a stop-over destination en route to the Kruger National Park. It is close to Loftus Versfeld stadium and is a business and entertainment hub with lots of restaurants, shops, and clubs.
The exclusive suburb of Brooklyn lies east of the city center and close to the suburb of Waterkloof. It offers fabulous accommodation. There are no hotels but rather stylish guest houses to bed and breakfasts to self-catering establishments to apartments. You can be sure to find value-for-money accommodation options in Brooklyn. The place you choose is guaranteed to be close to sports and leisure facilities such as Brooklyn Mall, the Gautrain, and Loftus Versfeld Sports Stadium.
Ruth Salzwedel
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